Thought to be the ancestor of all the water dogs, the Lagotto Romagnolo is an intelligent gundog that is said to have originated from the Romagna sub-region of Italy. Whilst traditionally employed as a gundog, and more specifically as a water retriever, the Lagotto's function has varied somewhat over the centuries. Whilst his role may have changed, the Lagotto has been a firm hunting dog for at least three thousand years and therefore excels in his abilities to search and retrieve.

With the drainage of the marshland towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Lagotto's role became somewhat redundant and resulted in the eventual decline of the breed. Saved from extinction in the 70's, the breed found its employment more and more as a specialised truffle searching dog, demonstrating his abilities to hunt inaccessible places and to put in to practice his phenomenal sense of smell. Distinguished by his curly, water resistant coat, its double woolly layer did sometimes limit his effectiveness to hunt under thick cover, although allowed him to excel as a wildfowling dog.

Whatever his purpose, the Lagotto is recognised for his sharp intelligence and along with being hardy and relatively long-lived, he also makes an excellent family dog. Whilst the Lagotto possesses a natural hunting instinct, today's breed is demonstrably both loyal and friendly and is equally suited to town and country living.

Countryman Fairs organise 5 award-winning Game and Country Fairs across the UK throughout the year, each showcasing the very best in country life. Browse our website for more information on all of Countryman Fairs award winning events and join us on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news and developments as they happen.