Maremma Sheepdog Reviews

Morgy's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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Good Points: Emotionally Maremma Sheepdogs are very well balanced.When friends tried to provoke my dog to see if he would attack them, he would just sit there and look at them calmly and would not react at all. But if I was genuinely threatened by someone he'd be there like a flash, all teeth and a menacing hissy growl!!I remember one evening I was taking the dog back to the car when a man asked me permission to stroke him. I gladly agreed as it was a rare occurrence, most people baing afraid of such a large dog. The stroking went on, and on, and on... Then the man seemed to be getting quite emotional. I stepped back. I started thinking I'd run into a weirdo. At that point the man must have realised what was going on because he said: "You couldn't understand: I learnt to walk holding on to one of these." At that point I was the one who felt emotional!So yes, they are wonderful guardians and they are tolerant and patient with children (if they are allowed to get used to their company).

Bad Points: Grooming them is quite a job, and they are definitely outdoor dogs.So you need a big garden. If you keep the dog indoors you'll be forever hoovering white hairs!It is quite true that they are highly intelligent and independent-minded. This is something you have to learn to live with. If I told my dog to do something (e.g. 'come here') he would pause in an 'shall-I-or-shan't-I' sort of way, after which he'd do exactly what he felt like (e.g. amble away!) which at times was quite frustrating. However, in retrospect this makes me miss and respect this breed even more.I know he was a dog, and I appreciate this probably sounds weird, but it is precisely because of his independent-mindedness that at times he felt almost like an equal.

General comments: I am privileged enough to have owned a wonderful Maremma Sheepdog and I must say I miss him sorely. He was massive (75.5 cm at the shoulder) and strikingly beautiful. 60 Kg of dog without an ounce of fat. He would run after the car for 10 miles or so and thoroughly enjoy it.If I ever decide to have a dog again, I will definitely go for a Maremmano-Abruzzese. But before considering that I will need a house with a few acres of land!

tnobes's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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The Maremma Sheepdog is an ancient breed, its exact origins are unknown but the breed's roots are thought to be up to 5000 years old. Because of this, all genetic faults have been ironed out, and the maremma suffers very rarely from illnesses, my Maremma who is a 5 year old male has never been ill! The main role of the Maremma Sheepdog is to protect and guard the family and property; it is probably the most effective breed at doing so because the guarding is instinctive, not like other guard dog ...