Lagotto Romagnolo
Italy's curly truffle hunter — a nose with a very good dog attached.
On these lists: Low-shedding dogs · Truffle-hunting dogs · Dogs for allergies
Vital stats
| Size | Small-medium · 41–48 cm |
| Weight | 11–16 kg |
| Life expectancy | 15–17 years |
| Energy | High — 60+ min/day, ideally nose work |
| Shedding | Minimal — curls trap hair and can mat |
| Coat | Dense woolly curls · off-white, brown, orange, roan |
| Group | Sporting (AKC) · Water dog (FCI №298) |
| Origin | Romagna, Italy |
| FCI group | 8 — Retrievers, Flushing Dogs and Water Dogs · FCI 298 |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
The Lagotto Romagnolo by the numbers
The Lagotto Romagnolo facts owners search for most — price, lifespan, weight, shedding and colours, in one place.
Widely bred, so you can usually find a litter from a registered breeder without a long wait. Plan for steady ongoing costs — mid-range food, routine vet care and insurance. Its coat also needs a professional groom every few weeks — a real line in the budget.
We don't quote a single figure: the real price swings with breeder, region, bloodline and health testing — and a rescue costs a fraction of a breeder's litter. Adopting is almost always the cheapest route.
Temperament
Bred first to retrieve waterfowl in the marshes of Romagna, then re-employed as a truffle hunter when the marshes were drained, the Lagotto is a worker through and through: keen, focused and delighted to learn. At home it's an affectionate, undemanding companion — provided its extraordinary nose gets a daily assignment and its paws an approved place to dig.
Habits & quirks
Ground survey
Every walk is conducted nose-down, reading the earth like a newspaper.
The excavation
Digging is the job description — sandpits are gratefully accepted, lawns cheerfully sacrificed.
Water magnetism
Puddle, pond or fountain: the old duck-dog wiring pulls it straight in.
The head tilt
Ask it anything and the curly head tips over, genuinely trying to work out the answer.
Care
| Nose work | Scent games, searches and hidden treats aren't extras — they're this breed's core exercise. |
| Grooming | The curls don't shed but they do mat: comb through weekly and trim the coat down every couple of months. |
| Exercise | An hour a day of walking, retrieving and sniffing keeps mind and body settled. |
| Digging | Provide a legitimate digging zone early, or the garden becomes a truffle field without truffles. |
Life expectancy
This breed has a typical life expectancy of 15–17 years.
Similar breeds
Breeds with a similar build and background — worth a look if this one isn't quite the fit.
Breeds that look like this
Common questions
Are Lagotto Romagnolos hypoallergenic?
No dog truly is, but the Lagotto's woolly, non-shedding coat releases little hair and bothers many allergy sufferers less. Spend time with the breed before committing.
Do Lagottos really hunt truffles?
Yes — they're the world's only recognised specialist truffle-hunting breed, still working in Italy's truffle regions today. Pet Lagottos happily channel the same instinct into scent games and searches.
Are Lagottos good family dogs?
Very — they're affectionate, gentle with children and easier-going than most working breeds. The condition is real daily activity for the nose; a bored Lagotto redesigns the garden.
Does the Lagotto Romagnolo shed a lot?
Not much. The Lagotto Romagnolo is a low-shedding breed, so loose hair around the home stays minimal. It still needs regular grooming, but you won't be fighting drifts of fur.
Is the Lagotto Romagnolo easy to train?
Yes. The Lagotto Romagnolo is one of the more trainable breeds — quick to learn and keen to work with you, which makes reward-based training straightforward. Start early, keep it positive, and it picks things up fast.
