Hey Reader,

It's a sad day for all of Red's fans. She's no longer the big dog on the block. Grey has taken the lead and the boys are now ahead of the girls in average weight.

And here's what we're resorting to now to weigh them since they no longer fit on our smaller scale.

so why did we choose Maremma Sheepdogs?

I'd be lying if I said that Maremmas originating in Italy didn't have anything to do with our decision. Rex and I both have ancestors from Italy (my dad and Rex's more distant ancestors) and enjoy most all things Italian.

But there are other important reasons we chose Maremmas over the multitude of LGD breeds out there.

1. Low Prey Drive

Maremmas, like all LGDs, are bred to have a low prey drive.

Maremmas in particular are known for being better behaved with chickens than with other breeds.

Why? To be honest, I'm not exactly sure.

Juno has been great with our chickens while Jove has needed a bit more work, but neither have killed a chicken.

knock on wood

Because we love our chickens (we had them first), we wanted a breed known for being easier on them. We don't expect Juno and Jove to bond with chickens but to, at least, ignore them and guard the area where the chickens are free ranging.

2. Size

Many people understandably confuse our dogs with Great Pyrenees. They look extremely similar.

GPs typically are a larger breed than Maremmas. But that doesn't mean Maremmas aren't as effective as GPs.

But size directly translates to feed costs.

And because we prioritize raw feeding, raising dogs can get expensive fast.

Smaller dogs eat less which means lower feed costs.

3. Barking

Now we've only had Maremmas and we're rarely around other breeds of LGDs, so it's not something I can personally speak to as comparison, but Maremmas are known for barking less than other breeds.

Now they still bark because that's part of their job (and especially as puppies before they mature) but it's not on the same level as other breeds.

I can say that Juno and Jove do not bark constantly like I expected LGDs to do.

4. Guarding

Maremmas are less likely to roam compared to other breeds. This means they're staying closer to livestock rather than roaming fence lines.

You still need fences to keep your livestock and dogs safe while also keeping predators out.

5. Temperament

Like all LGD breeds, Maremmas are intelligent and confident enough to make their own decisions once mature.

But, as compared to GPs, Maremmas are not quite as stubborn. They're more open to commands and to pleasing their humans as compared to a GP.

Juno and Jove generally Come when called, which we appreciate.

Now of course, these are generalizations.

No two dogs of the same breed or in even in the same litter will behave the same.

But these are some of the reasons we chose Maremmas over other breeds. And we're very happy with our decision.

Ciao for now!

Jamie

P.s. Do you have a different LGD breed? What made you choose that one?

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