Lagotto Romagnolo - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a breed

Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

of dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

that comes from the Romagna

Romagna

Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...

sub-region of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. The name means "lake dog from Romagna," coming from the Italian word lago, lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

. Its traditional function is a gundog, specifically a water retriever

Retriever

A retriever is a type of gun dog that retrieves game for a hunter. Generally gun-dogs are divided into three major classifications: retrievers, flushing spaniels, and pointing breeds. Retrievers were bred primarily to retrieve birds or other prey and return them to the hunter without damage...

. However, it is often used to hunt for truffles.

Appearance

The Lagotto can have large round eyes in any shade color ranging from dark yellow to dark brown. The wooly coat is very thick and curly. Solid colors include off-white, white, or brown. They can also be found white with brown or orange patches or roan

Roan (color)

Roan is a coat color found in many animals, notably horses, cattle and dogs. It is defined generally as an even mixture of white and pigmented hairs that does not "gray out" or fade as the animal ages...

. It is a medium-sized dog that is hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...

. A Lagotto often displays white markings that grow out in adulthood.

Size

Males
- Height: 43–48 cm (17–19 in)
- Weight: 13–16 kg (29-35 lb)

Females
- Height: 41–46 cm (16–18 in).
- Weight: 11–14 kg (24-32 lb).

Temperament

The Lagotto is made to work. They generally have sharp senses, though their eyesight is more sensitive to motion than detail. They are very loyal and loving, making them the perfect family companion. Some are easy to train. Many get along with other animals quite easily if socialized from a young age. Lagotto vary in their need for exercise but should always be given stimulation to keep their intelligent brains occupied. Lagotto have a natural instinct for retrieving. The ENCI (Italian Kennel Club) Country of Origin standard indicates that the game hunting instinct has been bred out and Lagotto do not get distracted by game or other wildlife. This was untrue when it was written and is certainly untrue twenty years later. Lagotto have been hunting dogs for at least three thousand years and truffle dogs for maybe a hundred years if that. It must be remembered that the original standard written by those who founded C.I.L. (the Club Italiano Lagotto) in Imola in 1988 were writing a standard to get the Lagotto recognised by ENCI and not necessarily as an absolute true reflection of the breed. It is worth noting that the first pair (Reno & Rosetta) bought to pioneer the Lagotto in the UK in 1996 came from the Mandriole kennels on the edge of the Comaccio where the dogs were still worked from the traditional flat bottomed punts as duck retrievers. Those Lagotto through subsequent exports from the UK which provided the foundation stock for Canada, USA and Australia can be found behind many Lagotto world wide. Visitors to the Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Great Britain breed stand at the world famous Crufts Dog Show in the UK will have seen photographs of GB Lagotto (including Rosetta) retrieving hare, rabbit grouse and various types of wildfowl. It is also worth noting that the photograph on the back of the first official video produced in Italy cica 1996 showed a group of Lagotto going off working - not truffling but duck shooting in a punt. In that punt were the parents and grandparents of Rosetta and Reno. It must always be remembered by new owners that whilst the instinct to hunt, swim and retrieve is inborn and does not have to be encouraged, Lagotto have to be trained from an early age to look for truffle.

In modern times the Lagotto has been bred primarily as a truffle searching dog and not as a retriever or hunting dog. Their highly developed nose makes them excellent search dogs.

Some Lagotto are excellent swimmers but some will only paddle. Some will retrieve from lakes, streams and other bodies of water without hesitation. They have a waterproof coat. Not all Lagotto are suitable as family companions. Puppies for families with children need to be carefully chosen They can make excellent domestic companions provided they have sufficient exercise.

Lagotto love to dig and must be trained not to dig in yards. Many owners give them a sandbox or have a designated place to allow them satisfy their digging urges.

Lagotto also love to play seeking games and have very active minds.

Grooming

There are conflicting ideas on how to groom this breed. Some say they should be brushed regularly and others believe their coat should be allowed to grow naturally into a big fluff. The coat will get matted easily and the mats should be carefully pulled apart without tearing the coat. They must be cut down at least once every year.

If the coat is kept trimmed to approximately 1½ inches all over the body and slightly longer on the head, it will be easier to maintain and look neat. Hair on the ears should be trimmed around the edges to the leather. If the ear shows irritation and buildup of dirt and earwax, the hairs from the ear canal should be gently plucked out regularly. Some coats matt more easily than others. Left untended, the Lagotto's hair will grow to cover the eyes and so the hair around their eyes should be periodically clipped to ensure that they can see.

Show grooming

In the United States, the coat should be shown in a rustic style with no fluffing or blowing out. The coat should match the lines of the dog and the curls should be evident. The dog should have the appearance of the working dog that it is. If clipped down, the coat will need about 3 months of growth to be ready to show. Otherwise, shaping can be performed before the shows.

Health

Lagotto live roughly 16 years. Some health issues are:

Hip dysplasia
Benign Juvenile Epilepsy.
Cerebral Anomaly. (Could be the same as BJE above)

Lagotto puppies have been crucial in research into epilepsy. In July 2011, researchers in Finland reported the discovery of a mutation in a gene called Lgi2 that may be a new candidate gene for human benign childhood epilepsy. Lgi2 is the first gene that can be linked directly to the remission that sufferers experience after the age of ten. Lagotto breeders are now using a genetic test to screen for this mutation.

History

The Lagotto is an ancient breed of water retriever from the lowlands of Comacchio and marshlands of Ravenna, Italy. All modern water retrieving dog breeds are believed to have descended in part from the Lagotto Ramagnolo.

Andrea Mantegna

Andrea Mantegna

Andrea Mantegna was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son in law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g., by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality...

in the 1474 work titled "The Meeting" depicts a small dog in the lower left corner that is the perfect image of today's Lagotto.

External links

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