Hi, I'm Kim Crawmer, Owner of Prancing Pony Farm
Maremma Sheepdog breeder, Force Free Dog Trainer, licensed Family Dog Mediator
As a dairy goat breeder who relies on my dogs to keep my goats and other livestock safe, I understand the importance of LGDs that are reliable protection against predators, trustworthy with livestock and safe and friendly with their human families. As an owner of a companion Maremma I understand the joys and challenges of that role, as well. As a breeder, force free dog trainer and certified Family Dog Mediator, I know what it takes to produce such dogs for either role, or a combination role and we have the skills and education to support my puppy owners as they train their new LGDs. I breed and train the dogs I need and love, which are precisely the dogs my clients also need and will love.
I've been breeding, training, and living with Maremmas since 2016. I have raised and trained over 150 Maremmas, including pups I bred (18 litters as of 2023) as well as Maremmas I acquired from other breeders. I have placed puppies in everything from small one acre urban homesteads to huge ranches on hundreds of acres, as well as in companion homes. I have learned what is necessary to maximize the chances of turning and adorable puppy into a dependable, trustworthy LGD, as well as the pitfalls to look out for when choosing a breeder.
This experience also taught me how crucial good support and sound advice and encouragement are to a new LGD owner and their dog, and how sorely this support is lacking for most first-time LGD owners. Relying on social media for training advice because the "breeder" either can't or won't support you as a new owner is very scary indeed. I know, because I was there myself once. Luckily I had the best teachers anyone could have - my dogs. They have taught me much.
My Maremmas are working Livestock Guardian Dogs AND beloved members of my family. That is the type of homes I seek for my pups. It’s my honor to share what I have learned with people who will love and value their dogs as I do, and to use my knowledge, experience and love of the breed to help them succeed with Maremmas.
I've been breeding, training, and living with Maremmas since 2016. I have raised and trained over 150 Maremmas, including pups I bred (18 litters as of 2023) as well as Maremmas I acquired from other breeders. I have placed puppies in everything from small one acre urban homesteads to huge ranches on hundreds of acres, as well as in companion homes. I have learned what is necessary to maximize the chances of turning and adorable puppy into a dependable, trustworthy LGD, as well as the pitfalls to look out for when choosing a breeder.
This experience also taught me how crucial good support and sound advice and encouragement are to a new LGD owner and their dog, and how sorely this support is lacking for most first-time LGD owners. Relying on social media for training advice because the "breeder" either can't or won't support you as a new owner is very scary indeed. I know, because I was there myself once. Luckily I had the best teachers anyone could have - my dogs. They have taught me much.
My Maremmas are working Livestock Guardian Dogs AND beloved members of my family. That is the type of homes I seek for my pups. It’s my honor to share what I have learned with people who will love and value their dogs as I do, and to use my knowledge, experience and love of the breed to help them succeed with Maremmas.
More About Me
My love of all animals, but especially dogs, began when I was a small child. My parents owned a Boxer named Duke when I was born and I loved that dog dearly, as well as my grandmother's miniature poodle, Jacque. Over the years we had many pets, including dogs of many different breeds and crosses, usually gotten at the dog pound or found by my dad on his routes as a truck driver for Exxon. I always loved these dogs, but my parents tired of them quickly so they didn't stay long.
Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was a city kid but spent most of my weekends and summers on my grandparents' three acre homestead deep in the woods of Kentucky, playing with the variety of farm animals they owned and dreaming of one day owning my own farm. In the meantime I collected a large menagerie of pets, including dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, fish, a flying squirrel and a couple of pet goats.
When I was 14 years old I began an apprenticeship at a dog grooming shop. I worked there for 5 years, first bathing, brushing and blow drying dogs and cats and eventually learning to groom all breeds. I encountered a large variety of breeds through this job, including a few LGD breeds such as Great Pyrenees and Kuvaz. During this time I also began breeding Cocker Spaniels and bought my first horse, an Arabian gelding, with the money from my grooming job. I also paid his board and all his expenses with my own money. I'd been asking my parents for a horse all my life. They always said no so I finally bought one myself. That was my first lesson in not waiting around for others to make your dreams come true, but instead to do it yourself.
When I was 19 I got married and moved to Florida. My husband was in the Navy so over the years we also lived in Guam, Florida (again), Maryland, Virginia and California (twice). I continued grooming dogs in the various places we lived, owning my own dog grooming shop, Island Pet Grooming, when we lived on Guam. (I was the only groomer on the island for a period of time.)
I bred Cocker Spaniels, my favorite breed at the time, for many years and owned a variety of horses, mostly Arabians, as well as a large variety of other pets and farm animals. We rented a 4 acre "horse property" in Maryland for a time, where I was finally able to have my horses living at home. We later owned a farm in Virginia for a few years where I had my horses, dairy goats and a variety of poultry, as well as dogs and cats. Eventually we gave up the farm in order to move back to California to be with our oldest daughter who had gotten married while we were stationed here.
Back in California our horses went back into boarding and my dreams of owning a farm were put on hold again, until my husband finally retired from his 40 year Navy career. In late 2015 we bought my "dream farm" in Lemoore, California. I started out planning just to have my horses at home and add a few dairy goats and chickens. But I soon began breeding goats on a larger and larger scale and adding more horses and other farm animals.
Because we live in an active predator area I needed a Livestock Guardian Dog to protect my animals, so we bought our first Maremma, Olaf, soon after moving in. I soon fell in love with the breed, eventually loving them as much as my beloved Cocker Spaniels. In 2017 I bred my first Maremma litter. All those puppies went to working homes and raising and training them was such an amazing experience that I was hooked.
Over the years I have worked on my breeding program, acquiring dogs from the best breeders in the country, eventually becoming a Maremma Sheepdog Code of Ethics Breeder.
Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was a city kid but spent most of my weekends and summers on my grandparents' three acre homestead deep in the woods of Kentucky, playing with the variety of farm animals they owned and dreaming of one day owning my own farm. In the meantime I collected a large menagerie of pets, including dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, fish, a flying squirrel and a couple of pet goats.
When I was 14 years old I began an apprenticeship at a dog grooming shop. I worked there for 5 years, first bathing, brushing and blow drying dogs and cats and eventually learning to groom all breeds. I encountered a large variety of breeds through this job, including a few LGD breeds such as Great Pyrenees and Kuvaz. During this time I also began breeding Cocker Spaniels and bought my first horse, an Arabian gelding, with the money from my grooming job. I also paid his board and all his expenses with my own money. I'd been asking my parents for a horse all my life. They always said no so I finally bought one myself. That was my first lesson in not waiting around for others to make your dreams come true, but instead to do it yourself.
When I was 19 I got married and moved to Florida. My husband was in the Navy so over the years we also lived in Guam, Florida (again), Maryland, Virginia and California (twice). I continued grooming dogs in the various places we lived, owning my own dog grooming shop, Island Pet Grooming, when we lived on Guam. (I was the only groomer on the island for a period of time.)
I bred Cocker Spaniels, my favorite breed at the time, for many years and owned a variety of horses, mostly Arabians, as well as a large variety of other pets and farm animals. We rented a 4 acre "horse property" in Maryland for a time, where I was finally able to have my horses living at home. We later owned a farm in Virginia for a few years where I had my horses, dairy goats and a variety of poultry, as well as dogs and cats. Eventually we gave up the farm in order to move back to California to be with our oldest daughter who had gotten married while we were stationed here.
Back in California our horses went back into boarding and my dreams of owning a farm were put on hold again, until my husband finally retired from his 40 year Navy career. In late 2015 we bought my "dream farm" in Lemoore, California. I started out planning just to have my horses at home and add a few dairy goats and chickens. But I soon began breeding goats on a larger and larger scale and adding more horses and other farm animals.
Because we live in an active predator area I needed a Livestock Guardian Dog to protect my animals, so we bought our first Maremma, Olaf, soon after moving in. I soon fell in love with the breed, eventually loving them as much as my beloved Cocker Spaniels. In 2017 I bred my first Maremma litter. All those puppies went to working homes and raising and training them was such an amazing experience that I was hooked.
Over the years I have worked on my breeding program, acquiring dogs from the best breeders in the country, eventually becoming a Maremma Sheepdog Code of Ethics Breeder.
My Education
I have always been an avid reader and, as my husband puts it, "the most researching person he knows". When I was a kid I studied every book the library had on animals of all kinds, making notebooks full of notes, drawings and diagrams, planning my eventual farm I would have someday. As an adult I homeschooled my six children so I continued to educate myself in addition to them, taking out stacks of library books as well as amassing a huge library of my own of print, digital and audiobooks. I couldn't begin to remember all the books I have read on animal care, breeding and training over the years but I'll start with the ones I do remember. I've also found formal courses to be very helpful so I will list the ones I've taken here, as well.
I began with taking the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in 2021. I've taken several courses through KPA and other programs.
In April 2024 I completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program and the LEGS Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course.
I began with taking the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in 2021. I've taken several courses through KPA and other programs.
In April 2024 I completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program and the LEGS Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course.
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Karen Pryor Academy Courses
- Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations
- Karen Pryor Academy Puppy Start Right for Instructors
- Karen Pryor Academy Better Veterinary Visits
- Training For Professionals- Across Species - In-person five day course at the Karen Pryor National Training Center.
- Karen Pryor Academy: Hesitant Hounds
- Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program
Other Dog Courses, Conferences & Webinars
- Puppy Culture course
- Institute of Canine Biology Understanding Hip and Elbow Dysplasia course
- L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Certification Course
Suzanne Clothier Courses & Webinars
- Introduction to CARAT course
- Treat Retreat webinar
- Enriched Puppy Protocol course
Badass Breeder Courses
- Empowered Badass Breeder Mentorship Course
- Badass Breeder Puppy Evaluator Certification Course
- Badass Breeder Our Oath That Unites Us
- Badass Breeder How to Use Canva
- Badass Breeder The Business Side of Dog Breeding
- Badass Breeder Medicine, Feeding, Foot Baths, Hand Washing, Dam Butt Baths
- Badass Breeder Reservation Lists, Master Lists, Litter Lists
- Badass Breeder How to have a Badass Breeder Go Home Day
- Badass Breeder New Litter Forms
- Badass Breeder Client Webpages for Litter Info
- Badass Breeder Giardia Protocol That Works
- Badass Breeder Trupanion Health Insurance
Memberships
- The Honest Dog Breeder - Dog Breeder Society
- Animal Training Academy
- Suzanne Clothier Relationship Cenetered Training Gold Membership
