Maremma Sheepdog

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large and striking dog with a quiet and dignified nature. They are excellent working dogs and look after their flocks well, however as a domestic pet they make equally as good guard dogs as well as companions.
Whilst this breed is affectionate with their owner and family they tend to be fairly independent and therefore do not require such a high a level of attention as some other breeds. This is an intelligent breed of dog but not necessarily easy to train. They will not follow instructions unless there is mutual feeling of respect between trainer and dog.

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large dog with a coarse, thick coat. It is white/ivory in colour with markings of yellow and orange. This breed stands at 23.5 to 28.5 inches (60-73 cm.) and weighs between 66 and 100 pounds (30-45 kg.). Their average life expectancy is 11 to 13 years.

Whilst the Maremma Sheepdog can happily live indoors they do require lots of space and plenty of time outdoors. They will also need regular exercise multiple times a day. They will also need the opportunity to be let off the lead to run on a regular basis. As such this breed is not suited to those with a lack of time or who live in an area where they are unable to exercise the dog properly.

This breed originates from Italy and is most likely a descendant of the great, white Eastern sheepdogs which were first present in Europe around 2,000 years ago.