Dog Breeds: The Maremma Sheepdog - By: Michele De Capitani

The Maremma sheepdog belongs to the family of sheepdogs and cattle-dogs, most precisely to the group of central Europe large white dogs. Its name is clearly derived from the regions where it was most popular in the past (the Maremma section of Tuscany and the region Abruzzo), and the first evidences of this breed are to be found at the time of the ancient Rome: in the first century B.C. roman writer Columella described the Maremma sheepdog as an excellent defender of flocks against wolves’ attacks.

The nature of the Maremma sheepdog is that of a guard dog and guardian of flocks, a role that it had above all in the past, also in virtue of its while coat, which was notably useful in the night, when shepherds could distinguish them from wolves just because they were white. Its present character mirrors its history: century after century spent guarding the flock and defending them from enemies. For this reason this is not a very affectionate breed, probably because in the past the Maremma sheepdog was not used to strokes and mawkishness by the owner, and was inclined to grow fond of the flock it had to protect more than of men. In the past shepherds got the puppies of Maremma sheepdogs used to the “job” they were bound to do, and made them live together with sheep and lambs. In this way they learnt to consider the flock not as a possible prey, but as a sort of family that they had to protect and manage, even in an autonomous way if necessary, and in this way they suppressed their instinct for which they would have seen sheep and lambs as appetizing meals. Thus it was with their flock that these dogs were used to establish the closest contacts, and although nowadays many puppies are not trained to do the job they used to do in the past, this does not mean that they have completely lost some of the ancestral peculiarities of their character, which make them being sometimes bashful and less sociable than other breeds used as pets.

Like many other dog breeds, especially large dog breeds, the Maremma sheepdog is not fit for living in flats or cramped spaces, since by its nature it would be inclined, more than other breeds, to live outdoors. The people who decide to adopt a Maremma sheepdog need to know that it would be better to have a home with garden, and to take into account that most probably they are not adopting a dog that will reserve many affectionate attentions to them. However, the Maremma sheepdog is an independent and authoritative dog, which makes it an excellent guard dog breed.

As far as appearance is concerned, the Maremma sheepdog certainly has a certain charm, thanks to the long white coat and the dark eyes that by contrast stand out even more. Moreover, this is a large dog breed (the weight of males is about 35-45 kilos, that of females 30-40 kilos) with a majestic appearance and a strong constitution.

About the Author

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