These are our two Marrema's, guardians and companions to all who live here- chooks, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep and humans alike. They are a very dominant dog and will challenge all who come onto (or even near) what they consider to be their property or charges. Therein lies their greatest fault- if they can see anyone who is not theirs, they will bark until they go away, whether it is the neighbour 100m away in his shed, or people walking on the reserve half a kilometer away!
They also will bond with stock to a remarkable degree, and protect them against allcomers day and night if allowed to. Unfortunately it is an either/or- you can either have them as family companions or stock guardians, but not both.
For those interested in owning these great dogs, I strongly suggest having a look at Katrina Sommers excellent web site:- http://www.maremmano.com/, and subscribing to her mailing list for a while before buying one- these dogs are NOT your average dog and will most definitely not suit everyone! There is an continuous and ongoing need for "rescue" homes for these magnificent animals due to people not understanding their very unique character. Save yourself, your family and especially the dog, a lot of grief by doing a little research first please.
If you still want one, please consider a "rescue" dog- Maremma Sheepdogs In Rescue (1) or Maremma Sheepdogs In Rescue (2)are good sites to start from
Note Moriarty's sunburned nose- it has resisted all attempts to cure it for the last 5 years.
Sherlock- much the softer and more playful of the two.
Sad, Sad news. Late on the night of Monday, 4th April 2005, a person or persons unknown opened the gate to our property. Just after dawn, my two went for an early morning wander- Sherlock strayed on to the road and was knocked down and killed instantly. He will be sorely missed.
Moriarty before his nose succumbed to Tasmania's uv.
Sometimes they are clean and white and fluffy...........
......And sometimes they are not!!!
Moriarty with the new puppy, Watson, here just 3 months old
And again at 10 months (he's going to be a big lad!)
Monday, August 14, 2006- more sad news.
After he suffered a stroke on Thursday night, we took Moriarty to the vet on Friday, where he died peacefully in his sleep during Sunday night. Goodbye old Friend- we had 10 great years together.
Number of visitors to this page so far:
Copyright Ken, VK7KRJ.