Last Updated on October 7, 2026 by Kim Crawmer, KPA CTP, LFDM
Special Placement Maremmas
Every dog on this page has a story. Finding the right home is the priority.
Looking for a different age range or a regular placement dog?
Every once in a while, a dog comes through our program that doesn't fit the usual mold.
Maybe they have a minor health issue that won't affect their quality of life. Maybe they've retired from our breeding program or are a bit older, but still have plenty of good years left. Maybe they do best with a specific type of livestock, or they came back to us through our lifetime return policy and are ready for a fresh start.
These dogs aren't broken. They're not rejects. They're just dogs with a particular story — and they deserve a home that understands that story and is genuinely the right fit for it.
I still charge a placement fee for these dogs. It's not the same as a puppy or a fully mature adult in their prime years, but there is an adoption fee, because a zero-fee adoption would attract the wrong kind of interest, and these dogs deserve better than that.
Why I Place These Dogs Instead of Keeping Them
Honestly? I keep a lot of them. Some dogs retire here and live out their days on the farm, and I wouldn't have it any other way — even when that means carrying the expense of a dog who isn't working anymore.
But here's the thing: when a dog stays here, they're one of many. They're cared for, they're safe, and they're loved — but they don't get the kind of individual attention that a dog gets when they're your dog. The one you notice first in the morning. The one who follows you around. The one the whole household knows by name.
These dogs deserve the chance to have that. To still do their job at whatever level they're capable of. To be someone's favorite. The right person for one of these dogs isn't settling — they're getting something genuinely valuable that just comes packaged a little differently than a puppy. My job is to find that person.
Who These Dogs Are For
There's no single profile for the right home here — it truly depends on the dog. Each dog I place in this category has different strengths, different needs, and a different ideal situation.
What I'm looking for across the board:
- Someone who has read the dog's full story and isn't trying to work around it
- A home where the dog's specific limitations won't become problems
- An owner who asks good questions, not just "how much?"
- Someone who wants this dog — not just a cheaper Maremma
If you're primarily motivated by the reduced fee, this probably isn't the right fit. If you're genuinely open to a dog with a particular situation and you think your farm or home might be exactly what they need, I'd love to talk.
A placement fee applies to each dog and is listed on their individual profile. Payment is processed by credit or debit card through our secure website.
What "Special Placement" Means
Every dog is different, but here are the kinds of situations that might bring a dog to this page:
Age — A dog who is seven, eight, or nine years old may still be working and healthy, but they're not at the beginning of their career. The right home understands that and values what an older dog brings: settled temperament, proven instincts, and zero guesswork about who they are.
Minor health considerations — Something that doesn't affect day-to-day life but is worth knowing about. I'll always be fully transparent about what it is and what it means.
Specific livestock compatibility — Some dogs do beautifully with larger livestock, like horses or cattle, but haven't had the right experience with smaller livestock or poultry, or vice versa. That's not a flaw — it's just a detail that matters for placement.
Specific pairing needs — Some dogs thrive with the right partner and struggle with the wrong one. I'll tell you exactly what I know about what works for them.
Returned dogs — Occasionally, a dog comes back to us through our lifetime return policy — not because anything is wrong with them, but because life happens: divorce, illness, sold farms, long-distance moves. These dogs are fully evaluated before being placed again, more carefully than other dogs. They deserve for their second home to be forever and exactly right.
Every Maremma Comes With Me — and a Whole Community
From the day you reserve, you get lifetime one-on-one support: texts, calls, and the same consult calls my training clients pay $100 an hour for, free, for the life of your dog. You also get the Maremmas Made Easy membership, with live group Q&A calls, replays, a growing resource library, and a community of owners who understand your dog.
Currently Available
This section is updated as dogs become available. Don't see what you're looking for? Check back or get on my email list — special placements are announced there first.
No dogs listed right now? That's actually normal — these placements are relatively rare, and they tend to move quickly when they do come up. However, we may have dogs we haven't listed yet so If you're interested in adopting a Maremma contact us to discuss options.
Prancing Pony Carina
Female | Born September 23, 2025 | Maremma Sheepdog | MSCA Registered
Sire: Benson Ranch Pax | Dam: Prancing Pony Parma
Carina is the puppy with purple markings in photos and videos
Placement Fee: $2,500
A sound dog of Carina's age, training, and background would be $4,000. This price reflects her hip health, not her value as a working dog.
Carina was one of our most anticipated keeper prospects. Her parents — Benson Ranch Pax and Prancing Pony Parma — have some of the best hip scores in our program. Pax scored a DI of R 0.28/L 0.28 with no arthritis. Parma scored a DI of R 0.29/L 0.28 with no arthritis and an OFA Good on traditional hip evaluation. We kept Carina because we believed in her, and we still do.
When we PennHIP tested her at 12 months, she didn't pass. She has hip dysplasia, with mild arthritis confirmed in her left hip. Her right hip is clean.
We're sharing this openly because that's what responsible breeding looks like. Hip dysplasia can happen even from parents with outstanding hips — it's a complex genetic condition that doesn't follow simple math. Breeders who tell you it can never happen in their lines are either not testing or not being honest with you. We test every dog we plan to breed, and we tell you the truth about what we find.
Her parents' full health testing results are available for review on their profile pages. Carina's complete PennHIP report will be shared with serious applicants.
What this means for her:
Carina moves well and works well right now. You would not look at her and know anything was different. But her left hip has early arthritis, and her overall laxity puts her at moderate risk for progression over time. That means she needs a thoughtful placement: flat terrain, a manageable job, and an owner who understands she may need veterinary monitoring and potentially some management as she ages. She is not the right dog for steep, rugged terrain or an extremely demanding working environment. In the right home, she has every chance at a long, productive, comfortable life.
Who she is:
Carina has been living and working fulltime with goats since she was a tiny puppy. She's gentle, attentive, and does her job well. She's been around horses and has been side-by-side with poultry — chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and guineas — since she was young. She's also been socialized with cats. She's friendly with people, easy with other dogs including other females, and adaptable across a range of pairings. She still has the playfulness of a young dog, which makes her a good match for a dog slightly younger or close to her age, as well as young adults. She's growing into a steady, confident guardian.
One more thing worth mentioning: Carina has a beautiful coat. Short, smooth, and sleek — the kind that sheds out cleanly in summer rather than staying thick and woolly year-round. Her grooming requirements are minimal. If you live somewhere hot or deal with foxtails, this kind of coat matters more than people realize. It was one of the things I loved most about her before we got her results back, and it still is.
She's been extensively socialized with children since she was a tiny pup. She's an easy, sweet dog who happens to have one hip that didn't develop the way we hoped.
What you're getting:
Everything that comes with a Prancing Pony Farm dog — the socialization, the livestock development from puppyhood, MSCA registration, and lifetime support from a certified trainer and licensed Family Dog Mediator. The price reflects her health picture. The dog and the support behind her do not change.
If you think your home could be the right fit for her, I'd love to talk.
How to Express Interest
If you see a dog listed here who you think might be a fit, reach out through the application. Tell me a little about your situation — your livestock, your property, any dogs you already have — and we'll go from there.
I handle these placements the same way I handle all of my placements: with a real conversation, honest information, and a genuine attempt to find the right match. The fee is different. The process isn't.
Not what you're looking for?
If you're interested in a puppy, adolescent, or a fully trained adult in their prime, those are listed on separate pages. Or if you're just starting to explore whether a Maremma is right for your situation, the best first step is getting on my email list.
Learn About Available Puppies →
Interested in Adopting a Dog?
The best next step is a conversation. Tell me a little about your farm, your livestock, and what draws you to this particular dog — and we'll figure out together whether it's the right fit for both of you.
No dog listed right now? Get on the email list and you'll hear about special placements before they're publicly posted.
