El Lagotto Romagnolo is the name of a water dog breed whose origin is in the Romagna sub-region, in Italy and which can be translated as “Romagna lagoon dog”. If you want to know much more about this dog, its outstanding characteristics and its essential care, do not miss reading this article that has been created especially for dog lovers.
Curiosities
This breed of dog was approved in July 1992 by the FCI, which was in charge of classifying it in group eight, section three, water dogs. Yes, you heard that right, It is classified within the breed of water dogs, But what does it mean that a race is made of water? Do they like swimming pools? Not! It is called water dog to breeds that are medium in size and have woolly or curly hair.
This dog was usually used as a dog that retrieved waterfowl in swamps or other places with that viscosity on the ground. However, Today it is widely used as a truffle finder.
Characteristics of the Lagotto Romagnolo
Are you ready to know the characteristics of the Lagotto Romagnolo? Surely you have already seen photos, but here we describe it so that you can recognize it with your eyes closed and in all its varieties. So keep reading!
Its medium size is not the only thing that defines this water dog. The Lagotto is also hypoallergenic. Their eyes, which range in color from dark yellow to dark brown, are usually large and round. Its curls, in turn, are dense and look either white, off-white or brown, and there may even be brown, roan or orange spots on its fur, being this very similar to the portuguese water dog.
White marches are characteristic of the Lagotto Romagno and become larger as it ages. It has a height at the withers of approximately 13-48 cm in males., and 41-46 cm in females. The weight, in the case of the former, ranges between 13 and 15 kg and between the latter, between 11 and 14 kg.
Its skull is flat and its head is strong. With regard to its tail, it is medium and thin insertion and its ears, of the same insertion, have a triangle shape and appear drooping. Its muzzle is moderately short and his black nose.
Character
Do you want to know if it will be a grumpy or friendly dog? You just have to read this section and you will discover the temperament, however, it is necessary to remember that each specimen has its "personality"That is, that general character can acquire more or less sociable, more or less friendly variations, according to how we ourselves have chosen to raise it.
Since the Lagotto Romagnolo is usually bred for work, the acuity of its senses is astonishing (more attentive to the movement that to the detail), which, in turn, does not detract from the loyalty and affection in his eyes. It is a good companion dog for the whole family and can even live happily with other animals, if it is socialized with them from a young age.
They are very intelligent and it is a balanced dog breed, but to keep their brain active they must be stimulated, either with exercise or with the activity that the dog prefers or requires. As a clue, we can tell you that loves to dig and play and get the attention of his family, that's why you should take care of it daily.
His natural instinct for collecting pieces is surprising and his nose in particular makes him a search dog like no other. As for its relationship with water, we can say that it varies from dog to dog. There are dogs of this breed that swim wonderfully, while others only manage by paddling.
It is very likely that by now you are wondering how many years will a Lagotto Romagnolo live? Well, good news! This dog is quite long-lived, since it has a life expectancy of approximately 16 years.
"Salud"
Not only to take into account before breeding (and perform the proper genetic tests) but also to prevent, it is important to know that this breed is prone to neurological disorderss, as well as other conditions. The most common diseases in this breed are hip dysplasia and benign juvenile epilepsy.
Care
Are you ready to know what you have to do on your part? The Lagotto Romagnolo will give you love, will be good at searches, will have great intelligence and love to offer… But what are you going to offer him? Let us remember that adopting an animal brings us magnificent benefits, but it also brings responsibilities, in a practically symmetrical link between dog adopter-adopter.
First of all you must brush her hair every day, you do not want those beautiful curls that it has to get tangled and it would take hours to return them to their natural state. Secondly, you have to give it a bath every day and sometimes using nourishing shampoos improve the brushing experience.
Thirdly, you must cut the hair from both the ears and the eyes, making sure that you can hear and see comfortably. On the other hand, the walk is no less important: getting your Lagotto out to exercise at least three times a day helps it release energy. By last, go to the vet at least every six months (and perform the appropriate genetic tests there to detect any health problems early) and keep vaccines and internal and external deworming up to date.
Diet and feeding
Although diet is essential in the development of a healthy life for any dog, in the case of the Lagotto it is especially important since its size and high energy require “fuel”. However, the variability of each specimen must be taken into account, to also take into account these particularities when feeding it.
It is important to also worry about the amount and frequency of feeding. On the other hand, the more they grow, the more food they will require to increase their energy and nutrients. If the quality of the food is not good, both your immune system and your neurological system and your entire body can be damaged.
In any case, it should be clarified that you should not overfeed them once they are adults, since the obesity that this can trigger is difficult to counteract. We know how our animals then suffer when they can barely move because of their weight.
To finish, the Lagotto Romagnolo needs a lot of care but it will also bring you a lot of satisfaction. Always remember that its enormous energy, that which will make you happy while you play with it, must be released every day (YesAlso when you are tired and do not feel like going out, your Lagotto will also want to go and spend energy running to the park).