Breed Spotlight: Lagotto Romagnolo

Breed Group: Sporting | Height: 16 to 19 inches at the shoulder | Weight: 24 to 35 pounds | Life Span: 14 to 16 years

If you’re thinking Italian sports car, think again. This curly-coated dog is an Italian truffle hunter who is generally smart, energetic and fun-loving. The medium-sized Lagotto requires regular trims at home or by a professional groomer.


The Lagotto Romagnolo (pronounced la-goh-toe ro-man-yo-lo) descends from Italian water retrievers who were later used to seek out truffles. His thick, curly coat has a woolly texture and covers the entire body, including the face. He doesn’t shed much, but requires regular trimming.

True to his heritage as a working dog, he’s highly energetic. Balancing out the Lagotto’s high activity level is an affectionate, tractable nature. He’s generally easy to train and is alert enough to make a good watchdog.

Thanks to his keen sense of smell, the Lagotto is well-suited to dog sports, such as nose work and tracking, and he can also typically perform well in agility, flyball, obedience and rally. It’s not unusual for him to enjoy swimming, as well. This energetic dog will thrive with a long daily walk or other active exercise.

The bright and happy Lagotti (plural) do best with families who can provide them with plenty of companionship, exercise and training. Lagotti are loyal, preferring family members to strangers, but should never be shy or aggressive.

Quick Facts

• A Lagotto’s coat can be off-white, white with brown or orange patches, brown roan, various shades of solid brown, with or without white, or orange, with or without white. Some dogs have a brown mask or tan markings.
• The Lagotto is the only dog specifically bred to hunt truffles.
• Dogs resembling Lagotti appear in paintings dating to the 15th century.

Did You Know?

True to his truffle-hunting heritage, the Lagotto loves to dig. Be prepared to have him “help” you with your landscaping efforts.