What Should I Ask a Lagotto Breeder Before Buying?

Buying a Lagotto Romagnolo is a big step—those curls and truffle-hunting charm come with a breeder’s responsibility to set you up right. Not all breeders are equal, and asking the right questions can separate the dedicated from the dodgy. At Northwest Lagotto, we’ve fielded plenty of inquiries, and we’ve got answers that go beyond the basics. Here are five key questions to ask any breeder, plus how we stack up—building trust with buyers who want a pup worth their investment.

1. “What’s your socialization process?” Puppies need early exposure to sights, sounds, and people to grow into confident adults. A good breeder starts this by week three. We do more—our pups meet kids, vacuums, and car rides before eight weeks, handled daily to build trust. This is done in a structured environment using puppy culture protocols. Clients notice: a Seattle owner said their Lagotto walked into city life unfazed.

2. “How do you test for LSD?” Lagotto Storage Disease (LSD), a neurological condition, can devastate untested lines. Ask for DNA results—both parents should be clear or carriers paired wisely. We exceed that: every Northwest Lagotto breeding dog is DNA-screened for LSD, with results on file. We’ve turned down pairings to keep it out of our litters—zero cases in our history. Buyers get peace of mind, not guesses.

3. “What health checks do you do?” Hips, eyes, and elbows matter—ask for OFA or CERF certifications, not just vet nods. We go all in: our dogs get OFA hip and elbow X-rays, CERF eye exams yearly, and full vet workups. We are committed to this passin on five females in a row the past couple of years as hip scores were borderline—we retired them all, no risks taken. Pups leave with first shots, dewormed, and a health guarantee. It’s not cheap, but it’s right.

4. “Can I meet the parents or see your setup?” Seeing a breeder’s operation reveals their care. Good ones welcome it. We invite buyers to our place—meet the mom, sniff the air (no kennel funk here), see pups tumbling in a clean, open space. One couple drove three hours and left saying, “This feels like home.” Virtual tours work too, but we’re transparent either way—our dogs live with us, not in crates.

5. “Why do you breed Lagottos?” Passion beats profit every time—ask for their “why.” Ours is simple: we love the breed’s smarts, scent drive, and heart and we happen to have two acres of European truffles on site! We’ve spent a decade refining lines from Italian truffle hunters, not churning out pups for cash. Every litter—small, planned—gets our all, from early neurological stimulation to puppy culture protocols, recall training to coat care tips. A Portland buyer said we “talk Lagotto like it’s family.” It is.

Ask these, and you’ll spot the difference. Northwest Lagotto doesn’t just meet expectations—we push past them. Socialization’s baked in, health’s locked down, and our doors are open. We’re not here to sell dogs; we’re here to share a breed we live for. Buyers walk away with more than a puppy—they get trust, proof, and a Lagotto ready to shine. That’s the Northwest way.