Lagotto Romagnolo: breed features and conditions for its maintenance

The lagotto romanolo breed, known as the Italian water dog, appeared, as the name implies, in Italy, and references to it already exist from the 16th century. These dogs have been noted in different professions, but they still have no equal in the search for truffles. In addition, these are great companions and friends for the whole family. Dogs are distinguished by their peace-loving disposition, friendliness and their irrepressible energy.

As the story goes, in ancient times these dogs were the favorites of sailors. They not only performed security functions, but were also excellent liaison, as they transmitted messages from sailboats to the shore. From the 17th century, doggiest began to be attracted to the hunt, they were very good at catching the wounded bird from the water. Experts compare this breed with the retrievers due to the excellent scent, excitement and the ability to quickly bring the necessary items.

Over time, the area where the lagotto-romanolo lived changed, arable land appeared there, respectively, the hunt was no longer so developed. This led to the fact that the need for hunting functions of dogs disappeared, but they quickly found another use. The main task was the search for truffles. The doggie's instinct is beyond praise, due to which they are able to find mushrooms at a decent depth, which is up to 60 centimeters.

There are distinctive features that are inherent in this breed.

• These dogs have medium size and reach 46-48 centimeters in height, and weight ranges from 14 to 16 kilograms. Males are slightly larger than bitches.
• They are very proportionally folded, and the backbone is fairly light. Dog breeders note the resemblance to such breeds as vasserhund, barbet and Spanish water.
• Lagotto-Romagnolo is distinguished by a wide muzzle and erect triangular ears.
• They have well developed teeth and very strong jaws. The eyes have a brown tint, the saturation of which is influenced by the intensity of the main color.
• The croup has a slight slope. The saber tail does not twist, wider at the base and tapers towards the tip.
• The breed standard is medium-length wool, very thick and curly, there is a waterproof undercoat, thanks to which the animal tolerates cold temperatures and humidity. The dog needs to be cut regularly, otherwise tangs will form.
• The color has a predominantly brown tint, from dark to light tones. There may be a mask or specks on the chest, which is not different from the basic color scheme.

Dog breeders celebrate the friendly nature of these dogs. They are very attached to family members, hate loneliness, require attention and affection. In addition, the lagotto romanolo is very active, distinguished by hard work and strongly focused on the person. They do not show aggression, are not tough, emotionally stable and sociable.

With regard to behavior at home, you can note the calm of these little dogs. They do not trash the apartment and do not spoil things, being alone.In this case, the return of the owner, even after a short absence, becomes a real holiday. Dogs are very curious, they explore the territory with pleasure, while walking, they love to play and move. At the same time, strangers are mistrustful, but they quickly make contact.

If the dog lives in the family, it will allocate among the household owner, but this will not significantly change the behavior. To all members of the family, lagotto-romanolo treats with tenderness and love, and is well listened to by everyone from home. They love children, are able to spend with them for a long time, play with kids and teenagers with pleasure.

The hunting instincts have become a little dull over time. At the same time, dogs remain excellent search engines, and they like to bring various items to the owner. Warehouse of character and physiology do not allow doggies to become good guards, but the watchmen are good ones.

On suspicious moments, they react with loud barking, which allows you to warn the owner about possible troubles. In each of the moments there are pros and cons, so the future owner must accept thoughtful decision to purchase such a pet, depending on their needs and the availability of free time.

As for education and training, problems with this usually does not arise. This contributes to the intelligence and intelligence dogs. They are very contacty, they try to please the owner, so they quickly and with pleasure fulfill the commands and remember them well.

Please note that stiffness and pressure are unacceptable when working with this breed. Dogs need to be educated as gently as possible, with time they begin to understand and capture not only the tasks, but also the mood of the owner.

Dogs of this breed can safely start in a house or city apartment, they will feel quite comfortable in these conditions. Lagotto-romanolo has almost no molt, besides, there are no odors either. Puppies do not create problems for the owners, do not spoil things, education does not create difficulties.

They are able to withstand adverse weather conditions and be on the street in the booth, but this will not leave the most pleasant imprint on the psyche. The fact is that they need attention and communication, the animal will start to get bored and lonely. This does not negate the fact that he needs long walks and intense physical exertion.

These pets are not for nothing called water dogs. Water is their weakness, they can swim not only in summer, but also in spring and autumn. This factor will also need to be considered and provided to pets. Needed and the load for the mind, an excellent option would be to search for objects, active games and activities.

Caring for the representatives of this breed is not too complicated. It is enough to cut them in time, wash, comb and carry out basic hygiene procedures.

The peculiarity of the Italian water dogs is that moult naturally present. However, due to the structure of the hair, the fallen hairs remain on the animal, not on the floor. If time to carry out combing, this time does not cause any inconvenience, in addition, the weekly repetition of this procedure will help prevent the formation of tangles. You need to wash your pet once every 2-3 months.

The owner must regularly check the condition of the ears and teeth of a pet, and if necessary cut his claws. It may also require washing after eating. Haircut - a prerequisite, as the wool grows constantly. This facilitates care and eliminates many difficulties.

On how well the ration of the dog will be thought out depends on its health and visual appeal. Experts recommend not to save on food, regardless of what type of feeding is selected. An animal can eat both natural products and special foods for medium breeds. Representatives of this breed are not prone to allergies, however, they can quickly gain excess weight, especially if their lifestyle is not too mobile.

Representatives of this breed usually do not have any genetic diseases. On average, with proper care and good conditions they can live for about 13-14 years. The health problems of lagotto-romanolo are not peculiar, they have sufficiently strong immunity.

Among hereditary diseases, special attention should be paid to orthopedic problems. Also, dogs suffer from juvenile epilepsy and eye diseases. Marriage breed is not too often, but still has a place to be. It is expressed in the change of color, problems with bite, non-standard type of wool. Dogs need to visit the vet in time and make the necessary vaccinations. You should also carry out the treatment of parasites to keep the pet healthy and active.

For our country, the Lagotto Romagnolo breed is not common. There are very few breeders involved in it. Most of these dogs come from the United States and Europe, but even there it is not widely distributed. This should be taken into account if it was decided to have a pet.

Buying these puppies can take a long time, especially when it comes to picking a pet, which is planned to be shown on shows. This factor forms the pricing policy. On average, the cost of one baby is at the level of 80 thousand rubles.

Next, watch a video about dogs of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed.