Lagotto Romagnolo (Romagna Water Dog)
Other names: Water Dog of Romagna, Lagotto

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an exceptional dog because of their gentle and sympathetic nature as well as their ability to work. They are very docile and easy to train. They love to work, but also like to play with their owners and children. They are one of the best truffle dogs thanks to their remarkable sense of smell and their ability to learn.
Key facts about the Lagotto Romagnolo (Romagna Water Dog)
Origins and history
For as long as we can remember, this breed has existed in the old Italian province of Romagna. However, it almost completely died out when a group of enthusiasts began to selectively breed just the dogs that were similar to the original type. In a few years, after much work and a number of sacrifices, they managed to perfectly rebuild this breed. The Lagotto Romagnolo was only officially recognised as recently as 1992.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 8 - Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
Section
Section 3 : Water Dogs
Physical characteristics of the Lagotto Romagnolo (Romagna Water Dog)
Adult size
Female : Between 16 and 18 in
Male : Between 17 and 19 in
Weight
Female : Between 24 and 31 lb
Male : Between 29 and 35 lb
Coat colour
The Lagotto Romagnolo’s coat can be solid off-white, brown-roan (with or without white), orange-roan (with or without white) or even white with brown or orange patches.
Type of coat
Their fur is mid-length but often clipped.
Their coat is of a wooly texture and made of small, tight curls. Both the topcoat and undercoat are waterproof.
Eye colour
Their eyes can be an ochre colour, hazel or dark brown according to their other colouring. They won’t ever have yellow or greyish eyes.
Description
The Lagotto Romagnolo is a small to medium sized dog of a rustic appearance, they are strong and well proportioned with lots of curly hair. They are generally muscular dogs with a square torso. Their craniofacial axes are slightly divergent. The skull is dome-shaped when viewed from the front; in profile it is curved and flattens towards the occiput. Their muzzle is slightly wedge-shaped. They have big, rounded eyes. Their ears are moderately large compared to the size of the head; they hang at rest or are slightly raised when attentive. The tail is set low and slightly tapered towards the tip, it is carried straight at rest and high when the dog is on alert.
Good to know
Originally, they were used as a retriever in the water, but their true calling is to look for truffles. This is the only dog breed that is recognised to do so.