Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a notably long-lived breed, typically living 15 to 17 years — longer than most dogs of its size. That longevity is real but it raises the lifetime cost of the two things this breed always needs: professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks and routine ear care, both of which compound over a long life. A Lagotto from a breeder who DNA-tests for the breed's storage disease and juvenile epilepsy and screens hips is the version most likely to actually reach the top of that range in good health.

The Lagotto has a single curly coat that does not shed seasonally and is often described as low-dander, which is why it is marketed as allergy-friendly — but no dog is truly hypoallergenic, and individual reactions vary. The more important practical point is that not shedding does not mean low maintenance. The coat grows continuously and mats fast, so it must be combed weekly and professionally clipped every 6 to 8 weeks for life, at roughly $60 to $100 a visit. Owners who skip grooming because the dog "doesn't shed" end up paying for a full shave-down.

Plan on 60 to 90 minutes of activity daily, and the kind matters as much as the amount. This is a working scent breed, so a flat walk alone leaves it under-stimulated; pair physical exercise with nose work, scatter feeding, tracking, or trick training. An under-worked Lagotto channels its truffle-hunting drive into digging large holes, obsessive sniffing, and restlessness. If you can commit to daily mental work plus exercise the breed is calm and biddable indoors; if you cannot, expect a frustrated dog and a damaged garden.

Lagotto Storage Disease is an inherited lysosomal storage disorder largely specific to this breed that causes progressive neurological decline — wobbling, abnormal eye movements, and behavioral change, usually emerging in young adulthood. It is not curable, but it is preventable at the breeding level: a DNA test identifies carriers, and a breeder who tests and never pairs two carriers cannot produce an affected puppy. This is why buying from a breeder who shows you the parents' DNA results is the single most important health decision in this breed; if an adult Lagotto develops stumbling or behavioral change, seek a neurological workup promptly.

Yes, with the right household. The Lagotto is affectionate, bonded to its family, and generally good with children and other dogs when raised with them and socialized early. It is sensitive rather than rough, so it suits a calm family that uses reward-based handling. The caveats are practical, not temperamental: this breed needs daily mental work, can be reserved with strangers without early socialization, and digs when bored. A family that meets the exercise and grooming commitment gets a devoted companion; one that does not gets a stressed dog.

A puppy from a breeder who DNA-tests for Lagotto Storage Disease and benign familial juvenile epilepsy and OFA-screens hips and patellas typically runs $2,500 to $4,500. The larger number is ownership: professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks at $60 to $100 adds up to roughly $6,000 to $12,000 over this breed's long 15-to-17-year life, before routine ear care and veterinary costs. The breed is not expensive to feed, but anyone budgeting only for the purchase price is underestimating the real cost by an order of magnitude.