This ancient Italian breed, the Lagotto Romagnolo is the only dog that was bred and born to be a truffle hunting dog. You can recognize the Italian Waterdog straight away from their curly coat, lovely beard and stunning character. The Lagotto is a small to medium-sized dog, the males are between 43-48 cm and females are 41-46 cm tall. They look like a teddy bear, but don’t be fooled by the look: Lagotto is a stunning working dog who is always ready to work.
The breed was used as a water retrieval dog in the marshes of Romagna. The marshes were drained in the 1800s, and the Lagotto lost its main job. These dogs were retrained to find truffles and became popular for that job. Almost all truffle hunters used the breed for this purpose between World War I and World War II. The breed is the ancestor of all water dogs and several other breeds they say.
Fortunately, the Romagna Water Dog can still work in the activity which it was born for, and many people still train them as truffle dogs today. At the same time, like so many other breeds, it holds its own in many activities, Lagotto is a real versatile working and family dog.
What makes the Lagotto the perfect family dog?
The Romagna Water Dog is neither too big nor too small, which makes it an ideal family dog. High energy, kind
and playful breed that is always ready for some action. Very good with kids, and each and every activity makes it happy,
be it walking, learning or playing. This breed is really water addicted!
The Lagotto Romagnolo learns incredibly fast, they are very attached to their family, so it is important that their living space be shared with their beloved master. Close connection to the owner makes them happy and balanced dogs. Hair falls out less than average, making it easier to live together for those who are sensitive to dog fur.
They are easily trainable and the body composition of the dog makes it suitable for sports and work like:
Never forget the original breeding purpose of the Italian Water Dog. Their nose is excellent, that’s why truffle hunting is in their blood.