Last week I said goodbye to the last puppy from Cameo’s litter, and this week I’ve been smiling every time my phone buzzes.
Her name is Millie — named by a little boy who wanted to call her Silly Millie — and she went home with Sara and her family to their new country property in California. It’s a beautiful piece of land with a lot of wildlife, a Labrador who’s so white people might think he’s a short-haired Maremma — and one very excited young boy who apparently has already decided that chasing and being chased by Millie is the world’s greatest game.
Sara drove seven hours to pick her up, staying overnight in a nearby hotel and driving back home the next day. Millie did not love the crate. She barked, she pawed at the windows, she made her feelings abundantly clear. So Sara pulled over at a gas station, moved Millie to the front seat, and that was that. Millie curled up and went to sleep.
I don’t know why that detail delights me so much, but it does. That’s a Maremma. She decided the front seat was where she belonged, and she was right.
Silly Millie, loving her new life as a companion Maremma
Why This Maremma Sheepdog Companion Placement Means So Much to Me
Sara’s family doesn’t have livestock. They have a young son, a gorgeous property, a lot of wildlife in the area, and plans — someday, for maybe some chickens or goats — but right now, Millie’s job is to be a buddy and protector. To run through the property with a kid who loves to explore. To grow up alongside a boy who already adores her. To be a devoted guardian for a family, not a herd or flock.
Ten years ago, I would have said no to this family. Not because I didn’t like them. Not because I thought they’d be bad dog owners. But because I had been taught — and I believed — that Maremmas should only go to working homes with livestock.
Prancing Pony Mushroom loves the Chicago Public Library
What I’ve Learned About Maremma Sheepdogs as Companion Dogs
When I finally started accepting companion placements — carefully, selectively, honestly — I discovered something that has reshaped how I think about this breed entirely. These dogs don’t need a flock of sheep to be complete. They need their flock. And in the right home, that flock can be a human family.
I have a Prancing Pony Farm Maremma named Mushroom, born in 2020, who is a certified therapy dog, lives in a Chicago penthouse, goes to the public library with her family, and regularly swims in Lake Michigan. Mushroom was my first companion placement and her family’s first dog ever. Her placement broke all the rules of what a “proper home” for a Maremma looks like, and she has been one of the most successful placements in my 10+ years of breeding Maremmas.
I have Caia in Hawaii who goes to the beach, hikes to rivers, has regular playdates with all her dog friends and is beloved by what seems like half the island. She’s also her family’s first dog ever. So much for the myth that only experienced people can succeed with these dogs as pets.
I have Tom’s dog Jimmy, living his best life with a golden retriever named Gidget in Southern California: going on daily walks in the neighborhood, hogging the couch from Tom (I told him he needs a bigger couch!), and waiting patiently for his daily taquito and oatmeal. (Not at the same time.)
And I have Titus, my own companion Maremma. I gave Titus as a wedding gift to my youngest daughter and her husband, Joshua, in 2020. He lived happily at Camp Pendleton Marine base from 5 months to two years with them and their boxer, Emmett. He went on walks on the base, to the dog park, and on playdates with other dogs. He was very happy as a companion dog.
In late 2022, Titus came back to live with me when the Marines sent the family to North Carolina. Rather than returning him to goat duty, I decided he would become my own companion dog. (I had really been looking for an “excuse” to have one “house Maremma,” and here it was. 😆) Other than all the white fluff everywhere, there really are no drawbacks to having a Maremma in the house. Titus happily lives with our boxer, shih tzu, and cocker spaniel. I call him their bodyguard. He adores my grandchildren and guards them through the night when they have sleepovers, planted in front of their bed like a white furry angel.
None of these Maremmas have livestock to guard. They were all raised with my goats and other animals until they went to their new homes. None of them misses the farm. All of them are thriving. They have everything they need – important work to do and people who love and understand them and are devoted to meeting their needs. Maremmas don’t need goats and chickens to fulfill their instinct to protect. They will happily use that same nature to guard their human family and other pets. That’s not a lesser job. It’s equally important. Maybe even more important if their job includes guarding children.
Can a Maremma Sheepdog Be a Pet? Here’s the Full Answer
The full story — including what actually makes a companion Maremma succeed, the myth about “failed LGDs,” and the honest list of what this placement requires — is on my new companion dog page. I’ve been wanting to write this page for a long time, and I’m really proud of it.
Is a Companion Maremma Sheepdog Right for Your Family?
If you’ve been curious about this breed but don’t have livestock — or you’re not sure yet what your future looks like — I want to hear from you. Not every situation is the right fit, and I’ll be honest with you about that. But I’ve learned that the right companion home is just as deserving of one of my dogs as the right working home.
If that sounds like it might be you, let’s talk. A Discovery Call is the best next step — it’s a real conversation, not a sales pitch, and we’ll both know pretty quickly if this could work.
Your Best Next Step Is a Conversation, Not Another Article.
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