Having grown up with black labs I had little experience with other breeds of dog until 2004. An acquittance(and I'll leave it at that) had bought a cute little white puppy for his 5 year old niece to play with when she came to visit. Soon the reality set in that they had bought the wrong type of dog and didn't want the hassle of tending to it. He mentioned this to me and made it clear that if I didn't take the dog, he would walk the dog to the woods when he got home that evening and the dog would be destroyed. So, I reluctantly agreed to take the dog and pay the bastard what he wanted for her. This was extortion but it turned out to be the best investment I have made. It was New Years Eve 2004 and I drove to his house to pick-up the puppy. She was an adorable little white thing out playing in the snow when I got there. They had told me she was a Maremma Sheep Dog, a breed I had never heard of. She was the most beautiful dog I had ever come across. Snow white with big dark eyes and light fawn spotting across her head and back. A most attentive dog on the way home, she was perplexed by the sound and sight of the turn signal indicator in the truck. I began to read all I could find about this breed and was impressed more each day with her. Now she is supreme commander of the farm, the cattle, and especially the kids.

The kids have a large yard to play in, with out a fence of any kind. The area we live in is populated by several wolf packs and tons of black bears and we fear none of them with her outside. Once last fall, as the kids were playing on the swing set, I saw Emma come to attention and charge to the fence row between the house and the corn fields to the west. I soon saw a two year old bear beating a quick retreat across the corn stubble with a large white dog biting him in the ass. Her ferocity is something of legend as is her loyalty and drive to protect what is hers. A cover fight with her often leads to me trying to get to the sink before getting my own blood all over Crystal's house. My wife thinks it's great that Emma and I enjoy such combat, so long as she is not cleaning up after it. As fierce as the dog is with me, she is as gentle as a lamb with the kids. They can climb on her, pull her ears and take her toys and she simply smiles and lets them be. Always alert and never off duty is her approach to guarding what is hers. Each morning at 4:30 when we head to the barn, she charges out the door, barking to the world and announcing her arrival. Even for a 110 pound dog, she regularly catch's rabbits has been known to be fleet enough to get a mouth full of deer fur if they venture to close to the house. Cats, squirrels, birds of any kind, coons, skunks, and porcupines all live under the same rules. They may live beyond the boundaries she has set, and they may die should they cross them. To any of you looking for a dog that will die to protect you and yours, please consider a Maremma Sheep Dog, they are wonderful dogs that can be both lamb and terror.

Joe

awesome and a long legged thing to boot.

A lovely lady. A gentleness in her eyes.

Joe:
You stole my dog! That pic looks exactly like my Duke. My wife bought him for a dollar. He was about 3/4 grown when we got him. I've had dog for 60 years and he is the smartest one yet. I'll try to post a pic.

quote:

He mentioned this to me and made it clear that if I didn't take the dog, he would walk the dog to the woods when he got home that evening and the dog would be destroyed. So, I reluctantly agreed to take the dog and pay the bastard what he wanted for her

Good for you Joe! I might have shot him myself! I am not familiar with this breed. I will have to check them out.
Peter.

Peter, they are dogs that thrive in very cold weather. Check with the Maremma Sheep Dog club of America on how they do in high heat.

I showed her the thread and she looked very affectionate at all the nice comments.

Fantastic post and a beautiful dog!

Is this an Italian breed? I work in the wine biz and the Maremma is an area along the Tuscan coast that is beginning to make a name for itself wine-wise. I assume the breed has its origins there. Please provide some further info. if it's not too much trouble.

Sure is an Italian breed. The Maremma alps is where the dog descends from. An ancient breed, there is mention of them in the time of the Romans. They were largely unknown to the new world until the British discovered them in World War II. There is one story from that time that always amazes me. Upon discovering the dogs in the Maremma Alps, some of the soldiers wished to return to Great Britain with the dogs as souvenirs of the Italian campaign. They caught a large male and put it in a cage with four of the German Shepherd Service dogs. When morning came, they returned to check on the dogs and found the Maremma sleeping peacefully in the corner of the enclosure, and the four shepherds lying dead in the opposite corner.

My Emma is as gentle and easy with the children as I could ever hope for, but when she senses a threat, she becomes the most horrific monster I have ever come across. Wolves will not challenge her. Not to mention that when they show up here at the farm, she runs them off with help from a 458 Winchester.

Joe,

She looks beautiful! Is she as good with livestock as with your children?

She sure is Ann. There are 100 head of registered Holsteins here and she owns and personally checks on everyone one of them on a twice daily basis. There is nothing allowed in the yard with her kids and nothing permitted to cross the pasture fences into her cattle. Not birds, coons, skunks, crows, wolves, bears or deer.

And she was smart enough to only bit the Porcupine once! Sunday evening last June. Thank goodness she is a calm dog.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe Miller:
They caught a large male and put it in a cage with four of the German Shepherd Service dogs. When morning came, they returned to check on the dogs and found the Maremma sleeping peacefully in the corner of the enclosure, and the four shepherds lying dead in the opposite corner.

Is that so? Not saying its not possible but I would definately have to question it.

Jarrod, I did as well. Then I owned a Maremma. I have a St.Bernard as well and her ability to out right dominate him, regardless that he is twice her size is amazing. I posted a pic of the Saint and I just for comparison. There is a German Shepherd Breeder named Larry Jerome not from me and I have watched his dogs in action. They do not have the explosive speed and agility of the Maremma. The Maremma is not nearly as trainable because they tend to make up their own mind and ignore commands that don't make sense to them.

How does she do with other dogs? Are they socialable with dogs they don't know or are they quick to fight? My old dog Bo has cancer and won't be along to long. He's a rottweiller/husky cross. He seems to have a uncanny knack for getting along with good dogs and people and hating the bad ones. I might look into this breed.

Dempsey, these are funny dogs when it comes to other dogs on their turf. One story that was relayed to me from another fan comes out of your neck of the woods. A Montana rancher switched to Maremmas to prevent predation on his sheep while they were grazing the high country during the summer months. He would head up in the fall to round them up and take them to winter pastures. The Maremmas stayed with the sheep all summer, killing what ever they needed to eat and amazingly, in his first year he lost no sheep to predators. In early September, he and his hands arrived at the trail head where the sheep had been coraled and released four Border Collies to herd the sheep into the trailers. As soon as the border collies approached the sheep, the Maremmas attacked in force and killed all four. The rancher soon learned that the Maremmas had to be gathered up before the border collies could go to work.

My Emma does not care for strangers much, but she warms up to the ones I like and growls at the ones I don't. I have never seen her harsh with other dogs so long as they realize that this is her farm and she owns everything here. My parents come to visit their grand kids and always bring their black lab. Emma pays him no mind and I believe thinks that he is just a silly visitor, not worth her attention. She feels the same way about my sister in laws boxer and my sister's Saint Bernard. I do not know what would happen if any of these dogs entered the pasture where her cattle are grazing. That might turn out very badly. I posted another link below to a story out of Australia about these dogs at work.

They have to have a job to do. A bored Maremma is not a good thing.

http://www.theage.com.au/artic...1/1169330766413.html

Beautifull lady ,my lab AFRICA is really brave and she gives commands to all the other labs and dogos .Juan