Height: 16-19 inches
Weight: 24-40 pounds
Lifespan: 14-17 years
Colors: Orange, off-white, brown roan, orange and white, white and chocolate, brown
Suitable for: Families with children and multiple pets. Also ideal for families looking for low drooling or low shedding dog without high grooming demands.
Temperament: Playful, quick learner, affectionate, trainable, good companion.
The Lagotto Romagnolo or Romagna Water Dog is a pure-bred dog from Italy. Many people love the Lagotto Romagnolo (plural: Laggoti Romagnoli) since the dog has a dense, curly coat covering its entire body that doesn’t shed quickly. Also, the dog is sociable, obedient, and provides good company.
Are you looking for a family dog? The Lagotto is the perfect dog for you. However, you need to understand the Lagotto breed to purchase and maintain the dog successfully. Read on to learn more about the Lagotto dog breed.
Lagotto Romagnolo Puppies
- Energy: 4/5 stars
- Trainability: 4/5 stars
- Health: 4/5 stars
- Lifespan: 4/5 stars
- Sociability: 4/5 stars
What’s the Price of Lagotto Romagnolo Puppies?
The average price is between $1800-$2500. The Lagotto Romagnolo is relatively costly since it’s not yet widespread in the US and Canada. Hence, the breeder spends a lot importing and breeding the dogs.
Things to Know When Owning a Lagotto Romagnolo
Food & Diet Requirements
The Lagotto requires high-quality food, whether manufactured or homemade. The vet should guide you on the diet as the requirements vary depending on the dog’s age.
Also, some dogs are susceptible to obesity, and treats shouldn’t be an everyday thing. Therefore, learn what foods are safe and healthy for your dogs and confirm your dog’s diet with the vets. Typically, nutritionists recommend a high protein or meat diet and high healthy fat foods for the Lagotto.
However, if your dog requires a special diet, your vet can help you create the right diet plan. You should also provide clean water to the dog at all times. The water keeps the Lagotto hydrated, ensuring your dog remains active and healthy.
Exercise
The Lagotti have high mental stimulation needs and are active. Therefore, you need to keep the pets engaged. The dogs require frequent exercise, and you should create time to take them outside for play.
Additionally, consider creating mind-engaging games when indoors to keep the Lagotti busy. These games can help you bond more with the dog. A dog that exercises frequently is less prone to health issues such as obesity.
Training
Lagotto Rogmanolli is intelligent and lively animals curious to learn and make their owners happy. Therefore, you may only require a few training sessions as the dogs are obedient.
The dogs have an excellent nose that’s perfect for scent work. Consequently, you can train the dogs for various purposes, including search and rescue and medical disease detection. Consider hiring a professional trainer for faster results.
Grooming
The Lagotto’s entire body has a water-resistant, thick curly hair coat except for the head. Although the hair sheds minimally, regular trimming of the hair is essential. The trim prevents hair overgrowth and keeps your Lagotto looking neat.
Other grooming activities may include the elimination of wax from the dog’s ears and nail clipping. You should seek professional pet grooming services to maintain your Lagotto’s appeal.
Health and Conditions
The Lagotto breed is generally healthy. However, the species is susceptible to various diseases.
Serious Conditions
- Juvenile Epilepsy
Puppies that suffer from juvenile epilepsy are usually between 6-18 months and experience seizures in the front part of the body. The seizures occur when the puppy is resting or about to sleep.
Affected puppies appear normal between episodes. There’s no known treatment for the disease, but vets give medications to manage the condition.
- Storage Disease (LSD)
The condition is neurodegenerative, and symptoms can show from 4 months to 4 years. Storage Disease is so severe that the vet may euthanize the dog. Dogs with this condition shouldn’t be bored.
- Hip or Elbow Dysplasia
Hip or elbow dysplasia is characterized by a malformed hip or elbow joint that’s genetically inherited. The disease reduces the function and mobility of the dog and can be painful.
- Patellar Luxation
The condition is a genetic disease characterized by a displaced kneecap in the rear legs but may not be noticeable at birth. However, the anatomical deformity that causes luxation is present and causes patellar luxation with time.
Minor Conditions
- Obesity
Obesity is common in Lagotti and can cause joint problems. The management of the condition entails giving your dog healthy foods and making the dog exercise regularly.
Male vs. Female
Generally, male Lagotti are larger than females. The Lagotto male is 17-19 inches tall, while the female ranges between 16-18 inches.
The male Lagotto weighs between 28.5 and 35 pounds, while the female weighs between 24 and 31 pounds. These differences can help you to quickly identify a male or female Lagotto when buying a puppy.
Related Questions
Is Lagotto Romagnolo Good for Families?
The Lagotto is a good choice of dog breed for families since the dog forms a deep connection with the owner and is easy to train.
This dog breed is playful and can tolerate child behavior to some extent. However, although the dog is relatively good with children, you should ensure supervised play and interaction to avoid adverse incidents.
The Romagnolo has a low shedding level. Hence, the dog is family-friendly, especially if a family member is allergic. Pet fur is an allergen that can trigger allergic reactions, which have health implications.
For instance, the allergy may cause wheezing, sneezing, and skin irritation. Fortunately, the Romagnolo doesn’t shed fur, frequently protecting your family’s health.
Dogs with a high shedding level require more brushing, increasing the frequency of vacuuming and lint-rolling. Since the Lagotto doesn’t shed frequently, this can significantly lower cleaning costs and requirements. The dog also has a low grooming frequency, reducing grooming expenses.
The Lagotti are less likely to drool on house items such as furniture. This preserves your house items and also reduces cleaning frequency and costs.
These dogs are also highly adaptable. Hence, you can move with the Lagotti from one home or area to another, and the change of environment doesn’t affect their behavior. The Lagotti also provide good company and are good watchdogs.
Does Lagotto Romagnolo Get Along with Other Pets?
The Lagotto Romagnolo gets along with other dogs and pets. However, consider introducing the Lagotto to the other pets at a young age.
Although the Lagotto is friendly with other pets, an adult dog may take more time to adjust to co-existing with other pets. Young Lagotti adjusts fast. Also, supervise the interactions with other pets, as some pets may be aggressive.
Final Thoughts
The Lagotto is a reasonably costly dog breed but ideal for a family. The dog has a high rating for energy, sociability, health trainability, and lifespan. Also, the breed is family-friendly and good with other pets as well.
More so, the Lagotto is easy to train and has low grooming requirements. The Lagotto is also generally healthy. Hence, choosing a healthy puppy can reduce the risk of disease and significantly lower upkeep costs.
If you’re searching for a dog that can fit into your family setting perfectly, consider the Lagotto.
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