The Italian Water Dog Is the Lagotto Romagnolo

The Italian water dog is the Lagotto Romagnolo, a 24 to 35 pound curly-coated retriever from the marshes of Romagna in northeastern Italy. The name means "lake dog from Romagna." It is the only breed Italy developed as a water retriever, and today it is the only purebred dog the FCI recognizes for truffle work. People who search for "Italian water dog" are searching for this breed; there is no other.

The numbers, from the FCI standard (No. 298) and the AKC standard (2015): height 15.5 to 19.5 inches at the shoulder, weight 24 to 35 pounds, lifespan 15 to 17 years. The coat is wool rather than hair, grows in tight rings, and sheds very little. The AKC placed the breed in the Sporting Group when it recognized it in 2015.

Why a Truffle Dog Is Called a Water Dog

For most of its history the Lagotto retrieved waterfowl in the lagoons of Comacchio and the marshes of the Po delta. The curled, water-shedding coat, the webbed feet and the small, dense frame are retriever features. When the marshes were drained for farmland through the 1800s, the breed lost its water work and its handlers put the same nose to truffles in the oak and poplar woods. The breed we have now is the truffle dog; the name and the coat are what remain of the water dog.

The full account of the drained marshes and the truffle trade is in our history essay, and the working side is in The Lagotto and the Truffle.

The Other Water Dogs, and How to Tell Them Apart

Five breeds are commonly called water dogs in the United States, and buyers cross-shop them. The Lagotto is the smallest and the only one bred for truffles.

  • Lagotto Romagnolo (Italy): 24 to 35 pounds, wool coat in tight curls, truffle work. Breed guide.
  • Portuguese Water Dog: 35 to 60 pounds, wavy or curly coat, a boat dog bred to herd fish and carry messages between boats. Our comparison.
  • Spanish Water Dog: 31 to 49 pounds, corded wool coat, a herding and retrieving farm dog. Our comparison.
  • Barbet (France): 35 to 65 pounds, long woolly coat, a marsh retriever recognized by the AKC in 2020. Covered on the Spanish Water Dog page.
  • Irish Water Spaniel and American Water Spaniel: spaniels rather than wool-coated retrievers, 25 to 65 pounds, with a liver-colored curly coat and a smooth face.

The Lagotto is often thought to be the oldest of the European water dogs and a possible ancestor of the others, the Poodle included. That claim rests on breed histories and early paintings rather than on genetics, so we state it as the breed clubs do, as tradition.

Is an Italian Water Dog Right for You

A Lagotto suits a household that is home most of the day, wants a dog that works with its nose, and can commit to a clip every six to eight weeks. It is gentle with children who are taught to handle a dog, reserved for a few minutes with strangers, and close to its own people. It does less well left alone for long stretches or handled roughly; our guide to being left alone says what we do about that before eight weeks and what you do after.

At Northwest Lagotto we have bred the breed in Lynden, Washington, since 2015. Puppies are $6,500 and go home at eight weeks. The puppies page has the current litter status.

Frequently Asked Questions

›Is the Italian water dog the same as the Lagotto Romagnolo?

Yes. Italian water dog is the plain-English name for the Lagotto Romagnolo, the curly-coated retriever from the Romagna marshes. No other Italian breed is a water dog.

›How big is an Italian water dog?

15.5 to 19.5 inches at the shoulder and 24 to 35 pounds under the FCI and AKC standards. Our own adults have averaged 32 pounds across eleven years, with a range of 25 to 36.

›Is the Italian water dog hypoallergenic?

No dog is allergen-free. The Lagotto sheds very little, so less dander is loose in the house, and many people who react to other dogs live with one comfortably. The only reliable test is an afternoon with an adult Lagotto, which we can arrange.

›Does an Italian water dog swim?

Most do, readily. The breed was a water retriever for centuries and the coat sheds water. In the Pacific Northwest that means mud in the wet months; keep a towel by the door.

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. American Kennel Club. Lagotto Romagnolo breed standard and recognition (2015). https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/lagotto-romagnolo/
  3. Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America. Breed history. https://lagottoromagnoloclubofamerica.org/breed-history
  4. American Kennel Club. Barbet breed page (recognized 2020). https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/barbet/