Lagotto Romagnolo vs Portuguese Water Dog
Side by side
Lagotto Romagnolo
Portuguese Water Dog
Adult weight
Males 13–16 kg (29–35 lb); females 11–14 kg (24–31 lb)1
Males 19–25 kg (42–55 lb); females 16–22 kg (35–49 lb)2
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
No sourced figure
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
No sourced figure
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Companion
Sport
Which suits you
Size
The Portuguese Water Dog is larger on average: about 21 kg (45 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (30 lb) for the Lagotto Romagnolo.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Lagotto Romagnolo: cooperative, with its own ideas; Portuguese Water Dog: keen to work with you) and on handler demand (Lagotto Romagnolo: needs steady training; Portuguese Water Dog: needs an experienced owner).
Alike
Both are rated the same on intelligence: needs daily brain work.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Lagotto Romagnolo
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium
In temperament the breed is affectionate with its household, keen and attentive. It keeps the working nose of a truffle dog and a strong urge to dig, and it is alert enough to announce visitors.
Portuguese Water Dog
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium
In temperament it is energetic and intelligent, with a strong liking for water and a close attachment to its family.
Breed traits
Day to day
Lagotto Romagnolo
Portuguese Water Dog
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Needs an experienced owner
With people
Lagotto Romagnolo
Portuguese Water Dog
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Lagotto Romagnolo
Portuguese Water Dog
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Portuguese Water Dog grows to the heavier adult, about 21 kg against the Lagotto Romagnolo's 14 kg.
Lagotto Romagnolo
Portuguese Water Dog
More comparisons
Compare the Lagotto Romagnolo with
Sources
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 6Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 7American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 8
Parts of this page were written by AI ·