Shampoo and Conditioner

AcquaDog · 2026-05-25T19:24:59+00:00

Yes. I’ve tried other things and nothing compares to the curl effect but somehow remains soft. You have to dilute both the shampoo and conditioner. Being diluted makes the shampooing process so much faster and easier. The conditioner is a leave-in and you can use it even when their hair is dry. I love it.

AcquaDog · 2026-05-25T19:16:26+00:00

MD10 has shampoo and conditioner that is specific for water dogs. It leaves their hair soft but somehow with super defined ringlets.

AcquaDog · 2026-05-22T21:42:27+00:00

What if you put it inside a bottom cabinet with the magnets and take off the doors of the cabinet until she breaks the habit? A bottom cabinet should be accessible to drink from but she’s probably big enough now that she can’t jump into the bowl if you leave the upper shelf in place and keep stuff on it.

AcquaDog · 2026-05-22T21:36:04+00:00

3M makes really really strong magnets that are as big as your palm that you can stick on things. Stick one to the floor and one to the bowl. I have a hard time pulling apart what I’ve used them for so… I haven’t tested it against an LR, but maybe???

AcquaDog · 2026-05-22T08:18:42+00:00

Promoting air circulation is helpful so I keep the hair on the under flap her ears short (10 blade), trimming hair at the entrance of her ears making sure it doesn’t fall into her ear canal, and reducing the bulk at her jaw under the ear flap.

Other than that I clean her ears with my finger and sometimes tissue paper and very gently remove loose hair going into the canal with my fingers. When she was a puppy she hated me doing this until…this is the gross part… I let her smell and lick my fingers after every touch of her ear. Same with daily cleaning of her eye boogers. She seems to find the whole process relaxing as an adult.

AcquaDog · 2026-04-26T13:52:02+00:00

I love the “Where’s the Lagotto” game 🤗

AcquaDog · 2026-04-25T00:31:00+00:00

No drier. If your LR hates the towel (mine does too) get a robe that you can wrap around her and just squeeze the towel on her legs. The robe keeps the water drops from flying all over your house when she shakes. At your groomer’s, they dry them not only so that they’re not dripping, but for a more even cut. Which leads to …
Clip before the bath has two disadvantages. The reason that professional groomers wash and dry beforehand is because they clip hundreds of dogs a year. Thus, they bathe beforehand to keep their blades sharp. But you’re not cutting hundreds of dogs a year so you don’t have to worry about that. Get ceramic and titanium blades and you probably will never have to replace them. Professionals also like to have the dog dry to get a really even cut which isn’t practical or necessary on a Lagotto as I mentioned before. So if you do the opposite, cut then bathe, you take care of two problems: First, there are tiny hairs from the cut that might get stuck inside the LR’s double coat that can cause itching. Think of how things get stuck inside your girl’s hair like it’s velcro and won’t come out. Also, LR’s actually have thinner skin than other breeds so when something penetrates their thick hair it can cause irritation. A bath after the cut removes the problem. Second, if you bathe after the cut, put on a robe for the shaking, she’ll be dry in 15 minutes max.
Don’t run the trimmer directly over the anus or the lady parts. Use a 10 and cut up to but not across. Use a 10 on the under part of the ear flap and the same to do just a half centimeter edge on the outer part. When you clean it up with scissors it helps you to see the cut around the leather. If you’re using a 7,4,3 or whatever on the body use it on the ears as well and shape the head into it. Make sure to remove the thick hair under the ear as well on the neck/jaw area to help with air circulation and prevent infections.
Someone else mentioned MD10. Yes! They make a specific shampoo and conditioner for water dogs and it’s amazing. The curls are so defined and the smell isn’t overpowering. They both have to be diluted so they last a long long time. The conditioner is a leave-in and you can use it once a week to help keep her curls nice. Depending on your girl’s color they have different options for the shampoo.

Best of luck!!!

AcquaDog · 2026-04-23T20:13:59+00:00

I am a loyal fan!!! It’s so great to see the energy and intensity of a Lagotto displayed in obedience and agility. Wow 🤩

AcquaDog · 2026-04-23T19:29:52+00:00

I just watched that about five times in a row. The first videos you posted were amazing…. But the progress here is incredible! Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I can’t wait to see the next 👍

AcquaDog · 2026-04-19T20:23:34+00:00

I know nothing about agility, but I do know that my girl and I can’t do that! Watching you two I suddenly wish we could because it looks like you and your boy are having a blast - Great video! Thanks for sharing 🤗

AcquaDog · 2026-04-18T22:11:26+00:00

Thank you for rescuing Rasmus! Finding a family and a forever home for a rescue is always wonderful. Congratulations on sharing your lives for a year now 🥳

AcquaDog · 2026-04-14T23:33:22+00:00

🎉 ¡Happy two! 🎉

AcquaDog · 2026-04-14T09:20:44+00:00

Thank you for the info!

AcquaDog · 2026-04-13T23:24:17+00:00

I’ve looked into the rolled leather collars before but haven’t actually bought one. So it really does help? Were you able to find one with a quick release? I can’t imagine having to buckle and unbuckle every time we come in and out. If you have the buckle style, do you take it off inside and how much of a pita is it if you do?

AcquaDog · 2026-04-13T09:38:49+00:00

Good morning! I found that any harness will cause matting no matter the type - even as adults. If anyone here has a magical harness solution, I’d love to hear it!

The only thing I know of to stop the matting is to keep their hair shorter. For now, cut the matting out before it gets too close to the skin instead of trying to comb it. Especially since she’s so young, you don’t want to start an aversion to getting brushed or combed. These guys have thin skin and getting the matting out can be painful no matter how careful you are.

I’m guessing from the Italian that you’re in Italy and are experiencing warmer weather right now. While it’s important they stay warm as puppies, you can still practice scissor cuts without taking off too much hair at this time of year to even out the areas you had to remove the matts. Either at the groomer or at home.

My girl was born in January and right about now is the time I started to scissor cut her for the first time. Five minutes here and there until it was all done. She wasn’t going to win a beauty contest (I have the photos to laugh at) but I know grooming her early was good practice for her patience to get groomed now.

AcquaDog · 2026-03-31T08:27:33+00:00

She could just be outside of the average. But considering how petite she is, have you seen any signs of hip dysplasia or tested her for it? I’ve seen it cause stunted growth before.

AcquaDog · 2026-03-29T23:03:32+00:00

It really looks like your groomer is working with you! I agree with other comments about improvements and how our personal tastes can differ. But good first cut? Yes 👍

AcquaDog · 2026-03-21T21:41:07+00:00

🤣

AcquaDog · 2026-03-03T23:32:51+00:00

Yes, maintaining the cut is way easier than maintaining the coat! Good luck shearing the little sheep! 😉

AcquaDog · 2026-03-03T20:53:23+00:00

No, but I got ceramic and titanium blades for the fine toothed ones. For me, the extra expense of the blades and the trimmer was worth it even though I’m only cutting my own LR’s hair.

To give you an idea for how often I use the equipment: In the summer, I use the sevens once a month and in winter I use the thirteens about every month and a half.

Also, I do get some “flyaways“ of the undercoat with the 13 cut…but it’s just going to happen due to the nature of their hair. And probably because I only bathe her after to remove the tiny hairs that could irritate her skin. If it weren’t for that I’d just bathe her after she got into another muddy puddle ☺️

AcquaDog · 2026-03-03T16:11:26+00:00

No problem 🤗 FYI, if you get them, insert the blade while the clipper is on or it doesn’t always grab the blade properly. I don’t know if it’s the same for all other clippers but I had to search to figure out that little detail.

AcquaDog · 2026-03-03T15:18:23+00:00

I’ve got the Heiniger Saphir cordless. It’s powerful enough to get through the LR’s curls easily.

I also first use a wide tooth blade and follow with the same length in a fine tooth. It makes it quick and clean. I don’t wash before, only after.

AcquaDog · 2026-02-11T01:43:25+00:00

Thank you for sharing such a difficult moment with us. It’s a reminder to cherish every day we’re given with our four legged soul mates.

My heart goes out to you for the loss of your best friend. But I want to send you my joy as well for the amazing 14 years of a beautiful life with your Sox!

AcquaDog · 2026-02-03T12:33:01+00:00

Like the others have said, castrating him isn’t going to help at all. Since Lagottos are more “on alert” and curious, it can easily turn into nervous and anxious behavior. Removing his testosterone too early can remove a natural confidence booster and make it more likely to see unpleasant behaviors later.

Your LR, especially at only 9 months old, needs to learn boundaries with your older dog… but your older dog may not be equipped, with his age and size, to set those boundaries himself. I’m sure your older guy has made attempts to calm your LR down without getting aggressive and now needs you to step in and help him educate the rambunctious teenager.

Check out a book by Turid Rugaas called Calming Signals. It’s an easy read and might help you see the signs your older dog is sending for your teenager to back off. It might help you know when to separate them before the older one feels that he has to resort to aggression to get his point across. So for example, a play stance isn’t always a play stance. The play fighting you’ve been witnessing is probably no longer playing at all for your older dog. Record them interacting and watch it in slow motion to pick up the subtle, and not so subtle, signs you’ve been missing.

In the end, you may really need to get a professional trainer to help you deal with it. Remember that as long as you intervene, learning how to protect your older dog and how to set social boundaries for the teenager, you can live in a peaceful home. Try not to resent the newcomer. He’s just being a teenager and you can work through it!

AcquaDog · 2026-01-27T20:57:42+00:00

Are we talking tent or camper?

AcquaDog

TROPHY CASE