Maremmas (pronounced mare and then emma) orginate from Italy. They differ from herding dogs as their job is not to herd animals, but to protect them. The maremmas will literally fall in love with the animals they are protecting.
Maremmas are similar in appearance to the Pyrenees and they only come in white. Maremmas are not incessant barkers. They will only bark when they deem danger is present. They also are known not to be droolers. This is helpful when you have visitors come to your ranch. It can be quite embarrassing to have your visitors leave with drool left over on their clothes. Maremmas have wiry coats that can be either straight or with slight waves. Both types are acceptable. The average weight for a male maremma is between 75 to over 100 pounds. The average weight for a female maremma is between 66 to 88 pounds.
Maremmas are working dogs. They are suitable for guarding livestock or your home perimeter. They are very affectionate and loyal to their family, but as they grow they will become more intolerable to strangers. Maremmas are also very good with our family pets such as other dogs and cats. Stray dogs and cats will not be allowed into the maremmas perimeter.
Maremmas are self thinkers. Therefore, training them must begin early. The older a maremma gets the more they will make their own decisions on what is and is not danger.
I would like to introduce you to Santino. Santino is a year old and has been with us since July 2006. Santino's job is to guard our 14 alpacas. Predators in our area consist mostly of coyotes and the occasional stray dog. Tom and I have the typical fencing, cameras, etc., but never felt that the alpacas were truly safe and secure. We would constantly hear an alpaca giving off the alarm call. Of course most of the time it was only the cat from across the street. However, a few times it was a dog that had escaped it yard. (FYI....the biggest killer of the alpaca is the domesticated dog).
When Tom and I made the decision to purchase a livestock guardian dog we fell in love with the appearance and temperment of the maremmas. Santino came from a ranch in Virginia. I admit that he was not much help at first, arriving at only 8 weeks old. However, by the time he was four months old he was already taking on his new role as guardian. Santino only barks when necessary, so the neighbors do not complain. Now at a year old we feel totally at ease that Santino is on guard. We rarely, if ever, hear the alpacas alarm. When they hear Santino bark they simply look without panic as they know he will take care of everything.
This is Biancaneve. Bianca came to us in December 2006. She is a little over a year old and weighs over 60 pounds. Bianca is slightly smaller than Santino.
Bianca has a wonderful temperment. As soon as you begin to pet her she drops to the floor and rolls over on her back for some belly rubbing. She has a fun loving personality and if you choose to ignore her she will thrust her head between your legs not allowing you to move until you acknowledge her. Bianca is without a doubt the cutest dog I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and owning.
I also know Bianca has a devilish side as well. Bianca will never do anything wrong while you are watching her, but leave her alone and she is mischievious. Maremmas are wonderul diggers and by the huge holes around their perimeter I would say she has inherited this trait. We always know it was her as her mouth, neck, and paws will be stained brown. I also have learned the hard way not to leave drying fiber unattended on the skirting table as she will reach up between the holes and begin to pull the fiber down.
As playful as Bianca is she takes her job seriously. She is first and foremest a guardian dog patrolling her area.
Santino and Bianca compliment each other. They eat, work, and sleep together everyday. Having them on guard keeps Tom and I a little more stress free.
Tom and I are registered breeders of the Maremma Sheepdog Club of America. We have signed an ethics code in which we will only sell these dogs as working dogs. We also will only breed the females once a year. For more information on maremmas or on the club please visit the link: www.all-animals.com/maremma/.
