The Lagotto Romagnolo summer guide: water, dirt, and well-earned treats

Summer with a Lagotto Romagnolo means water, mud, and a nose that never clocks out — this Italian water dog was bred to retrieve ducks from the marshes of Romagna before becoming the world's premier truffle hunter, so lakes, sprinklers, and scent games are exactly what the season should look like. In this guide, we at Bocce's Bakery map out the best warm-weather activities for the Lagotto's curly build and busy brain, the heat-safety notes that dense coat demands, and how small-batch treats keep every adventure on track.

How does a Lagotto Romagnolo handle warm weather?

Better than many double-coated breeds, with one big caveat: that famous coat. The Lagotto's dense, woolly curls were designed to insulate against cold marsh water, and while the coat is often described as low-shedding, it can trap heat and hide how warm your dog is actually getting. A Lagotto working hard at midday in July is a Lagotto quietly cooking under all that wool.

The good news is that this is a moderate-sized dog — most stand 16 to 19 inches and weigh 24 to 35 pounds — with a functional muzzle and an athletic frame, so there's no structural reason they can't enjoy summer fully. Keep the coat trimmed to a practical working length in hot months (ask your groomer for a shorter pet clip rather than a full shave, which can expose skin to sunburn), plan the hardest exercise for cooler hours, and let water do the cooling whenever possible.

Energy-wise, expect a dog that wants a real job every single day. A bored Lagotto in a summer backyard will excavate it. Channel that drive on purpose and everyone stays happy.

Swimming: the activity this breed was literally built for

Lagotti are one of the oldest water retriever breeds in Europe, and most take to swimming with almost comical enthusiasm. Lakes, calm rivers, dog-friendly beaches, and even a sturdy kiddie pool all count.

A few pointers for the water-loving Lagotto:

• Introduce water gradually if your dog is new to it. Even natural swimmers benefit from a shallow, confidence-building start — the AKC's guide to teaching a dog to swim is a solid roadmap.
• Rinse the curls after every swim. Chlorine, salt, and lake gunk get trapped deep in that coat and can irritate skin. A quick freshwater rinse and a towel-scrunch go a long way.
• Dry thoroughly between the toes and inside the ears. Moisture trapped in dense curls can set the stage for hot spots and ear trouble; if you notice head shaking or a yeasty smell, have your veterinarian take a look.
• Use a canine life vest for boating or big water. Even strong swimmers tire, and a handle on the back makes retrieval easy.

Retrieve games in the shallows are the perfect two-for-one: exercise plus cooling. Ten minutes of water fetch beats thirty minutes of hot pavement every time.

Scent work: give the truffle nose a summer job

The Lagotto Romagnolo is the only purebred dog recognized specifically as a truffle hunter, and that nose doesn't take summers off. Scent games are ideal hot-weather enrichment because they're mentally exhausting without being physically punishing.

Try a backyard "find it" course in the shade: hide a handful of our Soft & Chewy training treats around the yard — under a flowerpot, behind a tree, tucked into grass — and release your dog to hunt. Start easy, then bury treats an inch under loose soil in a designated dig zone. You're honoring two Lagotto instincts at once: sniffing and digging, both aimed somewhere you approve of.

A sandbox or kids' pool filled with dirt makes a brilliant legal dig pit. Salt it with treats and toys a few times a week and your flowerbeds have a fighting chance.

Early-morning trail outings

Lagotti make cheerful, sturdy hiking companions on shaded trails. Aim for dawn starts, choose routes with creek access, and keep sessions to an hour or so in real heat. Pack water for both of you, offer drinks every 15 to 20 minutes, and use trail stops as mini training sessions — a crisp recall practiced on a long line in a new environment is worth ten practiced in your kitchen.

Heat safety notes for the Lagotto

Every summer plan needs a safety layer. For this breed specifically:

• Don't let the curls fool you. A thick coat masks early overheating. Watch for heavy panting, a wide "spatula" tongue, slowing down, or seeking shade — those are your signals to stop, per the AAHA guide to heatstroke in pets.
• Test pavement with your palm. If you can't hold your hand on the asphalt for seven seconds, it's too hot for paws.
• Wet dog ≠ cool dog forever. A soaked coat cools well at first but can trap warm, humid air once your dog leaves the water. Towel off after long swims on very hot days.
• Never leave your Lagotto in a parked car, even briefly — the AVMA's warm weather safety guidance explains how fast interior temperatures spike.
• Know your dog's baseline. If your Lagotto ever seems wobbly, glassy-eyed, or vomits after exertion, get to a veterinarian immediately rather than waiting to see if it passes.

Treats on the go: fueling the truffle dog's summer

Training a scent-driven dog is a treat-forward business, and summer gives you dozens of teachable moments a day. Here's how we'd stock the adventure bag:

• Pocket-sized rewards for constant reinforcement. Our Soft & Chewy line is baked in small batches with limited ingredients and sized for rapid-fire rewards — perfect for paying recalls at the lake, calm behavior at the trailhead, and every successful "find it."
• Frozen wind-downs after the fun. A cup from our Froyo line makes a cooling after-swim ritual your Lagotto will start anticipating the moment the towel comes out.
• Mind the treat math. Active dogs earn more rewards, but treats should still stay around 10% of daily calories. If you're unsure how summer activity changes your dog's needs, your veterinarian can help you dial in portions.

One more tip from our bakery: pre-load small treat tins for the car, the beach bag, and your walking jacket. The best training moment is the one you're actually ready for.

Frequently asked questions

Should I shave my Lagotto Romagnolo for summer?

A full shave isn't recommended — exposed skin can burn, and the coat provides some insulation against heat as well as cold. A shorter working trim from a groomer familiar with the breed keeps curls manageable without stripping protection. Your vet or groomer can advise on the right length for your climate.

Are Lagotti good swimmers right away?

Most have strong water instincts thanks to centuries of retrieving work, but individual dogs vary. Start in shallow, calm water, keep early sessions short and upbeat, and never throw a hesitant dog in. A life vest is smart insurance for deep water regardless of skill.

How much summer exercise does a Lagotto Romagnolo need?

Plan on at least an hour of activity daily, split between physical outlets (swimming, fetch, hikes) and mental ones (scent games, training). In a heat wave, shift the balance heavily toward indoor nose work and check with your vet before strenuous outings if your dog is young, senior, or overweight.

Why does my Lagotto dig more in summer?

Digging is hard-wired in a breed developed to unearth truffles, and dogs also dig to reach cool soil on hot days. Provide a shaded, legal dig zone and make it rewarding with buried treats — redirecting the instinct works far better than punishing it.

What treats work best for water training?

Soft, quick-swallow treats keep momentum going between retrieves — crunchy biscuits slow things down when a dog is wet and wiggly. Our Soft & Chewy recipes were made for exactly this kind of rapid-reward training.

From all of us at Bocce's Bakery: may your summer be full of splashes, sniffs, and one very happy set of curls.