Hello everyone,
My name is Nuala (pronounced noola) and I am very proud to be the School Dog at St Paul's.
I was bred in Denton, Manchester, and I am a Lagotto Romagnolo or Lagotto for short. Lagotto is a Venetian/Romagnan dialect word meaning “duck dog”. Until the middle of the 19th Century much of Romagna was marshland and home to flocks of waterfowl that were hunted for food by the marsh men – sometimes known as Lagotti (duck hunters). They were helped by their little duck dogs like me who became known as Lagotto.
Although my breed no longer retrieves ducks for hunters, I still have all of the characteristics of a water dog. I am an excellent swimmer and love water, even when it is freezing cold. I have webbing between my toes and a double coat covering my entire body. Even the inside flaps of my ears are covered in thick hair to prevent water entering my inner ear when I dive beneath the surface.
My main job here is as wellbeing dog for all pupils, staff and the wider school community. I am a quick learner and if everything goes well then I may be able to train as a therapy dog.
I will be spending the next few months getting to know everyone and look forward to meeting you soon.
Nuala x