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Italian Maremma
The Italian Maremma or
Maremma Sheepdog is one of the large flock guardian breeds.
History:
The purpose of the flock
guardian is to protect the flock or herd from predators such
as wolves or other dogs, and the Italian Maremma was bred
specifically for this task. Various people think that the
Italian Maremma first came to Europe with either the
Phoenicians, the Greek colonists, the Romans returning from
expeditions to Asia, or the Tartars.
The
Maremma is undoubtedly related in some way to other flock
guardian breeds such as the Pyrenean Shepherd and the Kuvasz;
they are all white, similar in size, and have similar
temperaments. No one will ever know for certain, and it may be
that all of these entry routes occurred and that the different
breeds developed through the mixing of dogs brought in by the
different routes. Another possibility in the development of
this breed is hinted at by the alternative name
Maremmano-Abruzzese. One theory states that a long-bodied
mountain breed, the Abruzzese, was bred with the short-coated
sheepdog Marremmano, and that the result was the Maremma.
Physical
characteristics:
The Italian Maremma is a large
dog. Height: 25 - 29 in (63.5 - 74 cm). Weight: 70 - 100 lb
(32 - 45 kg). The very thick coat is not long, and can be
straight to slightly wavy. It is longer on the tail and there
is a thick ruff of hair around the throat, the thicker the
better. The main coat color must always be white, but the ears
can be pale ivory or fawn.
The
Maremma is a heavy-boned dog but does not have a massive body,
as it was bred for agility combined with power. Maremma heads
are long, but don't appear elongated because they also have
width between the ears. The head is often described as conical
and is said to resemble the head of a polar bear! Their eyes
are rather small and perfectly almond-shaped; the ears are
also small, triangular, and only slightly rounded at the tip.
Behavior:
This large dog performs its
role of flock protector very well indeed. It requires a
considerable degree of independence and is quite capable of
making its own decisions. This natural independence means that
this dog may be difficult to train. It is best to gently
encourage and praise this dog to get the best results. As it
is highly territorial, the Italian Maremma makes an excellent
watch-dog and guard dog. It can get along very well with other
dogs, but they may be a little scared on their first meeting
because of the Italian Maremma's size.
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