The origin and history of the Maremma breed is not too well known. Supposedly they have descended from Asian herding dogs. It is an ancient Italian breed officially recognized in 1915. It also has origins in the French Pyrenees with other dogs and the St Bernard dogs.
The Maremma is a large dog, sturdy, well built, with the body longer than tall. The head is conical, like a white bears head, with nose and eyes as almond, brown, triangular ears, all the way round, and has his head covered with short hair. The tail is held upside down and curved. The fur consists of rich hair, long, rough and smooth form the neck collar, pearly white spotted, yellow or orange. They have a height of 60 to 73 centimeters and weigh 30 to 45 kilograms.
In character the Maremma is a dog that is gentle, affectionate, loyal and friendly, courageous, dignified and balanced. They become aggressive when guarding the flock or if the house owner is attacked. Also it gets along well with children, having patience with them and get along well with other dogs and pets. It does not require special care. During the shedding period a brushing is recommend to remove dead hairs. He loves living outdoors to move and consume a lot of energy and they require training and socialization. There are very few known health problems and are not worth mentioning but a check at the vet one a year won’t hurt.
The training for a Maremma needs to be consistent and firm but not harsh or severe. They do not execute commands if they do not understand the point and it must be shown affection and respect. As for utility it is an excellent guardian of herds and is devoted to the dwelling. It is used as a companion dog, being nice and keeping the integrity without hesitation or trespassing personal property of a different owner. They can adapt well to children and have a moderate understanding with other pets and animals. This depends of the training that he has had and if he has been socialized whit other animal when he is small.