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Maremma FAQ
Click on one of the questions below and the answer will be displayed in the right hand panel.
  1. How do you pronounce the name?
  2. How long do Maremmas live?
  3. Do Maremmas bark?
  4. Are there any books on the breed?
  5. Where can I get a puppy?
  6. Should I get a dog or a bitch?
  7. Do Maremmas get on well with children?
  8. Do Maremmas get on well with other animals?
  9. How do I stop my puppy mouthing my hands?
  10. What do you mean by making sure your Maremma is "properly introduced" to strangers?
  11. My Maremma is challenging me. What do I do?
  12. My Maremma growled at me. Is he becoming vicious?
  13. Would you recommend the Maremma as a family companion dog?
  14. Do Maremmas make good house dogs?
  15. I have a problem with my Maremma. What can I do?
  16. Do Maremmas have recall problems?
  17. I have heard that Maremmas are aggressive. Is this true?

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My Maremma growled at me. Is he becoming vicious?

Not very likely. Growling is a form of communication that tells you that the dog is uncomfortable with something. A dog that growls is not immediately dangerous: it is warning you that it is uncomfortable, or frightened or hurt in the only way it can. (The most dangerous kind of dog is the one that learns not to growl, that attacks first and asks questions later.) If your dog growls you need to identify the cause: what is he trying to tell you? Then try to remove the cause. For example, if your dog growls at you when you approach his food, he is warning you that he is concerned you are going to take his food. You can remove this fear in different ways, for example, by approaching many times and not taking the food, by taking the food and then giving it back, by approaching and giving more food or by replacing the food with something even better! In any of these ways he learns that your presence is not a threat to his food (an important resource to him). Which of these approaches you take will depend on the situation. With a young dog or puppy, picking up the food and then giving it back teaches the dog that you are able to take its food which is important if, for example, he picks up something you don't want him to eat on a walk. Doing the same with a dog you don't know (for example, a new rescue) could be dangerous. So learn to read your dog and work up to things that are more challenging gradually.

"If you want obedience and submission, keep away from our breed, but if you appreciate friendship given and received, a trace of humour, and much teaching of the lore of the Wild..."
Don Tommaso Corsini

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Last updated August 2006