Maremma Sheepdog (Abruzzenhund)
Puppy
Fully Grown
Mareema Sheepdogs, also known as Abruzzenhund, enjoy being close to their family but like living outside with lots of room to play. They are not suitable as apartment dogs or even for living in a smaller city house.
If you do have a large plot of land and want your house, property and livestock to be protected from predators and strangers, the Mareema Sheepdog will be just the dog you need. They have a strong protective instinct and will defend and guard their family and property.
Due to their size and body mass as well as their strong protective instinct, training this breed well and from puppyhood until old age is a must. Early socialisation is very important to ensure they don’t think offence is the best defense.
Mareema Sheepdogs are friendly and loving towards their family but not intrusive. A focus on training is very important as their tendency to make their own decisions can cause problems if they are not trained. They are keen to learn and enjoy training, and their intelligence makes training them easy. However, this breed is quite independent and maintaining a spirit of initiative is also important.
Mareema Sheepdogs will always feel reluctant and cautious towards strangers when introduced to them. Their urge to protect their family is always there even when assured by their owners that a stranger is okay.
| Weight: | 30-45 kg |
| Health risk: | Low |
| Life expectancy: | 11-13 years |
| Coat: | Medium |
| Grooming intensity: | Low |
| Monthly cost (food): | high |
| Trainability: | Medium |
| Activity level: | High |
There are many sources to get your Maremma Sheepdog (Abruzzenhund) from. Considering the number of homeless dogs without a future, we strongly encourage you to consider rescuing a dog. Your local shelter or rescue organisation can be a helpful place to start, or try contacting your local or national breed club or a reputable breeder and asking if they have pets available for rehoming. Many rescue organisations have active Facebook pages, which can also be a good place to enquire.
Here are some links that could be useful for finding a Maremma Sheepdog (Abruzzenhund) to adopt:
To help your rescued Maremma Sheepdog (Abruzzenhund) to settle into your home, our Rescue Dog Guide gives you tips and advice on bringing your rescue dog home.
If you decide you’d prefer to get your Maremma Sheepdog (Abruzzenhund) from a breeder, the following guides will help you to find a responsible breeder:
The following organisations will be able to help you find breeders in your state in Australia. They will also be able to connect you with your local breed clubs, which are always a great source of information in regards to finding good breeders and rescue organisations.
 Dog Breed Profile - Dog Breed Selector)
