Unfortunately, sometimes we
have Maremma Sheepdogs which need rescue. It has been our experience that 90% of
rescue dogs are dogs that have been sold into pet situations. The bright-eyed
little bundles of white fur soon turn into very large dogs, and generally are not suitable for city or suburban living.
Living out doors, they will speak to their genetic memory for
guardianship, and they will bark at night at nocturnal predators. Their
new neighbors are not going to understand this, or their need to bark at
anyone who goes by on the street! Indoors, they will heavily shed their undercoat of fur, which clings to
carpet and furniture. Furthermore, they're so big that one wag of the tail will clear off a coffee table in a single sweep. While it may be one way to dust your house, a new owner may be left with the problem of what to do with the broken figurines or lamps that result. These large dogs need lots of room. As breeders we know from
personal experience that in the winter, when dogs are in dry-lot and don't have their usual acreage to roam and protect, they get bored. A bored dog will look for work, but often come up with trouble instead. They can be too protective. In talking to people who think they want a
Maremma as a pet, hypothesize this situation: Your child has the neighbor child
over, and they start wrestling on the lawn. The neighbor kid starts to get the
better of your kid - who actually 'belongs' to your dog. What do you think is
going to happen?
Most Maremma breeders are responsible people who do their best to
find good working homes for their dogs. However, even the most
responsible breeder may find one of their dogs in need of rescue help at
some point. Responsible breeders, when notified of this need, will do
everything in their power to help find a new home, including taking the dog
back themselves. Unfortunately there are those who inappropriately sell
these dogs as companions for various reasons, and this is where the problem
begins. Be certain you are purchasing your Maremma from a reputable breeder
and from registered working lines. Never hesitate to ask for references
or even visit the farm if possible. We need to work together as a team to help this wonderful breed of dogs.
Some of these rescue dogs can be re-homed to LGD situations, even though
they may not have been bonded to livestock as pups. Many of them could go
into non-working situations if they are well-matched adoptions.
One person cannot do it all, but together we can form a network of help for
these wonderful dogs. These dogs are being taken to shelters or Humane
societies
for adoption. People who do this must realize they are putting their dogs into the most serious situation, and very likely death. The typical
Maremma response to a shelter situation is to become food or cage aggressive. Humane society
personnel, not being familiar with the nature of a LGD, may not know how to
handle them or be willing to adopt them out. If you need to find a new home for your dog, don't take it where it is most likely to be killed! *PLEASE * if you need to find a new home for your dog, contact us BEFORE the dog goes to the pound.
MAREMMA SHEEPDOG CLUB OF AMERICA
The
Maremma Sheepdog Club of America assumes no responsibility This page was last updated: 04/11/2013 |
