How to Identify a Maremma Sheepdog

The Maremma is well adapted to the snow and heavy undergrowth of the Italian mountains.

The Maremma sheepdog hails from the mountains of Italy. It is descended from the great white Eastern sheepdogs that spread across Europe well over two millennia ago. It is similar to the Turkish Akbash and the Slovakian Kuvac, though evolved to better fit the mountainous surroundings. This breed is a powerful and extremely intelligent flock guard. It takes a firm and steady hand to train, though the benefit for an owner wanting a sheepdog or a companion is great. Unlike many other sheepdogs, the Maremma does not bark, except as a final warning to a stranger approaching the dog’s home or charges. This breed is about two-thirds the size and weight of other wolf-slaying sheepdogs, relying on its great agility and intelligence to win the day over brute strength. Despite the danger this breed poses to intruders, it would not under any circumstances harm children or the family of its master. To this end it makes a good pet, though it needs plenty of room and strong training. Here is a guide to recognizing this rare breed.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Begin by judging the size, dimensions and weight of the dog. It should stand a little over 2 feet high at the shoulder and be very wide and square-bodied, roughly as long as it is tall. Depending on height and gender, this breed can weigh between 65 and 100 pounds. The legs should be very thick and have widely splayed paws. The chest should be deep to accommodate a large set of lungs for breathing rarefied air, reaching all the way down to the elbows of the forelegs. The tail should be long enough to touch the ground, thick and heavily feathered with long fur.

2. Examine the dog’s fur. It should be long and slightly wavy, though never curly. This hair is very densely packed and obviously designed for cold weather. It should include significant feathering along the legs and chest, although the fur of the underbelly is often short. The dog should have a particularly thick ruff of fur around the neck, making it seem of much greater mass than it actually is. The fur should be of uniform white, though occasionally the fur around the ears will be marked with light yellow or gold spots resembling stains.

3. Conclude by looking at the dog’s head. It should seem a bit too small in relation to the dog’s size, though this is only because of the fur adding mass to the dog’s frame. The skull should be very high-domed and wide, narrowing rapidly to a short and slightly upturned snout. The ears should be small and held low to the sides, flopping over just far enough to hide the ear canal from sight. The nose should be black, but will turn pink-brown as the dog ages. The eyes should be almond shaped and small, and look very intelligent. If the dog matches this description, it’s a Maremma sheepdog.

Resources

• List of Maremma breeders