The Lagotto Romagnolo (pronounced lag-oh-toe roman-yolo) is a breed of dog from Northern Italy that traces its origin back hundreds of years. For centuries the Lagotto was used to help hunt waterfowl and as a guard dog to protect dwellings and property. Later on, the Lagotto’s ease of training combined with an acute sense of smell quickly turned the breed into the ideal dog for the Romagnolo to use in their search for the much-prized and very valuable truffle.
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Lagotto Romagnolos as Watch Dogs?
This is a happy and adaptable breed that, if socialized as a puppy, will break free of its potential shyness. Lagotto Romagnolos are keen and alert so they can make good watchdogs; however, they are not typically aggressive so those looking for a guard dog should perhaps look elsewhere.
Are Lagotto Romagnolos Aggressive?
The Lagotto Romagnolo has a very keen sense of smell and is known to be a very agile dog. Due to their qualities, these dogs are excellent candidates for a wide variety of sports and dog-related tasks. These dogs are excellent with kids and are relatively good with other dogs as well, but as with all dogs, it is important to start socializing the Lagotto with other dogs and children from an early age. Some Lagottos may struggle with territorial or aggressive behavior. Lagotto dogs are avid diggers, and they have a lot of energy. It’s important to start training with this breed the moment they enter the household. There’s no such thing as a Lagotto that is too young to train! Most importantly, these dogs need to be broken of possessive behaviors from an early age and socialized with other dogs and children as soon as possible.
Lagotto Romagnolos Background
Family and Bonding
Lagotto Romagnolo was initially bred as hunting companions, but they haven’t lost their ability to retrieve. They are natural water lovers, so if you are planning any water-related activity, this breed will be more than happy to join you.
Friendly
Denise Peters, director of the Lagotto Romagnolo Dog Rescue, says she was originally drawn to the breed because of their personality. The Lagotto is agile, friendly, and eager to learn. This clever disposition means potential owners should be ready to invest time in positive reinforcement-based training for their pup. As a part of the sporting dog group, Lagotto Romagnoli need frequent outlets for their physical energy as well as mental stimulation to keep them happy.
Lagotto Romagnolo Nature
Why sterilise your dog Neutering a dog mainly protects him from tumours. For the female these are tumours of the uterus and udder, for the male tumours of the testicles and prostate. Mother Nature takes her course and would like females with puppies twice a year. This, however, is very bad.
Intelligence
The Lagotto Romagnolo is clever and generally learns quickly. Of course, this is providing that he has a good teacher. Make sure to keep training sessions just the right balance of challenging and fun. Lagotti enjoy mental challenges, but should not be faced with tasks so difficult that they become frustrated.
Love
Lagotto Romagnolos as a Pack Animal
The Lagotto Romagnolo is not an aggressive breed at all. But however, their aggression can vary from dog to dog. Some dog might get aggressive when they see other dogs of the same sex. Whereas, some might object to the entrance of strangers in their house. It is also seen that some Lagotto Romagnolo dogs become ruthless while being protective of their puppies.
Physical Traits
Short coatedness is very rare. It is not harmful but is considered a cosmetic defect. Affected dogs differ in appearance from normal, curly coated Lagotto Romagnolos. The short coat becomes noticeable by the age of 7 – 8 weeks, with affected puppies having an unusually short coat, especially on the head, ears and legs. In the adult dog there is usually long feathering on the body, ears and tail while the face and legs are short haired. These dogs have a normal shedding cycle. Coat length and texture is defined by a single inherited gene and a genetic test for carriers is available.