The Lagotto Romagnolo is known for their curly, wooly coat and their exceptional scenting and tracking skills. With bright demeanors and playful, charming personalities, these affectionate dogs tend to be a great fit for families. Here are a few more facts about the Lagotto Romagnolo:

1. Their Origins Likely Go Back Further Than Records Can Currently Trace

Through definitive records, we can be confident that the Lagotto Romagnolo originated in Ravenna, Italy during the Italian Renaissance. Although this can be verified by historical records, it’s thought that this dog breed’s origins stretch back much further.

The Etruscan necropolis of Spina features depictions of dogs that resemble the Lagotto. These dogs could be ancestors of the modern Lagotto Romagnolo. The Etruscans reached the northern Adriatic region somewhere between 500 and 600 B.C. Taking all of those factors into account, it’s likely that the Lagotto’s origins go back much further than we can currently trace with existing historical records.

2. The Pluralization is Lagotti Romagnoli

Similar to the Cane Corso, the Lagotto is an Italian dog breed and also follows Italian pluralization rules. When talking about multiple dogs, Cane Corso becomes Cani Corsi and Lagotto Romagnolo becomes Lagotti Romagnoli.

3. The Lagotto Romagnolo is the Best Truffle Dog

The Lagotto Romagnolo was originally bred to be a hunting dog in the marshlands of Ravenna. The vallaroli, or lagotti, were the people of Lagosanto who were granted use of the Delta del Po marshlands and the resources within them.

The Lagotto Romagnolo was originally bred to be a waterfowl retriever to assist the vallaroli. In addition to their exceptional scenting skills and retrieval skills, these dogs often guarded their family’s houses, boats, and property. They also helped find truffles out in the Italian countryside.

After the land reclamation in Italy in the late 19th century when the marshes were drained and repurposed for farming, there was a noted shift away from hunting for this breed. Efforts to refine and standardize the breed focused on limiting prey drive and enhancing truffle-finding skills. From these and continued efforts, the Lagotto Romagnolo is considered to be the world’s best truffle dog. They are recognized as a specialized truffle searcher.

4. They Almost Went Extinct

Lagotti Romagnoli are known for being affectionate dogs, fantastic companions, and skilled all-rounders. Despite these winning traits, the breed was facing extinction by the mid-1970s. They would be saved thanks to a dedicated group of breeders in Romagna who loved the breed and worked to standardize and create a strict breeding standard moving forward.

Their efforts paid off, the modern Lagotto was brought back from the brink and preserved, and the Club Italian Lagotto (CIL) was founded in 1988. It would take a bit longer for the Lagotto to make it to the United States.

It wouldn’t be until 2001 that the American Kennel Club would start recording the Lagotto in the Foundation Stock Service with the Sporting Group designation. In 2007, the Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America was established. The Lagotto gained full AKC recognition in 2015.

5. Lagotti Romagnoli Are Great Swimmers

Also known as the Romagna Water Dog, the Lagotto Romagnolo tends to be a great swimmer. Historically, when they were working as waterfowl retrievers, they would often jump into the water just to swim and scent even before a retrieval was needed.

Their wooly coat offers some water resistance, insulation, and protection. Despite the breed shifting away from water retrieval, the Lagotto often retains their love of the water and is considered one of the dog breeds that tend to love water.

6. They Have Been Featured in Paintings

There are several famous paintings featuring dogs. With this dog breed being popular in Italy during and after the Renaissance, it’s no surprise that they have popped in art from that time. Paulo Antonio Barbieri and Pittore Lombardo are artists who are known to have featured the Lagotto in their work.

“The Meeting” by Andrea Mantegna is sometimes used as an example of a painting featuring the Lagotto Romagnolo. However, there is some discussion that the dog featured in that painting is a Spinone Italiano and not a Lagotto.

7. The Lagotto Doesn’t Shed A Lot

Although the Lagotto Romagnolo does shed, they don’t shed much and are known to shed very little. Similar to the Poodle, their curly coat does require daily brushing and grooming every few weeks. But, they are considered a low-shedding dog breed.

8. They Don’t Tend to Bark A Lot

Unless they have been trained into it, the Lagotto Romagnolo doesn’t tend to bark a lot. This doesn’t mean that they don’t bark at all by any means. They do bark to alert when needed. It’s not a bad idea to train your dog to stop barking early on.

You won’t be able to stop the behavior entirely, but you may be able to keep it from getting out of hand. Redirecting the barking or getting your dog to stop barking at a certain command can be helpful techniques. They may also make little noises and vocalizations to communicate with you.

They may not have the talkative reputation that Siberian Huskies do, but you can bet that a Lagotto will “talk” in their own way to let you know what they are thinking and how they are feeling. They’re also eager to please and highly trainable, so it’s not hard to train them into vocalizing more intentionally or by accident.

9. Their Coat Color Tends to Lighten as They Age

Lagotti Romagnoli have a fading gene, which means that their coat colors tend to lighten up and “fade” as they age. For example, a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy with a dark, deep chocolate brown coat usually end up with a softer, lighter brown coat color as they age. Some may even end up with a silvery brown coat color after a few years!

In some cases, their coat may stay a dark brown color, but don’t be surprised if their adult coat looks different from their coat color as a puppy. Some color changes are more drastic in some dogs and some colors than others. Looking at the coat colors of the parents can give you some idea of what to expect, but that also isn’t a guarantee.

10. The Lagotto is Prone to Digging

Boredom, instinct, curiosity, and more are all reasons why dogs dig. For the Lagotto Romagnolo, it’s instinctual and fun. These dogs are scent dogs and have been bred for so long to be truffle hunters. Sniffing the ground and digging up interesting smells are what they were selectively bred to do.

So, it’s no wonder that the Lagotto excels at nosework, enjoys it, and is prone to digging. It might not be a bad idea to create a dedicated digging area in your backyard for your Lagotto and training them to stick to it. However, if you plan to have a garden in your backyard, it’s probably a good idea to also plan how to keep your Lagotto out of it.

Is a Lagotto Romagnolo Puppy Right For You?

These are just a few facts about the Lagotto Romagnolo. This dog breed can be a great fit for both single owners and families who live active lifestyles and can bring their Lagotto along to be active with them. In return, they will fill your life with companionship, plenty of love and cuddles, and, undoubtedly, some laughter at their comedic and playful antics.

If you think this could be the right dog breed for you, learn more about them, and then check out the available Lagotto Romagnolo puppies. Who knows? You could end up finding the perfect addition to your family!