Available Juvenile & Adult Maremmas
We occasionally have adult or Juvenile Maremmas available. These may be retired breeding dogs, dogs we bred whose owners can nom longer keep them or pups we have raised and trained for the express purpose of placing them as started dogs. We may have dogs that are not listed here either available or coming soon, so inquire with us even if we don't have any dogs listed on this page.
A Word About Juvenile Versus Adult LGD's
We often get inquiries from people looking for "adult" or "fully trained and ready to work" Maremmas but there seems to be a lot of confusion about what exactly that means. Some people are unsure about the difference between a puppy, a juvenile and an adult dog. Others inquire about puppies that we have available and want to know how long it will it take for us to fully train them and how much extra it will cost. As if $___ x ___ months = fully trained LGD. Unfortunately it's not that simple. Raising a LGD to maturity is a LOT of work and can't be rushed. And that is exactly why fully trained adult LGD's are almost impossible to find and very expensive if you do find one. Especially for a well bred, registered Maremma Sheepdog out of health tested, proven working parents. (Or possibly also health tested and proven themselves, if they are old enough.) That is going to cost you, and it should because someone else has invested a lot of time and work into that dog so you won't have to. Unlike most companion dogs, LGD's go up in value with age, not down. Whether you're seeking an adult dog because you don't want to train your own puppy, don't feel that you can, or you are in a situation where you really need an adult dog ASAP, it doesn't really matter. Just understand the value of what you're asking for and what it all means.
First the difference in terms. Maremmas, like all Livestock Guardian Dogs, are not considered to be adults until they are 2 years old, so if you see a dog listed here that's not a puppy but not yet two years old then it is a juvenile, not an adult. Others may differ on what they consider a puppy versus the beginning of the juvenile period but we consider any dog under 6 Months to be a puppy, 6 months to 23 months to be a juvenile and 24 months and up to be an adult. We chose 6 months as the cutoff because most puppies go through what we call a "velociraptor stage", starting around 10-12 weeks old, and they usually come back out of it and settle down somewhere between 4-6 months. Usually by 6 months the hardest part is over. But be aware that they can have a second "bratty teenaged stage" sometime between one and two years old. And some seem to have a prolonged "velociraptor stage" that just blends into the bratty teenaged stage. But even they mature out of it eventually. All that to say that you can't judge the "ease" of a dog strictly by its age. Sometimes a 6 month old is "easier" than an 18 month old. It all depends on the individual dogs.
But, just as LGD's are not considered adults until they are two years old, most are also not considered fully mature, safe and trustworthy with stock until they are around two, as well. There are some pups that mature very early and are trustworthy with most stock very early on. If you end up with one of these don't pat yourself on the back for being an awesome trainer. Instead consider yourself lucky that you got an unusually easy dog! And you probably also got a dog from a breeder that did a really good job of socializing that puppy with stock at an early age. The best pups come from a combination of great genetics and breeders who understand the importance of proper early socialization with livestock and they work hard to set their puppies up for success from an early age. This means the pups are NOT lounging around on the patio or by the pool. Instead they are snuggling with goats and meeting chickens at an early age.
On the opposite end of the spectrum there are some dogs that need longer than two years to really mature. Sometimes even really well bred dogs from breeders that work hard to give them the proper early socialization with stock are not completely mature at two. Maybe they are great with bigger goats but not small, flighty ones and possibly not poultry. Some dogs are just late bloomers. Usually they are more energetic and prone to getting the "zoomies" (getting overexcited and wanting to chase and play) with stock. They aren't mean; they are just mischievous. They aren't "bad" or "failed" LGD's or "badly bred". Not at all. Often these dogs end up being the most devoted and dedicated LGD's, the ones that would literally lay down their lives to defend their charges. They simply need more time to settle down and mature.
Now just because LGD's are generally not mature until around two years old that does NOT mean that a puppy/dog younger than two can't or shouldn't be put with livestock. Quite the contrary, it SHOULD be with stock from a very early age. However, the stock needs to be carefully chosen for the age and developmental stage of the puppy or dog. It's not about bringing home a puppy and expecting it to guard all your stock. It's about carefully selecting just a few animals as your puppy trainers. This generally means no unsupervised time with poultry or baby goats or sheep, or any other delicate stock. You want to avoid "flighty" stock which will encourage the puppy or young dog to chase, because chasing is a very rewarding behavior. The more they do it the more they want to do it. You also want to avoid stock that will bully the puppy or young dog. You want stock that ignores their silly antics and is comfortable around the pup. (After they get used to living with a dog, which doesn't come naturally to any prey species at first.) Then you'll need to carefully monitor the situation, make sure things are going well and address any issues that come up, adjusting as needed. I like to say that raising a LGD to maturity is not for the faint of heart but it will pay off in a big way eventually, when you are the proud owner of a fully mature, trustworthy adult Maremma Sheepdog.
But if you either can't or don't want to train your own puppy then we do offer the option of juvenile or adult dogs, if and when we have them available. A juvenile dog will cost more than a puppy and will have more training and experience than a puppy but will not be fully mature and fully trained. You can save yourself some of the time and work a puppy required but should still be prepared to finish the training. And adult dog (two years old or older) in most cases will be fully mature and trained, but again, dogs are individuals, not robots. Don' t think in absolutes. And introducing any dog or any age to new stock needs to be done properly, especially if the stock isn't used to dogs. But in general a dog that's two or older will be much easier to integrate with your stock and will require minimal time and work from you. And, of course, it will cost more than a puppy or a juvenile dog.
To see our prices for juvenile and adult dogs please refer to the chart below. Please note that these are starting prices. Exceptionally mature or well trained dogs for their age may cost more. Likewise we may sometimes sell an adult dog at the juvenile price if we feel they are slower to mature than usual.
First the difference in terms. Maremmas, like all Livestock Guardian Dogs, are not considered to be adults until they are 2 years old, so if you see a dog listed here that's not a puppy but not yet two years old then it is a juvenile, not an adult. Others may differ on what they consider a puppy versus the beginning of the juvenile period but we consider any dog under 6 Months to be a puppy, 6 months to 23 months to be a juvenile and 24 months and up to be an adult. We chose 6 months as the cutoff because most puppies go through what we call a "velociraptor stage", starting around 10-12 weeks old, and they usually come back out of it and settle down somewhere between 4-6 months. Usually by 6 months the hardest part is over. But be aware that they can have a second "bratty teenaged stage" sometime between one and two years old. And some seem to have a prolonged "velociraptor stage" that just blends into the bratty teenaged stage. But even they mature out of it eventually. All that to say that you can't judge the "ease" of a dog strictly by its age. Sometimes a 6 month old is "easier" than an 18 month old. It all depends on the individual dogs.
But, just as LGD's are not considered adults until they are two years old, most are also not considered fully mature, safe and trustworthy with stock until they are around two, as well. There are some pups that mature very early and are trustworthy with most stock very early on. If you end up with one of these don't pat yourself on the back for being an awesome trainer. Instead consider yourself lucky that you got an unusually easy dog! And you probably also got a dog from a breeder that did a really good job of socializing that puppy with stock at an early age. The best pups come from a combination of great genetics and breeders who understand the importance of proper early socialization with livestock and they work hard to set their puppies up for success from an early age. This means the pups are NOT lounging around on the patio or by the pool. Instead they are snuggling with goats and meeting chickens at an early age.
On the opposite end of the spectrum there are some dogs that need longer than two years to really mature. Sometimes even really well bred dogs from breeders that work hard to give them the proper early socialization with stock are not completely mature at two. Maybe they are great with bigger goats but not small, flighty ones and possibly not poultry. Some dogs are just late bloomers. Usually they are more energetic and prone to getting the "zoomies" (getting overexcited and wanting to chase and play) with stock. They aren't mean; they are just mischievous. They aren't "bad" or "failed" LGD's or "badly bred". Not at all. Often these dogs end up being the most devoted and dedicated LGD's, the ones that would literally lay down their lives to defend their charges. They simply need more time to settle down and mature.
Now just because LGD's are generally not mature until around two years old that does NOT mean that a puppy/dog younger than two can't or shouldn't be put with livestock. Quite the contrary, it SHOULD be with stock from a very early age. However, the stock needs to be carefully chosen for the age and developmental stage of the puppy or dog. It's not about bringing home a puppy and expecting it to guard all your stock. It's about carefully selecting just a few animals as your puppy trainers. This generally means no unsupervised time with poultry or baby goats or sheep, or any other delicate stock. You want to avoid "flighty" stock which will encourage the puppy or young dog to chase, because chasing is a very rewarding behavior. The more they do it the more they want to do it. You also want to avoid stock that will bully the puppy or young dog. You want stock that ignores their silly antics and is comfortable around the pup. (After they get used to living with a dog, which doesn't come naturally to any prey species at first.) Then you'll need to carefully monitor the situation, make sure things are going well and address any issues that come up, adjusting as needed. I like to say that raising a LGD to maturity is not for the faint of heart but it will pay off in a big way eventually, when you are the proud owner of a fully mature, trustworthy adult Maremma Sheepdog.
But if you either can't or don't want to train your own puppy then we do offer the option of juvenile or adult dogs, if and when we have them available. A juvenile dog will cost more than a puppy and will have more training and experience than a puppy but will not be fully mature and fully trained. You can save yourself some of the time and work a puppy required but should still be prepared to finish the training. And adult dog (two years old or older) in most cases will be fully mature and trained, but again, dogs are individuals, not robots. Don' t think in absolutes. And introducing any dog or any age to new stock needs to be done properly, especially if the stock isn't used to dogs. But in general a dog that's two or older will be much easier to integrate with your stock and will require minimal time and work from you. And, of course, it will cost more than a puppy or a juvenile dog.
To see our prices for juvenile and adult dogs please refer to the chart below. Please note that these are starting prices. Exceptionally mature or well trained dogs for their age may cost more. Likewise we may sometimes sell an adult dog at the juvenile price if we feel they are slower to mature than usual.
MSCA/UKC Registered Maremma Sheepdog
Started Juveniles & Adults
6-11 months $3500 and up
12-23 months $4000 and up
2-3 years $5000 and up
Adults over 3 years old priced individually
If you would like to purchase a juvenile or adult dog from us but need additional training and board time that can be arranged for $25 per day, paid in advance. Long term rates available on a case by case basis.
12-23 months $4000 and up
2-3 years $5000 and up
Adults over 3 years old priced individually
If you would like to purchase a juvenile or adult dog from us but need additional training and board time that can be arranged for $25 per day, paid in advance. Long term rates available on a case by case basis.
Please fill out the Maremma Questionnaire if you're interested in a juvenile or an adult Maremma!
