You want to buy an Italian Water Dog, but you don’t know what to expect? Then be sure to read on and learn more about this breed.
The Italian Water Dog, also called the Lagotto Romagnolo or Italian truffle dog, is an ancient Italian breed that was originally used as a hunting dog and water retriever.
The origin of this breed lies in the Romagna region of Italy, which the second half of their name refers to. The first part of their name “Lagotto” means “duck dog” in the local dialect.
Dogs of this breed were originally bred as hunting companions to help catch waterfowl in the marshes of Romagna.
By the end of the 19th century much of the region’s marshland had been drained, and these dogs would have been left without work if it weren’t for their super noses, which made them excellent truffle hunters.
They are the only modern breed specifically developed for truffle hunting.
Because of their size, agility, eagerness and water-resistant coat, they were perfectly suited to this task.
Buy an Italian Water Dog
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Benefits of the Italian Water Dog
- The dog is hypoallergenic, which means it is suitable for people with allergies.
- They are great family dogs because of their sweet and friendly temperament.
- They drool and shed very little.
- This dog has a surprisingly keen sense of smell, is attentive to its owner, smart, gentle and disciplined.
- They are natural water lovers, so if you plan a water-related activity, this breed will gladly accompany you.
- Overall, the Italian Water Dog is a playful, energetic and intelligent breed that is highly trainable.
- Social and friendly with everyone: a friendly attitude toward other animals.
- If you have a family with older children who lead an active, outdoor lifestyle, this breed will be perfect for you.
Disadvantages of the Italian Water Dog
- They need a fairly large fenced yard and frequent sessions of vigorous physical activity plus challenging mental stimulation.
- Moderate to high grooming requirements, including trimming and clipping approximately every two months.
- Not the best breed for gardeners, because the Italian Water Dog loves to dig, especially in damp soil.
- Some individuals are hypersensitive (even anxious) to strangers or unfamiliar sights, sounds, or situations.
- They are not suitable for owners with a sedentary lifestyle.
- This breed lacks the aggression and fierceness to be effective guard dogs.
- Not a mindless barker, but they do like to vocalize.
- Also, the curly, woolly coat attracts dirt, leaves, pollen and other debris that can end up on your floors and furniture.
Buying an Italian Water Dog
Italian Water Dog Breeder
Are you looking for a healthy, happy and well-socialized Italian Water Dog puppy? Then Woefkesranch is the perfect choice for you!
We are an experienced and passionate breeder with more than 10 years of experience breeding this beautiful breed. We know the Italian Water Dog inside out and can tell you everything about their temperament, care, and training needs.
The health and well-being of our dogs is our top priority. We breed exclusively with parent dogs that are completely healthy and meet the strictest breed standards. All our puppies are vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped before they leave for their new home.
We consider it important that our puppies are well socialized before they go to their new owners. We therefore pay a lot of attention to their socialization during the first few weeks of their lives. They are accustomed to different people, other dogs and everyday sounds.
If you choose Woefkesranch, you choose:
- Quality and health
- Experience and expertise
- Reliability and service
- The perfect match for you and your lifestyle
Contact us today to learn more about our Italian Water Dogs and the availability of our puppies. We are happy to help you find the perfect puppy who will be a loyal companion for years to come.
Visit our website for more information about our breeding practices, the parents of our puppies and the steps you need to take to reserve a puppy.
When choosing a puppy, it is important to know how to recognize a good dog breeder .
Woefkesranch: Your trusted partner for the perfect Italian Water Dog puppy.
Some fun facts
- There are numerous Renaissance paintings that portray the Italian Water Dog: Pittore Lombardo, Guercino and Andrea Mantegna are three artists who depicted this dog in their work.
- The largest white truffle in the world, weighing 1.8 kg, was discovered in Italy in 2014 by an Italian Water Dog. The valuable fungus was sold at auction for $61,250.
- Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby named her Netflix special “Douglas” after her own Italian Water Dog.
- The plural of Lagotto is Lagotti.
Appearance of an Italian Water Dog
Their undercoat is soft and dense, which keeps them warm. The topcoat is curly and woolly, allowing the dog to shed water easily.
The male Italian Water Dog stands between 43 and 48 centimeters tall, while the female is slightly smaller at 41 to 46 centimeters. Males weigh between 13 and 16 kilograms and females between 11 and 14 kilograms. For detailed information about the care of Doodles and water dogs, you can consult our article. Visit our Lagotto Romagnolo puppy for sale article for more information about this beautiful breed.
They come in a wide range of colors: brown roan, broken white, brown-white, orange and white, brown and orange. There are no black Lagotti. As for markings, a brown mask is acceptable. Some dogs may also have tan markings.
Usually a healthy Italian Water Dog has a life expectancy of about 15 – 17 years.
Buying an Italian Water Dog
Care
Their coat must be regularly clipped to prevent matting. Once this is done, they only need to be brushed occasionally between trims.
Some dog hairs tangle more easily than others, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on this when you brush them.
They also don’t shed much, because any hair that falls out tends to stay trapped in their curls.
For general tips on dog coat care you can consult our comprehensive article.
Clean your dog’s ear weekly with a gentle, dog-friendly cleanser to prevent dirt buildup that can cause infections.
Do Italian Water Dogs shed?
They have a double coat that is water-resistant and is made of hair rather than fur. This means their hair grows more slowly and they shed less.
An Italian Water Dog is a hypoallergenic dog. Ideal for people with allergies.
Buying an Italian Water Dog? What is the price?
The price of an Italian Water Dog usually ranges from 2000 to 5000 euros, with an average price of 3000 euros.
The price can vary depending on the dog’s quality, lineage, location, and the breeder’s standards.
Buy an Italian Water Dog
Exercise and Trainability
An Italian Water Dog needs a lot of exercise. This breed is active and certainly requires regular daily walks. If you have a large garden, your dog can expend its energy there and daily walks may not be necessary.
Mental stimulation is almost as important as physical activity for this breed. Advanced training can help enormously. Consider training them for obedience, agility, conformation, tracking, or another canine sport.
Agility classes, Dock Diving, truffle hunting, and scent work are all ways to keep your dog’s body and mind active.
They are independent: however, with perseverance, patience and kindness you can achieve good results.
They love mental challenges, but should not be faced with tasks that are so difficult that they become frustrated.
Make sure that training sessions strike the right balance between challenge and fun.
They do best with reward-based training and may choose to avoid or ignore your training if you resort to correction-based methods.
For general puppy training tips you can consult our advice article.
The Italian Water Dog loves to dig, especially in damp soil, and will need patience and training to get them to stop digging.
Early socialization will help your puppy grow into a confident and well-mannered dog in a variety of situations.
Do Italian Water Dogs like water?
The Italian Water Dog didn’t get its name by accident. They are known as ‘water’ dogs and are usually exceptional and enthusiastic swimmers.
However, every dog has unique preferences and dislikes, so if you have the rare Italian Water Dog that doesn’t like water, don’t force the issue.
Do they bark a lot?
They do bark, but they are known as a calm breed and will bark to alert you to visitors.
If a quiet dog is at the top of your list, this breed is a good choice, especially if you give them plenty of activity and attention. For more information about dogs that bark little you can view our overview article.
Friendliness
Italian Water Dogs welcome children with wagging tails if they have been raised with them from puppyhood. They prefer children they know well and are usually not aggressive towards strangers.
If they are accustomed from a young age to the company of cats and dogs, they can be patient and get along with their furry family members. When it comes to smaller pets such as hamsters and guinea pigs, it may not be advisable to keep them together with your Italian Water Dog.
But with sufficient socialization from a young age, the dog can live peacefully with cats.
They can be somewhat reserved with strangers, so it is important to teach them from an early age that strangers can be trusted.
Their adaptability
This breed can do well in apartments with an active family and enough exercise. Where you live doesn’t matter, as long as you can walk the dog and keep it active.
Is an Italian Water Dog a good watchdog?
An Italian Water Dog is not only an excellent family pet, but also a good watchdog.
They will protect their territory. However, they tend to deter intruders with barking rather than aggression. They will alert you to animals or people on your property. But this breed will generally not attack.
Over time they can even learn to trust people they see often, giving them a warm welcome in your home.
Buy an Italian Water Dog
Health issues
- These dogs can be prone to hip dysplasia, a genetic condition that can lead to degeneration of the hip joint.
- This breed can also suffer from some eye conditions, including juvenile cataracts and distichiasis.
- Benign familial juvenile epilepsy (BFJE) can affect this breed. Seizures usually begin around 5-9 weeks of age, and often stop around 13 weeks. For more information about epilepsy in puppies you can consult our specialized article.
- Lysosomal storage disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with severe symptoms. Affected dogs show signs of clumsiness, abnormal eye movements, cerebellar ataxia and behavioral changes.