Maremma-Abruzzese Sheepdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() A working Maremmano on the Gran Sasso of Abruzzo, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Origin | Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) |
The Maremma Sheepdog or Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog (Italian : Cane da pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese), usually referred to simply as the Maremmano or Abruzzese Sheepdog, is a breed of livestock guardian dog indigenous to central Italy, particularly to Abruzzo and the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio. It has been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves. The literal English translation of the name is "The dog of the shepherds of the Maremma and Abruzzese region". The English name of the breed derives from that of the Maremma marshlands, where, until recently, shepherds, dogs and hundreds of thousands of sheep over-wintered, [2] and where the breed is today abundant although sheep-farming has decreased substantially. The breed is widely employed in Abruzzo, where sheep herding remains vital to the rural economy and the wolf remains an active and protected predator. Similar breeds include the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, the Kuvasz of Hungary, the Tatra of Poland, the Cuvac of Slovakia and the Šarplaninac (although not white), with all of which it may share a common ancestor; [3] [4] and the Akbash Dog of Turkey.
Descriptions of white sheep defense dogs are found in ancient Roman literature, in works such as those of Columella, Varro and Palladius. Similar dogs are depicted in numerous sculptures and paintings from Roman times to the present. [5] Among the earliest is the series of large statues (two in Rome, one in Florence, one – the Duncombe Dog – in England) copied from a Hellenistic bronze from Pergamon. [6] Iconographic sources that have been identified as relevant to the history of the Maremmano include: [6]
The first registration of the Maremmano in the Libro delle Origini Italiano of the Kennel Club Italiano, as it was then called, was of four dogs in 1898. There were no further registrations for many years. In 1940 there were 17 dogs registered. The first standard for the breed was drawn up in 1924 by Luigi Groppi and Giuseppe Solaro. [13]
Until 1958 the Pastore Maremmano, or shepherd dog of the Maremma, and the Pastore Abruzzese, or shepherd dog of the Abruzzi, were regarded as separate breeds. A breeder's society for the Pastore Abruzzese was formed in 1950, and one for the Maremmano in 1953. On 1 January 1958 the breeds were unified by the ENCI, the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiano, the national dog association of Italy. The explanation given is that a "natural fusion" of the two types had occurred as a result of movement of the dogs due to transhumance of sheep flocks from one region to another, particularly after the unification of Italy. [1] Until 1860, the mountains of the Abruzzo and the plains of the Maremma lay in different countries.
As sheep farming developed into an annual trek or transhumance from mountain grasslands of Abruzzo and Molise (and other parts of central Italy) south to lower pasture land in Puglia where sheep were over-wintered[ citation needed ], the dogs came to play a central role in the centuries-old migration, an annual event vital to Abruzzese culture. Maremmano dogs continue to be widely used by Italian sheep farmers in areas where predation is common, such as the Apennines of central Italy and the open range land of national parks in Abruzzo. Besides their wide use in Italy, Maremma Sheepdogs are extensively used as livestock guardian dogs in Australia, Canada and the United States. [14]
The Maremmano has a solid, muscular build, a thick white coat, a large head and a black nose. According to the breed standard, males should weigh 35–45 kg and stand 65–73 cm at the shoulder, while females weigh 30–40 kg and stand 60–68 cm. Some dogs may be considerably larger. The coat is long and thick; it is rough to the touch, and forms a thick collar around the neck. It should be solid white; some minor yellowing may be tolerated. [15]
Some divide the breed into various subtypes, largely based on small differences in physical attributes and with subtype names based on village and provincial names where the dogs may be found, e.g. the Maremmano, the Marsicano, the Aquilano, the Pescocostanzo, the Maiella, and the Peligno. [16] However, biologists dispute this division, as well as over reliance on minor physical differences, as the dogs were bred over the centuries for their behavioral characteristics as flock guardians.[ citation needed ]
![]() A roccale of a different type |
![]() The roccale or vreccale, a spiked iron collar |
The traditional use of the Maremma sheepdog is as a guardian for the protection of sheep flocks against wolves. Columella, writing in the first century AD, recommends white dogs for this purpose, as the shepherd can easily distinguish them from the wolf, while Varro suggests that white dogs have a "lion-like aspect" in the dark. [17] The dogs work in groups; three or four dogs are an adequate defense against wolves and stray dogs. Their function is mostly one of dissuasion, actual physical combat with the predator being relatively rare. [18] Nevertheless, working dogs may be fitted with a roccale (or vreccale), a spiked iron collar which protects the neck in combat. The ears of working dogs are normally cropped.
Dogs used for flock protection are placed among the sheep as young puppies – no more than 40 days old – so that they bond with them; human contact is kept to the indispensable minimum. [19] If there are already guardian dogs in the flock, the puppy imitates and learns from their behaviour. [19] The traditional use of the Maremmano is with sheep, but the dogs can form a similar bond with cows and have been used to protect range cattle. [20] A small number have been used since 2006 on Middle Island, off Warrnambool, in Victoria, Australia, to protect a small population of the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) against foxes. [21] [22]
The Komondor, also known as the Hungarian sheepdog, is a large, white-coloured Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog with a long, corded coat.
A sheep dog or sheepdog is generally a dog or breed of dogs historically used in connection with the raising of sheep. These may include livestock guardian or pastoral dogs used to guard sheep and other livestock in farms for farmers, and herding dogs used to herd sheep and other livestock.
The Great Pyrenees, known as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog outside of North America, is a large breed of dog used as a livestock guardian dog. It should not be confused with the Pyrenean Mastiff.
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog, shepherd dog or working dog, is a type of dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds that are developed for herding.
The Bergamasco Shepherd is a breed of dog with its origins in the Italian Alps near Bergamo, where it was originally used as a herding dog.
The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is a breed of dog introduced into the Tatra Mountains of Southern Poland by Vlachian (Romanian) shepherds.
A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a dog type bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators.
Abruzzese may refer to:
The Schapendoes or Dutch Sheepdog, is a breed of dog originating in the Netherlands. The Schapendoes was originally a herding dog and general farm dog, but today also participates in dog sports such as agility and flyball.
The Italian Shepherd, or Pastore Italiano, is a breed of dog. The existence of this breed can be traced back to 1975, when Piero Accettella, of the Little Ranch Kennels, in Cepagatti, in the province of Pescara, in Italy, noticed that, in the surrounding Italian regions of Abruzzo, Umbria, Tuscany, Marche and Northern Lazio, there existed mid-sized dogs with wolf-like features used as livestock herders and known locally as Cane Toccatore. Accettella acquired some of these dogs and crossbred them with Abruzzese Mastiffs, a breed of molosser, to increase their size. The result of this cross was a dog of great intelligence, wary of strangers and a tenacious guardian of property and livestock. The dogs have been found to be ideally suited to the role of guard dog and are easily trained for this task.
The Abruzzese Mastiff is a breed related to, but distinct from the Maremmano-Abruzzese from the Italian region of the Abruzzi. The Mastino Abruzzese represents the original Abruzzese strain and is characterized by its larger size, some male dogs reportedly exceeding 100 kg (220 lbs) in size. Some of these dogs have been successfully employed as livestock guardian dogs in the United States and in Norway, where reportedly they were effective in deterring predation by bears. Mastini are employed in packs of 4 to 10. The pack leader is the one who will engage predators in combat more often and usually wears a spiked iron collar to defend its throat.
The Sardinian Shepherd Dog or Fonni's Dog is an ancient landrace breed of Sardinian dog used as a herding, catching, and livestock guardian dog.
The Cane Toccatore is a dog used as a shepherd, similarly to the Border Collie.
The Cane Pastore Biellese is a mid-size yet powerful dog with plenty of stamina that is used in the Western Alps of Italy to drive flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. Though not recognized by the FCI, it has gained recognition in the Alianza Canina Latina.
The Italian Kennel Club, Italian: Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana, usually known as ENCI, is the national organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in Italy.
The Cane Lupino del Gigante, also known as Cane da Pastore dell'Appennino Reggiano or Cane Luvin, is a local variant of Cane Toccatore which has been used by shepherds on the Apennine Mountains near Reggio Emilia. Gigante Fernan refers to a mountain present in the area where the dogs live. The decline of sheep raising in the area led to a decline in the numbers of the breed, which is now reduced to about 200 specimens.
Cropping is the removal of part or all of the pinnae or auricles, the external visible flap of the ear and earhole, of an animal; it sometimes involves taping to make the ears pointy. Most commonly performed on dogs, it is an ancient practice that was once done for perceived health, practical or cosmetic reasons. In modern times, it is banned in many nations, but is still legal in a limited number of countries. Where permitted, it is seen only in certain breeds of dog such as the Pit bull, Miniature Pinscher, German Pinscher, Doberman Pinscher, Schnauzer, Great Dane, Boxer, Griffon Bruxellois, Briard, Bouvier des Flandres, Neapolitan Mastiff, Cane Corso, Cão Fila de São Miguel, Perro de Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Central Asian Shepherd Dog and Beauceron.
The Cão de Gado Transmontano is a giant dog breed of molosser type, and primarily a working dog used as a livestock guardian. Originating in the region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province, Portugal, it is a rare breed mostly confined to this area. Their primary function is flock and herd protection, and their success is interlinked with the welfare of the flock and the presence of wolves, particularly. Although they are a regional breed, their wolf-defense capacity has led to limited experimental importation elsewhere. The FCI officially refers to them as Transmontano Mastiffs and some Portuguese breed clubs that provide translated webpages in English have also referred to them as Transmontano cattle dogs.
Abruzzo Sheepdog may refer to two closely related breeds of sheep dog widely used and likely originating in Abruzzo, Italy:
The Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai is an old Italian dog breed from the northeastern region called Triveneto. It is not recognized by any major kennel organisation.
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