Lagotto Romagnolo << LAH got toh `roh` mahn yoh loh >> is an ancient breed of water dog from Italy. Water dogs are bred for swimming and for retrieving game from the water. Lagotto means lake dog in Italian, and Romagnolo refers to the Romagna region of Italy, where the dog was bred. The lagotto Romagnolo was originally bred for hunting waterfowl. It has a thick, waterproof coat and could even dive under ice to retrieve birds. Since the 1800’s, however, the lagotto Romagnolo has been used to hunt for truffles, a type of fungus that grows underground and is used in food.
The lagotto Romagnolo measures 16 to 19 inches (41 to 48 centimeters) tall at the withers (highest part of the back). It weighs 24 to 35 pounds (11 to 16 kilograms). The dog’s thick, curly coat may be brown, brown roan (a fine mixture of brown and white), off-white, orange, white and brown, or white and orange in color.
The lagotto Romagnolo likes to run, hunt, swim, and dig. It is an affectionate, alert, and enthusiastic dog. It may also be used as a search and rescue dog and a therapy dog.
