Buyer beware! This club is a rip off and a joke and is run by bullies. They sell inferior dogs for outrageous sums of money. They have a very sketchy Code of Ethics and do not make their members adhere to it. There are breeders that are breeding dysplastic dogs, dogs with poor health and dogs with extremely bad temprements. Many of the dogs they are producing have aggression issues and fear issues. This is due to their poor breeding practices. There are known bloodlines with issues and instead of removing those from the breeding programs, they want to make their money back, so they keep breeding them. Many have one male and breed over and over, keep females and breed back to their father so they don't have to invest in another male. This is creating genetic issues as well as crazy dogs. All in the name of the almighty dollar. They could care less about the effect it is having on the breed.
They keep the club small, so that they corner the market for US sales. I spoke to many of them and they initially seemed more interested in telling me what was wrong with everyone else's dogs as opposed to telling me what was right about theirs. It feels like a dog version of the Mean Girls. They will put down any other breeders in the interest of making a sale for themselves. It is disgraceful. Many have no idea how to treat people. They were rude to say the least. Not all of them, but honestly most in the US were hard to take. There were two breeders that were very helpful and informative, but neither of them lived in the US.
Another thing about them, they make you submit a payment to the club with your application. If they don't approve you, you don't get your money back. That is stealing by any means and another example of the constitution of this club. They care about the money. If you sell your puppies below a certain price point they might ""suggest"" that you raise your prices to keep the prices high. If you don't then they can threaten to revoke your membership. Many also sell most of their puppies on a contract that can only be described as a pyramid scheme. They force you to breed your dogs and take half the litter, over and over forever.
They also tolerate brokering. In fact, one of board of directors, Jackie Barbieri is a puppy broker. She lives in Missouri which is the puppy mill capitol of the country and she sells dozens of litters each year, some born to her dogs, and many not. She and her partner travel to Italy and buy entire litters of substandard puppies from farmers. These puppies are not from health tested parents in almost 100% of the cases. She purchases them at a substantial discount and then brings them to the US, keeps some to breed and puts a $3000 price tag on the ones she rejects and profits $2500 per pup. She NEVER gives registration papers with any of her dogs. I understand not giving them for pets, but when you purchase a dog for breeding, if you comply with all the health testing and terms of the contract, what is the reasoning? Is this to keep them breeding (see pyramid scheme). How is this ethical ? (talking to you Adrienne Perry, Mel Sykes, Lisa Sobon, Kathleen Correll, Melanie Steele, Sandy Mignogna, Jacki Barbieri and the ethics commitee)? How does the club not only tolerate this, but condone it to the point that they make her a club officer??? I suppose it is fine if one of them are breaking the rules. What sort of club does this? If they are supposed to be protecting the breed, how can this be good? She is selling puppies from untested parents. Sure she guarantees them. If they are severely dysplastic, she will give you another $500 puppy she imported and still makes a huge profit. How is this more acceptable that having your own dogs, not health testing them and having puppies? It is actually worse and shame on the Lagotto Club Of America for tolerating it or looking the other way. This is just one example, though a glaring one, of how they operate. If anyone rocks the boat and questions a club member's ethics they are immediately chastised or turned into an outcast with gossip.
This is a club that follows it's own rules only selectively. I would NEVER purchase a puppy from one of these breeders. The club is also advocating for AKC recognition. Most rare breed clubs fight to keep their breeds from being AKC. Once they are AKC, the puppy mills will get ahold of them and ruin the breed. Oh, well I guess with many of the club members, they are part of the problem already, so it will just make it easier for them.
My suggestion is to either get a puppy from Italy, or get a puppy from a breeder is the US who loves the breed and isn't a part of their scam. You can pay less than $3000, for a much better quality puppy.
These are my tips when choosing a Lagotto Romagnolo breeder:
DO NOT RUSH These dogs are a big investment and you will have them for many years. If you are breeding your decision is that much more important since your dog will be the foundation stock in the USA. It should take months for you to find the right puppy. It is a learning curve.
Be wary of larger American Breeders. In my research, I have concluded that they have, in general, inferior breeding stock to what is available overseas and are smooth talkers. The reasons for their so-so stock could be: 1) rushing when they were new and taking whatever they could get someone to export 2) Not investing in good dogs to pinch pennies. They get the same price anyway for a puppy due to the shortage in America and impulsiveness of the US buyer!
Do not believe a breeder who says they do not care about the money. The breeder who has 4-5 bitches is selling 20+ puppies a year and netting $50,000 minimum. Then there is the ego factor with certain breeders here. If you talk to them enough, you may find, as I did, that that think because you are new to the breed you are an inferior human being, one who they want to see part with their money. I found them to think we are gullible.
Everyone talks and they all know each other! As you are interviewing breeders (many are very happy to share their knowledge and it is worthwhile to call them) you should know you can be marked as their customer, and breeders will confront other breeders for possibly stealing your business. Also, everything posted on the Lagotto Board (which is highly censored by the breeder/businessman who runs it) is seen by all breeders as well. Often information is shared around the globe in hours.
Do not contribute to American inbreeding. There are about 4 breeder businesses here that I am aware of. Often there is 1 male servicing 4+ females. If we keep breeding the same dogs (especially the males in this case) they will all be related. This is a reason to import.
Lagotto Club of America Reviews
Buyer beware! This club is a rip off and a joke and is run by bullies. They sell inferior dogs for outrageous sums of money. They have a very sketchy Code of Ethics and do not make their members adhere to it. There are breeders that are breeding dysplastic dogs, dogs with poor health and dogs with extremely bad temprements. Many of the dogs they are producing have aggression issues and fear issues. This is due to their poor breeding practices. There are known bloodlines with issues and instead of removing those from the breeding programs, they want to make their money back, so they keep breeding them. Many have one male and breed over and over, keep females and breed back to their father so they don't have to invest in another male. This is creating genetic issues as well as crazy dogs. All in the name of the almighty dollar. They could care less about the effect it is having on the breed.
They keep the club small, so that they corner the market for US sales. I spoke to many of them and they initially seemed more interested in telling me what was wrong with everyone else's dogs as opposed to telling me what was right about theirs. It feels like a dog version of the Mean Girls. They will put down any other breeders in the interest of making a sale for themselves. It is disgraceful. Many have no idea how to treat people. They were rude to say the least. Not all of them, but honestly most in the US were hard to take. There were two breeders that were very helpful and informative, but neither of them lived in the US.
Another thing about them, they make you submit a payment to the club with your application. If they don't approve you, you don't get your money back. That is stealing by any means and another example of the constitution of this club. They care about the money. If you sell your puppies below a certain price point they might ""suggest"" that you raise your prices to keep the prices high. If you don't then they can threaten to revoke your membership. Many also sell most of their puppies on a contract that can only be described as a pyramid scheme. They force you to breed your dogs and take half the litter, over and over forever.
They also tolerate brokering. In fact, one of board of directors, Jackie Barbieri is a puppy broker. She lives in Missouri which is the puppy mill capitol of the country and she sells dozens of litters each year, some born to her dogs, and many not. She and her partner travel to Italy and buy entire litters of substandard puppies from farmers. These puppies are not from health tested parents in almost 100% of the cases. She purchases them at a substantial discount and then brings them to the US, keeps some to breed and puts a $3000 price tag on the ones she rejects and profits $2500 per pup. She NEVER gives registration papers with any of her dogs. I understand not giving them for pets, but when you purchase a dog for breeding, if you comply with all the health testing and terms of the contract, what is the reasoning? Is this to keep them breeding (see pyramid scheme). How is this ethical ? (talking to you Adrienne Perry, Mel Sykes, Lisa Sobon, Kathleen Correll, Melanie Steele, Sandy Mignogna, Jacki Barbieri and the ethics commitee)? How does the club not only tolerate this, but condone it to the point that they make her a club officer??? I suppose it is fine if one of them are breaking the rules. What sort of club does this? If they are supposed to be protecting the breed, how can this be good? She is selling puppies from untested parents. Sure she guarantees them. If they are severely dysplastic, she will give you another $500 puppy she imported and still makes a huge profit. How is this more acceptable that having your own dogs, not health testing them and having puppies? It is actually worse and shame on the Lagotto Club Of America for tolerating it or looking the other way. This is just one example, though a glaring one, of how they operate. If anyone rocks the boat and questions a club member's ethics they are immediately chastised or turned into an outcast with gossip.
This is a club that follows it's own rules only selectively. I would NEVER purchase a puppy from one of these breeders. The club is also advocating for AKC recognition. Most rare breed clubs fight to keep their breeds from being AKC. Once they are AKC, the puppy mills will get ahold of them and ruin the breed. Oh, well I guess with many of the club members, they are part of the problem already, so it will just make it easier for them.
My suggestion is to either get a puppy from Italy, or get a puppy from a breeder is the US who loves the breed and isn't a part of their scam. You can pay less than $3000, for a much better quality puppy.
Lagotto Club of America: A wolf in sheeps clothes
These are my tips when choosing a Lagotto Romagnolo breeder:
DO NOT RUSH These dogs are a big investment and you will have them for many years. If you are breeding your decision is that much more important since your dog will be the foundation stock in the USA. It should take months for you to find the right puppy. It is a learning curve.
Be wary of larger American Breeders. In my research, I have concluded that they have, in general, inferior breeding stock to what is available overseas and are smooth talkers. The reasons for their so-so stock could be: 1) rushing when they were new and taking whatever they could get someone to export 2) Not investing in good dogs to pinch pennies. They get the same price anyway for a puppy due to the shortage in America and impulsiveness of the US buyer!
Do not believe a breeder who says they do not care about the money. The breeder who has 4-5 bitches is selling 20+ puppies a year and netting $50,000 minimum. Then there is the ego factor with certain breeders here. If you talk to them enough, you may find, as I did, that that think because you are new to the breed you are an inferior human being, one who they want to see part with their money. I found them to think we are gullible.
Everyone talks and they all know each other! As you are interviewing breeders (many are very happy to share their knowledge and it is worthwhile to call them) you should know you can be marked as their customer, and breeders will confront other breeders for possibly stealing your business. Also, everything posted on the Lagotto Board (which is highly censored by the breeder/businessman who runs it) is seen by all breeders as well. Often information is shared around the globe in hours.
Do not contribute to American inbreeding. There are about 4 breeder businesses here that I am aware of. Often there is 1 male servicing 4+ females. If we keep breeding the same dogs (especially the males in this case) they will all be related. This is a reason to import.