Pups

Pups

Frequently asked questions

Getting to know the breed
Have you not yet met the lagotto in real life? Then it's a good idea to do so first. For example, you could go for a walk with us once. Contact us to make a walking appointment. 

Why we sometimes have older puppies available
We regularly keep 1 or even 2 puppies reserved for ourselves or exports for a bit longer. This gives us time to decide whether we want to keep a pup from the litter ourselves. It may therefore happen that we have a puppy available as early as 9 weeks of age.

Are there any older dogs/replacers
We occasionally have (young) adult dogs for whom we are looking for a new home. More information can be found on the young adult dogs page

How does it go from here?
Already met the lagotto and still enthusiastic? Then fill in the form below or send an e-mail answering the questions at the bottom of this page. We will normally send a reply within a week and will then be happy to make a phone appointment for a first closer acquaintance.
When the puppies are born, we will keep interested parties informed via whatsapp. When the puppies are about 5 weeks old, we will schedule an introduction to the puppies. We think peace and quiet for mother and puppies is very important.

We live in Belgium, what does this mean for us?
There is currently no possibility to move puppies from the Netherlands to Belgium without a rabies vaccination. The puppy will therefore have to stay with us longer.

During the time the puppy stays longer, we will start crate training and walking on the lead will be practised. Furthermore, the potty training and socialisation already started will continue.

This entails additional costs for vaccination and feeding. 

What does a puppy cost?
The puppy price for 2023 is set at €2500 including 21% VAT

Available puppies

Father

Mother

23 September 2023:

Tambi and Ginger's puppies were born on 23 September. Five males and female were born.
As it looks now, we are still looking for a nice home for one or two males.

Tambi was born in Italy and currently lives in Germany. He is a friendly, gentle male with a very typical build who also proved himself on the truffle test.
Ginger was born with us and this will be her third litter. She is an affectionate and friendly dog who loves to be with you.

father: Tamberì Mezza Barba "Tambi"
mother: Rosehip's Mumm de Mumm "Ginger"

If you are seriously interested in one of our puppies, we would like to ask you to send an email answering the questions below. 

The puppies will leave the litter from 13 November.

rosebuds[a]gmail.com.

  1. If you are seriously interested in one of our puppies, we would like to ask you to send an email answering the questions below: rosebuds[a]gmail.com.

- why are you interested in the lagotto and what do you expect from a puppy?
- What is your family composition and what can you offer a lagotto?
- what is your experience with dogs?
- how do you guys see raising a lagotto?
- what do you expect from us?
- Is there a gender preference?
- At what time can you receive a lagotto puppy?

Enthusiastic? Read the text below carefully first!
Below is some information about our working methods and vision. If, after reading this, you would still like a puppy from us, please be sure to fill in the form below. By the way, filling in a form does not immediately mean that we will offer you a puppy.

When will we know if a puppy is available for us?
When the puppies are about 5-6 weeks old, we organise a morning/afternoon where all potential new owners can visit the puppies once.

When we invite you for an introduction, this does not automatically mean that you will get a puppy. We like to keep the possibility open for both you and us to not come to a purchase agreement at any time. We will keep you informed via whatsapp on a regular basis.

Who gets which puppy? 
Here, we mainly look at what the puppies show, behaviour, interaction etc. We always keep the gender preference. We cannot give a preference for colour, as character and dog-handling are more important to us than colour. We usually don't know which puppy will go to which family until the puppies are 6.5 weeks old. We introduce a puppy to the new family.

Is the colour of the puppy important to you? 
We understand that there may be a colour preference, however, we feel that the colour is secondary to the owner-dog interaction. If a colour preference is important to you, we recommend contacting one of the other breeders in the Netherlands.

Litter socialisation 
We work according to the guidelines of Puppy Culture. A litter socialisation programme that pays a lot of attention to the right balance between exploring/ learning/ exploring/ playing and rest. Not too much and not too little. This fits well with our human experience with sensorimotor integration therapy.

Good to know 
All our puppies are microchipped, dewormed several times and have had their first vaccination before leaving the litter. We register the puppy in a database and when it leaves us, we have to deregister it. It is up to the new owners to re-register the puppy in a recognised database.

All our puppies have a pedigree issued by the Raad van Beheer. We work with a purchase agreement, which we will send to you a few days before the pups leave the litter.

We advise everyone to get pet insurance for their new housemate. In today's animal care climate with big investors, vet costs are rising fast. 

Host family

Host family

At the moment, we do not have any dogs for which we are looking for a host family. Should this change in the future, we will mention it on this page. 

Host family

We are looking for families who would like to contribute to maintaining and improving the breed. The dog will live with you and will come back to us for mating when needed.

As long as the male is used in the breeding programme, he comes to us every 10 to 12 weeks for a trim and once a year for the ECVO eye examination.

As a host family, you take one (or two) of our dogs into your family. These are often older dogs, aged between 1 and 6 years.

The dogs will just be part of your family and continue to live with you. Occasionally, they will come back to us to participate in the breeding programme. We always make written agreements about this in advance.

Feel free to contact us for more information about our males for whom we are looking for a host family. This can be done by sending an email to: rosehips[a]gmail.com

 

Health

Health

As in any population, we also find genetic disorders in dogs. Below is more information on the defects known to affect the Lagotto. Not all abnormalities will cause the dog's quality of life to deteriorate.

https://www.dutchdogdata.nl 

All results of health examinations carried out on our dogs can be found in the Raad van Beheer database (hips, patella, elbows and eyes). These examinations are carried out according to the regulations of the Raad van Beheer and are published automatically.

It is possible for owners to have the DNA marker tests added themselves. You send in the results and after verification they are added. The DNA marker examination can be carried out by various providers. The most common are Laboklin, MyDogDNA and Embark.

In the unlikely event that you cannot find something, feel free to ask.

LRCN breeding regulations
ECVO manual

Breeding with carriers
We also breed with dogs that are carriers of hereditary defects known in the breed that emerge during DNA testing and recessive* in nature.

The advantage of continuing to use these dogs is that you also preserve the genetic variation in the breed. Of course, carriers are always combined with a partner who is free of the same hereditary problem known in the breed. This way, you make sure that puppies from these combinations will never develop the disease. Because to develop a recessive known disease problem, the pup has to get the gene from both parents.

Should we choose not to use the known genetic diseases in the breed we will have a narrower genetic base as a result. Which in turn may cause currently unknown diseases to be expressed.

*heredity.co.uk/heredity/autosomal-recessive
*dutchdogdata.co.uk
*lagotto.broadarchives.com

Orthopedic

Hips

Hip dysplasia (HD) is a developmental disorder of the hip joints. It can be hereditary, but environmental factors also play a major role in development.

A dog can suffer a lot from HD, but it doesn't have to. You can't tell from the outside if a dog has HD, so if your dog can walk well, it doesn't necessarily mean his hips are perfect.

To really see if your dog has HD, (digital) X-rays of his hips are needed. More information on hip examination can be found on the website of the Board of Directors.

Patella

The patella (kneecap) is located in the tendon of the large thigh muscle. Great forces come to bear on this muscle so that the leg can support the body and dogs can stand, walk and jump.
To ensure that the kneecap stays in the centre of the joint, there is a groove, through which the kneecap slides. If the kneecap shoots out of the groove (patellar luxation), that leg can no longer support the body weight.

As with hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, there is a hereditary basis, but environmental factors also play a role. More information on Patella research can be found on the website of the Board of Directors

Elbows

Examination for elbow dysplasia is not mandatory according to the current breeding regulations (version 2022) of the LRCN. Internationally, research into the elbows of the lagotto is increasingly being carried out.

As with hip dysplasia and patella luxation, there is a hereditary basis, but environmental factors also play a role. More information onheen ellbow examination can be found on the website of the Board of Directors

Eyes

Below are some eye abnormalities that we see more often in the Lagotto Romagnolo. During the annual eye examination all common eye abnormalities are tested.

Cataract
Cataract is also called grey cataract or cataract. Cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye. It occurs in older dogs, but is also occasionally seen in very young dogs. Cataract can be hereditary. In addition, cataracts can occur as a result of inflammation or underlying conditions such as diabetes. There are different forms of cataract.

Since May 2020, there has been a DNA marker test for one of the cataract forms relatively commonly seen in the Lagotto. There is currently no publication on this DNA marker test.

PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)
A group of hereditary retinal defects that occurs in many breeds and leads to blindness in the final stage. Currently, a small increase in the number of PRA cases is seen in Scandinavia.

A DNA marker study for breed-specific PRA is currently ongoing in Sweden.

Distichiasis
Abnormal hair growth on the eyelid margin. Which in severe cases can cause irritation and inflammation of the eye. This is relatively common in the lagotto and in most cases involves soft hairs that do not touch the eyes.

Membrana Pupillaris Persistens (MPP)
In this condition, remains of the vascular system for the lens (membrana pupillaris) are left behind. This  is called persistence. Normally this vascular system disappears about four weeks after birth. MPP is a congenital eye disorder.

Not all abnormalities found lead to exclusion from breeding. The breeding regulations of the Lagotto Romagnolo Club Netherlands state that dogs suffering from PRA or Cataract will not be bred. Since 2021, there has been revised advice from ECVO. The smaller, often non-growing variations of cataract are no longer characterised as breeding exclusives.

Dogs found positive for another hereditary eye defect will always have to be combined with a dog free of this defect.

More information about the annual eye examination can be found on the website of the Raad van Beheer (the Dutch Kennel Club). Board of Directors

DNA markers

We also breed with dogs that are carriers of hereditary defects known in the breed that emerge during DNA testing and recessive* in nature.

The advantage of continuing to use these dogs is that you also preserve the genetic variation in the breed. Of course, carriers are always combined with a partner who is free of the same hereditary problem known in the breed. This way, you make sure that puppies from these combinations will never develop the disease. Because to develop a recessive known disease problem, the pup has to get the gene from both parents.

Should we choose not to use the known genetic diseases in the breed we will have a narrower genetic base as a result. Which in turn may cause currently unknown diseases to be expressed.

*heredity.co.uk/heredity/autosomal-recessive

BFJE (Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy)

This is a neurological disorder that occurs in the Lagotto Romagnolo. Dogs affected by this condition develop epilepsy-like seizures at a very young age (puppies). Around the age of about 4 months, the seizures stop spontaneously. BFJE is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.

Clinical picture
Epileptic-like seizures are caused by disruption of the normal electrochemical activity of the brain. The onset of epileptic seizures in BFJE is at 5-9 weeks of age. The seizures include whole-body tremor, ataxia (uncoordinated movements) and rigidity. The epileptic signs are sometimes accompanied by changes in consciousness. The frequency of seizures can vary from puppy to puppy: there may be a few seizures a day or sporadic seizures with a frequency of a few times a week.

Generally, a puppy affected by BFJE appears perfectly normal between seizures. In severe cases, however, there may be neurological signs, such as generalised ataxia that can also be seen between attacks. BFJE is relatively benign as the seizures usually end after the age 4 months.

LSD (Lagotto Storage Disease)

Lagotto Storage Disease (LSD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by cerebellar ataxia.
During histological examination, the following is found: neuronal vacuolisation in the peripheral and central nervous system. Aggregation of vacuoles can also be found in several other tissues, but only vacuolisation of nerve cells seems to be relevant.  
The disorder is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.

Clinical picture
The onset of symptoms and course vary considerably between dogs. The first signs can be seen at an age of 4 months to 4 years. Usually, the first observable sign of LSD is progressive ataxia (uncoordinated movements). The first signs of slowly increasing ataxia are not always noticed by the owner.
Some of the affected dogs also suffer from episodic nystagmus (involuntary eye movement). In some cases, nystagmus is the first sign seen.

Lagotto Storage Disease is a progressive condition that also leads to behavioural changes such as restlessness, depression and aggression. The life expectancy of sick dogs depends on the progression of the condition and the severity of symptoms. Some dogs can live for several years with mild symptoms, but dogs with severe clinical signs are usually euthanised at a young age.

Hyperuricosuria (HUU)

An inherited disorder in dogs that can cause hyperuricaemia which predisposes affected dogs to the development of urolithiasis (stones) in the kidneys and bladder. The disease is very common in Dalmatians, but is also seen in several other breeds. Hyperuricosuria is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.

Clinical picture
HUU predisposes affected dogs to the formation of uric acid stones. In Dalmatians, the disease is more common in males than in females. As much as 34% of all male Dalmatians are diagnosed with uric acid stones. Clinical signs of urolithiasis include hematuria, pain while urinating, and blockage of the urinary tract. Patients with urine stones are more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Blockage in the urinary tract is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate veterinary care. 

Furnishing 

Shorthair is not a health problem but gives a different look to the Lagotto.

Using DNA testing, we can prevent Lagotti still being born with a short coat that often also sheds. 

NAD (neuroaxonal dystrophy)

Neuroaxonal dystrophy is a rare neurodegenerative disorder. Clinical symptoms manifest between six and 11 months of age. Sick dogs show a progressive picture with worsening neurological symptoms such as gait abnormalities, abnormal vocalisation, incontinence and behavioural changes.

A characteristic pathological feature of the disease is the development of spheroids in the central nervous system. Spheroid formation can be observed in the grey matter of the cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, brain stem and in the sensory pathways of the spinal cord. The inheritance pattern is autosomal recessive.

Several dogs carrying this gene have been spotted in the Lagotto. As a result, it has since become a marker test that is increasingly included in research.

Clinical picture
Progesive gait abnormalities; behavioural changes such as dullness, nervousness or abnormal vocalisation; incontinence; and uncontrolled defecation. Affected dogs may also show any of the following symptoms, visual problems, nystagmus, head tilt and neurological problems, mainly related to sensory localisation. Neurological examination may show mild head tilt, generalised cerebellar ataxia, hypermetria of the thoracic limbs, impaired patellar reflex, proprioceptive disturbances, visual defects, positional nystagmus and reduced muscle tone. Due to the progressive nature of the condition, clinical signs usually lead to euthanasia before the age of two years.

Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA)

In recent years, there have been increasing reports of dogs with ataxia manifesting at different ages. Research is being conducted in Bern, Switzerland. Recently, there have been several young dogs with this severe abnormality. Research is ongoing and important!

"Several hereditary diseases of the nervous system are known in Lagotto Romagnolo dogs. They include several distinct forms of cerebellar ataxia with monogenic autosomal recessive interhitance. Affected dogs show neurological symptoms such as uncoordinated movements and difficulties with normal gait at a few weeks of age or later in life. We would like to study yet unsolved forms of cerebellar ataxia in Lagotto Romagnolo dogs and to develop genetic tests. For this purpose we need EDTA blood samples from affected dogs, ideally together with their parents and siblings. We therefore ask breeders, owners and veterinarians to donate samples for our research. If you own a Lagotto Romagnolo with neurological symptoms, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss further options for further investigation." 

Visit the website of the University of Bern

University of Bern Cerebellar Abiotrophy Lagotto Romagnolo

Alopecia

Sometimes it happens that the Lagotto (but also other breeds) lose the hair causing a bald spot (temporarily). It is currently unclear what causes this. However, we do see that the hair often grows back within a few months. Research is being conducted into alopecia in the lagotto in Bern. 

More information on this study and how to submit blood from your doggie: 

"Over the last few years, cases of non-inflammatory alopecia in lagotto romagnolo dogs have been described repeatedly. The hair loss affects mainly the trunk, while the head and legs are usually spared. The affected dogs do not have itching. We would like to investigate this disease, which is also called follicular dysplasia, in more detail and therefore need EDTA blood samples from affected dogs. We ask breeders, owners and veterinarians to help us and to send us samples. There are different causes for hair loss. It makes sense to exclude them first so that the diagnosis "follicular dysplasia" can be made with a high degree of certainty. Prof. Dr. Petra Roosje, head of clinical dermatology at the small animal clinic of the University of Bern is offering free examinations and counselling to owners who are willing to donate samples for research. If you would like to participate in our project and can provide a blood sample from your dog, please fill out the questionnaire and follow the instructions in our leaflet."

Visit the website of the University of Bern

University of Bern Alopecia Lagotto Romagnolo

What you need to know about the Lagotto

What you need to know about the Lagotto

Below is a display of the most frequently mentioned characteristics of the Lagotto that you would like to know before you get a Lagotto into your home.

A Lagotto is:

  • Boss focused;
  • A friend for life;
  • Intelligent, excels in puppy class;
  • Likes to dig;
  • Can be cautious in approaching new situations and people;
  • No house and clothes full of hair, but sand, twigs etc;
  • Focused on anything to eat. Which can mean he eats all sorts of things during walks;
  • Watchful/barky
Latest news

Latest news


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Our Facebook page keeps you up to date with the latest news about our dogs. Below is an overview of the most recent posts. By clicking on the link, you will automatically be redirected to our Facebook page.

Lagotto & Truffle day 1At our stop in Swiss “Scotch” got the possibility to search natural truffles for the very first time. In her father’s backyard she found a total of 4 black truffles. Rozebottel’s Gazosa “Scotch”Happy Momo del Sogno del Bosco X Rozebottel’s Zêzere See MoreSee Less
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It's that time of year again. In October, we will expand our knowledge about truffles during Lagotto & Truffle Week in Italy.Pictured is Viva and her first truffle of this autumn. See MoreSee Less
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This cutie is still looking for a nice family and in the meantime is fully learning. www.rozebottels.nl/pups/ See MoreSee Less
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The week started with a short training session for Scotch and Ferry. See MoreSee Less
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Tambi and Ginger's puppies have been born. 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩷 See MoreSee Less
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Breed history

Breed history

In contemporary kynology, the Lagotto Romagnolo is also called the Italian truffle dog and is known for its great ability to find truffles. Although the Lagotto is the only breed worldwide that specializes in truffle hunting, it is certainly not the only breed used for this purpose. However, the truffle hunting is not the original use function of the Lagotto as that was fetching waterfowl.

The Lagotto is related to the Barbet (fresh waterdog), the Portuguese Water Dog and Spanish Water Dog. Although these four breeds are counted among each other's equivalent, the Barbet may be called the mother of the water dogs. It was claimed at an early stage that both the Barbet and the Lagotto descended from African dogs, which were taken from the Middle East by crusaders. The Etruscans, living among the Italian rivers Arno and Tiber, were known for their maritime trade and piracy. From the beginning of the Etruscan period the presence of curled dogs, used to retrieve waterfowl, is known.

A fresco by Andrea Mantegna (1456) shows a suite of Palazzo Ducale in Mantova (Lombardy). In this painting you can see a dog that is almost identical to the current Lagotto. The Lagotto is clearly present in a painting by the Italian Baroque painter Giovanni Fransesco Barbieri (1600). In 1591 Erasmo di Valvasone wrote a poem called "La Caccia" (the hunting) in which he describes a hunting dog with "curly fur, not afraid of the sun, water and ice, climber of mountains, wading of rivers, he who know how to overcome thorns bushes and that the waterfowl proudly and happily brings to the handler ".

The Lagotto originates from Romagna, a region in Northeast Italy. The original inhabitants of the swamps between Ravenna and Ferrara, bred and used the Lagotto, a medium-sized water dog, mainly to retrieve the waterfowl. These residents were also called the Vallaroli (Lagotti) people. It was not until the 19th century, when the marshlands slowly came to dryness, that the Lagotto was used to search for truffles. With that, the retrieving task of the Lagotto wasn't used any longer, but  the excellent sense of smell has been retained. During all those centuries the Lagotti have always been used to guard the property and properties of the Vallaroli, such as the boats with which they fished the marshlands.thecentury, when the marshlands gradually dried up, the Lagotto was used to search for truffles. With this, the Lagotto's retrieving task became obsolete but the appeal of its excellent sense of smell was retained. During all these centuries, Lagotti have always been used to guard the Vallaroli's property and yards, such as the boats they used to sail the swamps.

Shortly after the Second World War, the truffle became a scarce commodity due to a huge expansion in the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, enthusiasts in the last 25 years of the last century have succeeded in retaining the Lagotto as truffle hunter. In 1977 Quintino Toschi, president of the Kynology association of Imola (a city south of Bologna), expressed the wish to ensure the preservation of the original type Lagotto. In collaboration with Gilberto Grandi he invented and registered all the Lagotti then present in Italy. From that moment Lagotti breeding took a turn with much more emphasis on the breeding of specific breed characteristics, both in character and conformation. In June 1988 the Club Italiano Lagotto was founded, after which a group offered enthousiasts worked for the recognition, which was followed by the recognition by the ENCI (Italian kennel club) in 1991. The FCI came with the provisional recognition in 1995. Final recognition followed only 10 years later, the first Italian breed standard dating from 1992. The standard was adopted on 13 October 2010 for the first published in English and last modified on 6 January 2016.

In the meantime the Lagotto can be found all over the world and is becoming increasingly popular.

This text may be freely used by others.

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