Tessa came to us as a 12 week old pup from a liter of registered Maremma Sheepdog Club of America pups located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Debbie researched Live stock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) for some time once we made our first alpaca purchase, and found this breed, originating 2,000 years ago in the Abbruzse region of Italy. Maremmas were originally bred to guard flocks of sheep in the wide open mountainous area, and can still be found there today, alongside their shepherd, staying with the flock at all times to protect them from predators. Here, in Glen Ellen, California, with have the risk of Coyote, Mountain Lion, and the stray dog that might roam in a pack late at night. So it was important to us to start out with an LGD. And we picked Tessa up the morning before our first alpaca was delivered on December 22, 2006! She has become an important and integral part of our operation.

December 2009: Tessa has been xrayed and OFA certified with no evidence of hip dysplasia

Enjoy these photos from when she was first born, when we met here, up to today. Then scroll down to learn about her partner that joined Brookfarm in 2009.

Check out more photos and details about Tessa’s arrival here.

  

Ain’t Misbehaven Nicco; aka Nicco

We found Nicco, who just happens to be Tessa’s litermate, at a nearby goat ranch the summer of 2008. Some changes were happening and the owner was getting out of the goat business. Nicco is neutered and a wonderful loving protector to our alpacas.  He and Tessa make a wonderful team, bonding with each new cria, and respecting the space of the older girls who were not raised with dogs. The crias will nuzzle their nose into the dogs coat and jump on them and try to play with them. Tessa and Nicco just give them a glance, allow the behavior, and never return the playfull activity, as they are not bred to play with their charges. But they sure do play with each other!

Nicco (left); Tessa on right

AND... New to Brookfarm in July 2009 .... Maurio!

Pertecara (Zetta) X Crisco, MSCA Registered (MSCA CJM3697G) 

Our big boy, Maurio,

at work December

2009

On July 13, 2009, Maurio has arrived from Windance Farms, the home of Jackie Church, her lovely family, and their many Maremma Sheepdogs, better known as LGD’s (livestock guardian dogs) in the livestock world. He was flown in from Gouvereur, NY, up near the Canadian border. We visited Windance Farms in March 2009 and they spent the entire day showing us around and especially showing off all their Maremma’s and the 2 new litter of pups!  Jackie later made the selection of the perfect pup from the litter based on our needs for a perfect partner to Tessa so that we too may offer you high quality LGD’s for your livestock needs.

Check out more photos and details about Maurio’s arrival here.

Contact us now to reserve a Maremma pup!

To learn all about Maremmas, AND MORE, read below and visit these sites:

Maremma Sheepdog Club of America

Maremma Sheepdog

Alternative names

Pastore Abruzzese

Cane da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese

Country of origin

Italy

Common nicknames

Maremma

Classification and breed standards

The Pastore Maremmano Abruzzese, Maremma Sheepdog, originated in Italy where it has been used for many centuries as a flock guardian for sheep and goats. It was first imported into the United States for this purpose in the early 1970's. Since then, the Maremma Sheepdog has continued to increase in number and popularity.  You'll commonly hear them referred to as LGDs, (Livestock Guard Dogs).  

The Maremma is a large white or cream colored dog, usually weighing between 70 and 100 pounds and standing 25 to 30 inches tall. It is described in the Breed Standard as being majestic, lively, sturdy, distinguished, intelligent, and courageous without being aggressive. Properly trained, it has the ability to bond closely to sheep, goats, alpacas and llamas, with which it assumes a protective parental attitude, it demonstrates an aloof awareness as leader of its adopted family, while at the same time readily accepting a secondary role to its bonded humans.

A Maremma accepts the leadership of humans, but not their mastery.  While being a good friend to man, the Maremma will not willingly be his slave. Born with exactly the right qualities for livestock guarding, the Maremma is not recommended for use as a pet.

The independence necessary for solitary guarding of a flock makes the Maremma somewhat unwilling to take orders, and all of its behavioral characteristics that make it an excellent guardian tend to become stronger as it matures. The pet Maremma, without a flock and large area to guard, will gradually become more possessive of its bonded humans and of its limited territory, and more defensive of its possessions, while it will also become less discriminatory between friend and foe.

A successful Maremma guardian dog will be GOOD TEMPERED, ATTENTIVE to the stock, PROTECTIVE of the stock, and TRUSTWORTHY.

The ideal time for an inexperienced guardian owner to purchase a Maremma is as a recently weaned puppy so that it will bond strongly with its adopted family, its humans, and its territory as it grows. However, this also involves all the antics of puppy-hood; adolescence, and training in the "don'ts" of guardianship - it already knows all of the "do's" and will develop them on its own if exposed at the right time to appropriate guarding situations. Maremmas become mature, fully developed guardians at about age two.