Maremma - NOT a Suburban Dog,
NOT a Domestic Guard Dog.
Monday morning - 18 August 2008. TVNZ - Breakfast's "Animal Monday"
It is very obvious that TVNZ are desparate for items of real interest to their viewing audience in an attempt to keep their advertisers loyal, but what place does the state broadcaster have in promoting dog breeds rather than public safety with dogs?
Nevertheless, there was Tamati - their gad-about weatherman come stunt person come frontperson (wonder what they pay this guy?) - introducing us to the Maremma Sheepdog. His stage props: two large shaggy white dogs and a pup, coolly sniffing the breeze, apparently oblivious to their human companions.
What's the fuss? Well, the Maremma is a Livestock Guard Dog (LGD), i.e. it was specifically bred to protect the flock from predators - four legged AND two. They are originally from Italy in the Tuscany region and also known as Cane Da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese. The breed is around two thousand years old.
They stand between 23 and 30 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 80 - 100lb.
Other LGBs are the Great Pyranese Mountain Dog, Anatolian Karabash or Shepherd (Turkey), the Hungarian Kuvasz, Komondor, Akbash and Polish Tatra (pics below). LGBs tend to be nocturnal, as are the predators they guard against and for that reason can be a barking nuisance.
From the Maremma Sheep Dog Club of Great Britain:
"Strangers are not welcome and the dog should be under control when irregular callers are admitted. A 'formal introduction' - best made when the caller has been admitted and is seated - usually suffices to satisfy the dog that there is no danger. But do remember that he makes his own judgements and may suspect danger when you see none.
It is not in the Maremma's nature to obey a command and to look up to his master, anxiously awaiting the next order. Rather he will work out, in his own mind, the logic of the command given and, having come to the conclusion that it is reasonable, obey. There is normally a pause of some seconds between giving the order and having it obeyed. Because of this, Maremmas do not well in formal obedience trials, for, as a breed, they tend to make their own decisions rather than blindly obey".
This is quite true of all of the LGD breeds. A friend once had one and he was very much his own master. This club also claims the LGD is happy to hang out with his humans (other websites dedicated to the breed warn that they wander), but if this dog was anything to judge them by he wasn't all that interested in humans and once out on the farm wandered for miles. She finally had him shot because she couldn't handle the roaming. Poor dog.
So there it is. 80-100lb of self-driven disobedience that is intolerant of outsiders and, according to the club, should be restrained when visitors call. However loyal to his family, this dog presents owners with some real difficulties when asked to be something he naturally is NOT, i.e. a suburban dog.
Pups can be bought for $7-800 in NZ.
But back to TVNZ. The woman with the dogs warned that the breed is unsuitable for obedience so Tamati pipes up with true journalistic irresponsibility "Think PROTECTION!"
Maybe the media figure it's time to move on from the Pit Bull since they've succeeded in vilifying the breed to the extent that ordinary folk shun them because of the stigma of owning one, the devotees have gone underground and anyhow, the politicians are going to wipe the bully breeds out in NZ with the up-coming mandatory spay/neuter bill if they have their way. Time to introduce another 'killer' breed to maintain newspaper sales and television ratings, and help the politicans with their anti-pet policies.
Aside from the Komondor, don't they look so alike!
So, place your bets, how long until a Maremma Sheep Dog makes the news and goes on the 'menacing' list? It took about eight years for the Pit Bulls before they became 'newsworthy'. Nanaia will be slavering with anticipation - another 'type' down.
Turkish Akbash Polish Tatra
Komondor Polish Kuvasz Great Pyranese
Anatolian Shepherd - in the field.
These are all fine dogs in the right hands - just like Pit Bulls only Pit Bulls can't do enough to please you while the LGDs tend to please themselves - but it seems that here is a breed with behaviours that make keeping them as a pet a challenge.
Further, they are being promoted as protection dogs, and further to that they have the look-alike factor. Ideal fodder for the media once they are coming out of the puppy mills and into the wrong hands.
But paranoia aside, had the dog been introduced with a researched backgrounder it wouldn't be quite so bad. Instead, at a time when the public perceive crime to be out of control in this country, the dog is promoted as a guard dog.
Guard dogs need to be obedient - LGDs are not.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a responsible media in this country instead of the profit-driven, politically correct and socially irresponsible excuse for it we have at present. Then we'd get the public awareness campaign we need to reduce the incidence of dog bite, and the Maremma Sheepdog would be where he needs to be in this country: out on the farm protecting his flock.
