Australian Collie is originated from Australia but Lagotto Romagnolo is originated from Italy. Australian Collie may grow 8 cm / 3 inches shorter than Lagotto Romagnolo. Australian Collie may weigh 9 kg / 20 pounds more than Lagotto Romagnolo. Both Australian Collie and Lagotto Romagnolo has almost same life span. Both Australian Collie and Lagotto Romagnolo has same litter size. Both Australian Collie and Lagotto Romagnolo requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.
The Lagotto Romagnolo dog, known as the Water Dog of Romagna, and falling into the sporting dog category, is a pure breed dog which comes from the Romagna region of Italy.
The dog’s role was that of gun dog and to retrieve water birds. Today he is more used as a truffle hunter in Italy as well as being used for a therapy dog.
In 2015 the Lagotto Romagnolo was accepted by the American Kennel Club into the sporting dog category.
Koolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.
Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.
They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.
The Lagotto Ramagnolo is a medium sized dog where both males and females stand anything between 41 and 48cm and weigh 11 to 16kg.
He is well proportioned and muscled, he has large yellow or brown eyes with a black or brown/pinkish nose, floppy, rounded ears and a tail which is left long these days.
The Lagotto Romagnolo has a waterproof double coat with a woolly texture and which hardly sheds, putting him as being hypoallergenic.
The coat can be in a number of different colors such as cream, grey, white, apricot, brown or tan. The face of the dog has a bit of a beard as well as noticeable bushy eyebrows.
Because the Lagotto is a sporting breed, he has had to call on all his senses to retrieve water birds. Good eyesight, sharp listening skills and an excellent sense of smell makes him the ideal gun dog but he also makes a loyal family pet.
He makes a good playmate for children and he happily gets on well with other pets in the home. Being an intelligent dog, he is easy to train too.
The sporting past of his has made it that he isn’t a couch-potato type of dog and he will require mental- and physical stimulation. His role as gun dog meant that he was required to retrieve birds in water, and he is an excellent swimmer and will happily plunge into water to join you in a swim.
Have him trained and socialized and you’ll find him tuned in to obeying your commands. Because of his smallish size, the Lagotto can adjust well to life in the city or in the countryside, just so long as he still receives his full quota of exercise.
Koolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.
They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.
Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.
This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.
They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.
Many dog lovers appreciate that the Lagotto Romagnolos is looked upon as an allergy-friendly dog with his non-shedding coat.
Being a medium sized dog, he is manageable too. Add to that excellent characteristics such as being amicable, friendly and loving. Training him some important, basic commands won’t be difficult either and you can add in intelligence to his list of good qualities.
As loving dogs, they are dedicated to their families, getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He is a social dog and just longs to be a treasured member of the family like anybody else.
Count him in with all your activities and you’re going to have a one-in-a-million undemanding and contented canine friend.
If you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.
Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.
There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.
In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.
Lagotto live roughly 16 years with the best food, exercise and loving environment. Some health issues may well crop up, though unlikely, but it is good to be aware of them.
You hear the words ‘Hip dysplasia’ being bandied about a lot in the world of dogs because it is such a common dog ailment. Your dog can’t be cured but there are a range of management options that will ensure your pet remains as comfortable as possible.
It is such a common joint disease where the hips partially dislocate. Without veterinary intervention, it can be debilitating and painful. It is essentially a genetic condition but diet and environmental factors can come into play too.
You don’t want your pet putting on too much weight as this puts extra strain on the joints.
Your dog has loss of function because of the degeneration of cells or tissues. The illness affects different parts of the brain in dogs. You’ll notice a mild tremor of the head and uncoordinated movements. Your vet will want a history of your pet’s health as well as lab tests.
Whether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.
Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.
Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.
Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.
Not everyone agrees with how to take care of the Lagotto’s rough, waterproof coat of thick curls. The coat doesn’t shed much but it can pick up grass and small twigs easily. Unless brushed out at least 2 or 3 times a week, the coat can become matted and unruly. For many the coat needs to be trimmed regularly.
The Lagotto needs plenty of exercise. His hunting and retrieving past has given him a natural urge to retrieve and he loves going after every ball you throw him. He will also love to join you on your daily walks and it gives him the chance to sniff around. With swimming being added in, this dog is your true sporting buddy.
Make sure you feed your Lagotto the very best quality food there is to ensure his well-being and longevity. If you're unsure about whether he is getting in all the necessary vitamins and minerals with his food, speak to a dog expert as good food is key to a happy, healthy dog.