How to Say Lagotto Romagnolo

Lah-GOT-toh roh-mahn-YOH-loh. Four things trip people up. The double t in Lagotto is held a beat longer than an English t. The stress falls on the second syllable of Lagotto (la-GOT-to) and the third of Romagnolo (ro-ma-GNO-lo). The "gn" in Romagnolo is the sound in "lasagna" and "gnocchi," a soft ny. And the final o in each word is a full o, not a schwa.

In Italian, one dog is a Lagotto and two are Lagotti. American owners say "Lagottos" as often as "Lagotti," and either is understood. We use both.

What the Name Means

Lagotto comes from the Romagnol dialect word for a water dog, from lago, lake. Romagnolo means "of Romagna," the region of northeastern Italy around Ravenna and the Po delta where the breed retrieved waterfowl in the marshes for centuries. Together the name means, roughly, "the lake dog of Romagna." When the marshes were drained in the 1800s the same dog became Italy's truffle dog, which is the work it is known for today. The history essay has the long version; the Italian water dog page explains the water-dog name.

Other Names You Will See

  • Italian water dog, Romagna water dog: the plain-English translations.
  • Italian truffle dog: the breed's working name; the truffle dog page covers it.
  • Lagotto: what owners and breeders say in conversation. The breed is never called a Romagnolo on its own.
  • Misspellings: Lagatto, Lagoto, Legato Romagnolo and Lagotta Romagnola all turn up in searches and in classified ads. The breed is Lagotto Romagnolo, with two t's and one l in each word, and the kennel clubs spell it that way in every country.
  • "Italian poodle": what people call it when they have seen one and do not know the name. The Lagotto is not a Poodle or a Poodle cross; the Poodle comparison takes the resemblance apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

›How do you pronounce Lagotto Romagnolo?

Lah-GOT-toh roh-mahn-YOH-loh. Stress the second syllable of each word, hold the double t, and say the gn as in lasagna.

›What is the plural of Lagotto?

Lagotti in Italian. Lagottos is common in the United States and understood everywhere.

›What does Lagotto Romagnolo mean?

Roughly, the lake dog of Romagna. Lagotto is the Romagnol dialect word for a water dog; Romagna is the region of northeastern Italy where the breed worked the marshes.

›Is it Lagotto or Legato?

Lagotto. Legato is a musical term and a common misspelling of the breed's name.

Considering a Lagotto?

We place one or two litters a year from Lynden, Washington. Puppies are $6,500, go home at eight weeks, and are raised on the Puppy Culture protocol from day three. If you have a question about the breed, ask it; if you want to be considered for a litter, the waitlist is where that starts.

Ask a Question → Join the Waitlist →
MN
Mark Nelson
Breeder · Northwest Lagotto LLC · Lynden, Washington

Eleven years with the Lagotto Romagnolo breed. Northwest Lagotto is a selective, health-tested Lagotto Romagnolo breeding program in Lynden, Washington, operating on a waitlist basis with 1–2 litters per year from Italian championship lines (Il Granaio Dei Malatesta, Gillenias). This essay draws on that experience and on the peer-reviewed veterinary literature cited throughout. When the literature disagrees with common practice, the literature wins.

Sources for This Page

  1. FCI Standard No. 298, Lagotto Romagnolo (2016). https://www.fci.be/medias/298g08-en-20160101-2149.pdf
  2. Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America. Breed history. https://lagottoromagnoloclubofamerica.org/breed-history