Grooming Resources
Maintenance
I admit that this breed requires way more grooming than I had originally anticipated in 2013 when we became involved with the breed. These are dogs who like to get dirty & all that dirt, dust, pollen, grass, etc. from outside sticks to their coat & then comes in! Even our dogs who swim daily in our pool still turn bath water into "chocolate milk." It took me over a year before I realized what it meant to thoroughly have my dog brushed out and mat free. And still, if I don't immediately brush out the African Sumac seeds from their legs, they get tangled mats with a surprise inside.
Every time the dogs are brushed with a wire brush, they become more prone to mats and tangles - unless we trim the fuzzy ends off & then re-wet them to re-set their curls. A wooden pin bursh helps remove leaves & grass w/o damaging the coat. We brush out heads and legs several times a week & bathe and groom every 2 weeks. In the bath, we brush them w/a wire pin brush while they have shampoo in their coats. We then use a force dryer to brush out their curls and trim where needed. When not showing, I shave the dogs down with a #4 blade every 4 weeks (this is the easiest coat to care for & still has small curls).
I now own close to a thousand dollars in grooming equipment: table, force dryer, several pairs of sheers - curved, straight, thinning, chunkers, slicker brushes, pin brushes, nail trimmers, clippers with multiple blades and lots of shampoo and detangler sprays.
I am no way close to a professional, I'm still learning, but happy to share all that I have learned and what works for me.
How to Trim Ears
Here is a video of me trimming Panther's ears when she was 4 months old. The clippers are Wahl Arco (Amazon or Chewy about $120).
The hair is supposed to be trimmed to the leather (edge of ears - taking off the "fringe"). I find using the clippers to be easier and "safer" than using scissors. I trim the entire underside flap of the ears with the clippers. I then trim the hair short from under the ear canal straight down to the jaw line to form a pocket for the ear to rest in. I leave the cheek hair long to cover/blend into the ear.
I am NOT a groomer - these are just methods I have found to be easy with nice results.
"Swim and Trim" get-togethers
We periodically invite over our lagotto friends and family to help share tips and tricks and help each other with grooming. The dogs (and people) are welcome to swim too.
Books
- Lagotto Romagnolo Grooming - The Art of Keeping It Rustic https://lagotto-grooming.com/shop/boek-lagotto-romagnolo-grooming/?lang=en The book is about $60 USD w/shipping
Online Webinars & Courses
- Grooming the Lagotto Romagnolo Webinar $29.99 https://www.crowdcast.io/e/lagotto/register
Additional Links
- www.lagottolady.com
- Lagotto Romagnolo Grooming Intro by Robin Moorehouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT2YqWha-tc
- Lagotto grooming tips on Pinterest
- https://lagottogrooming.com/lagotto-dog-grooming-tutorial-video/
AZ Groomers with Lagotto Experience
- Applewood in Paradise Valley
- AZ Mobile Spas (ask for Manual)
- Fancy Pets in Tempe
- Barnyard Buddies in Chandler, AZ
If you know of other good groomers with Lagotto experience, let me know, I'm happy to add their contact info. Expect to spend $120 - $150 with a tip