History
This ancient breed from Italy has its origins in duck hunting and has now transitioned to truffle hunting. They are ancestors to the poodle, only arriving in Australia in 1996. They have a calm and even temperament.
Description
Compact, medium-sized dog with a curly, waterproof coat. They have a broad head, and a powerfully built square body.
Grooming and Physical Needs
- Grooming Needs: They have a rustic non-shedding coat and need regular attention with a comb to work through knots and matts as they appear, trimming every 5-6 weeks to keep the coat manageable, with a annual or biannual shaveback.
- Coat Type: Dense, curly coat of woolly texture.
- Moulting: None.
- Exercise Needs: Daily walk recommended.
- Average Life Span: 12 – 14 years.
Behaviour
- Family: Great dog for children as they are very gentle, tolerant, friendly and intelligent. Can be ideal for some people with allergies because of their non shedding coat.
- Temperament: Tractable, undemanding, keen, affectionate, very attached to his owner and easy to train. A very good companion.
- Trainability: Easy to train and are very obedient.
- Sociability (Other Pets): Good with other pets, many Lagotto live with cats and other dogs harmoniously.
- Barking: Medium tendency.
Talents
A natural gift for searching and its very good nose has made the breed very efficient in truffle searching. High level of trainability and athleticism make them suitable for most dog sports and activities (eg. Agility, obedience, tracking, flyball, dock diving).
Notes
Issues known and being addressed within the breed are Hip Dysplasia, Benign Famillial Juvenile Eplilepsy, Lysosomal Storage Disease.