Lagotto Romagnolo puppies

About the Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo worked the marshes of Romagna in northern Italy as a duck retriever, and when the wetlands were drained their nose was turned to finding truffles, which is the job the breed is known for now. They weigh 10.9 to 15.9 kg and stand 41 to 48 cm, covered from head to tail in a dense waterproof curl. They are affectionate, keen to work with a person, quieter than most sporting dogs, and long lived at 15 to 17 years.

Physical exercise on its own will not settle a Lagotto: hide food, teach them to find things, give the nose a job. The coat sheds very little and needs trimming every couple of months, with regular combing in between, or it felts. Digging is in the breed and a flower bed will suffer for it. They rate highly with other pets and in the middle with children, so supervise and socialise. Walk one for miles and they may still be restless at home, which is exactly why the nose work matters.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Juvenile epilepsy (JE), detectable by DNA test
• Lysosomal storage disease (LSD), detectable by DNA test
• Hip dysplasia, screened under the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
• Elbow dysplasia, screened under the BVA/KC Elbow Dysplasia Scheme
• Inherited eye disease, screened under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme

Your Lagotto Romagnolo puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Lagotto Romagnolo.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 10.9 to 15.9 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 15.9 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Lagotto Romagnolo

Previous: Labrador Retriever · Next: Lakeland Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Lagotto Romagnolo breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/lagotto-romagnolo/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Entheta, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.