Maremma Husbandry
Our Maremma dogs work hard for us.
We do our part to keep them healthy and thriving!
Maremma Adults
All dogs are on a consistent heart worm and de-worming schedule.
All dogs are kept current on their age appropriate vaccinations.
All dogs are groomed frequently, and from an early age are taught to be comfortable with procedures such as brushing and toe nail trims.
Our dogs are fed high quality dog chow. Pregnant or lactating dogs are fed Science Diet Adult Large Breed Dog Chow. Puppies under six months of age are fed Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Chow.
Our sixteen adult dogs work in pairs in spacious fields guarding a variety of livestock including Miniature Donkeys, mini cows, and hair sheep on our 360 acre Southern Oregon ranch.
Maremma Puppies
Our puppies are whelped in a clean, safe whelping box set up in a stall surrounded by all the sights and sounds of the livestock they will learn to protect.
By the time they are three weeks old our puppies are carefully introduced to our gentle hair sheep puppy trainers. The pups begin to spend part of each day living with the sheep. They learn how to anticipate sheep behaviors and how to keep themselves from being stepped on! We make sure the sheep are kind to them during this delicate transitional period.
At four-five weeks of age the puppies being to live with their sheep full time.
At six weeks of age I being to give the puppies more challenges and responsibility by moving them, with their little flock of sheep, into fields of increasing size and complexity.
From the time the pups are three weeks old they also receive significant additional training; this continues throughout their time at the ranch. For more information about my training program please visit the Training page.
I keep our pups here in training until they are four to five months of age. Their PennHIP testing is completed prior to the puppies leaving the ranch in most cases.
Learn more!! Slide Show - use left and right arrows to view all slides. There are photos and videos ~ enjoy!
This little field is the first place my pups live. The barn on the far left is where they are born. I have a wired in barn camera system. I check on my puppies every 3 hours around the clock until they are three weeks old or so, and watch them via the camera frequently as well. I work hard at keeping my pups and moms safe and well.