Most breeders only have puppies. Having adolescents and adults available at all is uncommon. Having them at multiple ages, with honest and detailed assessments of each dog’s actual working ability and temperament? That’s rarer still.

Understanding LGD Maturity Levels

Not all “older dogs” are created equal. Here’s what you need to know about the different life stages:

Adolescent LGDs (6-24 months)

What “Adolescent” Really Means:

Adolescent LGDs are past the young puppy phase but haven’t reached full maturity yet. Think of them like teenage humans—they’ve learned a lot, but they’re still growing, developing, and making the occasional questionable decision.

What They HAVE Accomplished:

• ✓ Basic livestock socialization and appropriate behaviors
• ✓ Significant size and physical presence (deterrent value)
• ✓ Understanding of their livestock guardian role
• ✓ Past the most intensive puppy training phase
• ✓ Developing good instincts and decision-making

What They’re STILL Developing:

• ⚠ Full physical and mental maturity (continues until 2-3 years)
• ⚠ Consistent judgment in all situations
• ⚠ Complete impulse control
• ⚠ Refined livestock guarding behaviors
• ⚠ Deep bonding with specific livestock

The Adolescent Advantage:

Adolescents offer a middle ground between puppies and adults. You’re getting a dog who’s already partway through the training process—they understand the basics of being an LGD and have some real-world experience. This dramatically shortens your timeline compared to starting with a 12-week-old puppy.

However, you still need to invest time in their continued development. Most are not 100% ready to work unsupervised like a mature adult. They’ll need guidance, supervision, and patience as they finish maturing over the next 6-24 or so months. (Every dog is unique, with some maturing sooner and some needing a bit more time than even the 24-month mark.

Best For:

• Situations needing faster results than puppies, but with time for development
• Farms that can provide supervision during the transition period
• Buyers wanting to influence the final stages of training
• Those seeking a balance between cost and readiness

Adult LGDs (2+ years)

What “Adult” Really Means:

*Adult LGDs have reached physical and mental maturity. Their personality is fully formed, their judgment is established, and their working style is consistent. What you see is what you get.

What They Bring to Your Farm:

• ✓ Fully developed temperament—no surprises
• ✓ Proven track record with livestock
• ✓ Mature decision-making and judgment
• ✓ Established working patterns and behaviors
• ✓ Ability to start working effectively immediately
• ✓ Years of real-world experience

What You’re Skipping:

• Skip the entire puppy phase (8-12 months)
• Skip the adolescent development period (12-24 months)
• Skip 2+ years of training, supervision, and uncertainty
• Get immediate protection instead of waiting

The Adult Advantage:

Adult LGDs are as close to ready to go to work as livestock guardian dogs get. They know their job, they’ve done it before, and they can generally start protecting your livestock from day one. Their temperament is proven, their skills are established, and you know exactly what you’re getting.

However, all adults are different, and some mature slightly later than others. They may have established habits (good or bad), and they’ll need time to bond with new livestock and adjust to a new property. Every dog transitions differently.

Best For:

• Farms needing immediate protection
• First-time LGD owners who want predictability
• Situations where waiting 2+ years isn’t practical
• Owners who prefer skipping the puppy/adolescent phases
• Experienced handlers who can manage the transition period

How We Match Dogs With Perfect Homes

We believe successful placements start with understanding both the dog’s needs and your situation. Here’s how we ensure the perfect match:

1. Get to Know the Dogs Browse our available LGDs below to see who might be a good fit for your farm and family.

2. Start the Conversation Complete our Maremma contact form or schedule a call to discuss your specific needs and situation.

3. The Perfect Match We’ll provide detailed information about any dogs that align with your requirements, including full behavioral assessments and transition plans.

4. Ongoing Support Every adult Maremma comes with complete health records, personalized integration support, and our lifetime commitment to your success.

What’s Included:

• Complete health records and veterinary care
• Thorough behavioral and working assessment
• Personalized transition and integration plan
• Lifetime training support and guidance

Comparing Your Options: At a Glance

Which Maturity Level is Right for You?

Choose an Adolescent LGD if:

• You want faster results than a puppy, but can invest 6-18 months in continued development
• You have some dog or LGD experience to guide their maturation
• You want to influence the final stages of their training and bonding
• You’re comfortable with some teenage unpredictability
• Your timeline is “this year” rather than “right now.”
• You want a balance between cost and readiness

Choose an Adult LGD if:

• You need livestock protection immediately, not eventually
• You prefer knowing exactly what you’re getting—no development surprises
• You want to skip the entire puppy and adolescent process
• You have predator pressure that requires an experienced dog now
• You’re a first-time LGD owner wanting maximum predictability
• Your farm can’t accommodate the supervision needs of a developing dog

Choose a Young Puppy if: (see available puppies)

• You have 18-24 months to invest in training and development
• You want maximum bonding time with your LGD from the start
• You have specific livestock that need early, extensive socialization
• You want to shape every aspect of the dog’s development
• Your predator pressure is manageable while waiting for maturity

Still not sure? That’s exactly what our consultation is for. We’ll discuss your specific situation, experience level, timeline, and livestock needs to help you determine which maturity level makes the most sense for your farm.

Setting Realistic Expectations

For Adolescent Dogs:

Adolescents aren’t “almost done”—they’re in the messy middle. Here’s what to expect:

Months 1-3 on your farm:

• Adjustment period while they learn your property and livestock
• Potential boundary testing as they settle in
• Need for supervision and guidance
• Building trust and bonding

Months 3-12 on your farm:

• Continued maturation of judgment and impulse control
• Refinement of guarding behaviors
• Increasing reliability and consistency
• Growing confidence in their role

12+ months on your farm:

• Full maturity is achieved (usually by 2-3 years old)
• Established working patterns
• Reliable, consistent livestock guardian behaviors
• Deep bond with livestock

For Adult Dogs:

Adults can work immediately, but they still need transition time:

Weeks 1-4 on your farm:

• Learning property boundaries and livestock
• Getting comfortable with new people
• Establishing new routines
• Building trust with you and animals
• Some adjustment behaviors are normal

Months 2-6 on your farm:

• Settling into consistent patterns
• Full bonding with livestock
• Bonding with new owners
• Reliable protection behaviors
• Integration complete

Looking for Something You Don’t See Here?

The dogs featured on this page represent just a portion of the Maremmas in our program. From time to time, we have additional adult and adolescent dogs that may become available — dogs we’re considering retiring from our breeding program, dogs transitioning from one role to another, or dogs whose specific personality and needs call for a very particular type of home.

We don’t always list every dog publicly, and that’s intentional.

Every dog in our program has a unique history, temperament, and set of strengths. Some dogs thrive in situations that others wouldn’t — and vice versa. Rather than posting a lineup and hoping for the best, we prefer to have a real conversation with you about your farm, your family, your livestock, and your experience level first. That way, if we do have a dog who would be an exceptional fit for your situation, we can tell you about her (or him) with the full context you need to make a great decision — and we can share the details that matter most in a direct, honest conversation rather than a public listing.

What makes these placements different from puppies:

A puppy is a blank slate — adaptable, eager, and ready to grow into whatever life you give them. An older dog comes with a history. That history is an advantage in many ways (you know exactly what you’re getting), but it also means these dogs need a home that understands and respects where they’ve been. They may need a thoughtful transition period. They may have preferences about other animals, living arrangements, or routines. None of this is a problem — it just means the right match matters even more.

That’s exactly why we handle these placements through personal conversation rather than public listings. We want to set both you and the dog up for success.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for:

Fill out our Maremma application and let us know you’re interested in an older dog. Tell us about your farm setup, your experience with LGDs, what species you need protected, and what you’re hoping an adult Maremma will bring to your life. We’ll review your application and reach out to discuss whether we have — or may soon have — a dog who’s the right match for your specific situation.

Not sure whether a puppy or an older dog is right for you? We’re happy to help you figure that out.

Book a Free Maremma Discovery Call and let’s talk about your situation.

Here’s something worth understanding about how older dog availability actually works. Puppies are predictable — litters are planned, timelines are relatively consistent, and you can position yourself months in advance with reasonable confidence. Adolescents and adults don’t work that way. A dog becomes available when circumstances shift: a breeding program evolves, a retirement decision gets made, the right home finally exists for a dog I wasn’t sure when I’d place. You can’t plan for that the same way. Which means if you want to be positioned when it happens, you have to already be in line.

Most of the time, when a dog becomes available, it goes to someone on the Priority List before it’s ever publicly posted. If you’re not on that list, you may never know the dog existed.

How It Works: Reserving a Spot for a Dog You Haven’t Met Yet

The same $500 reservation that holds your place on the puppy waiting list can also reserve a spot for a yet-to-be-determined adolescent or adult. (Or better yet, a bonded pair.) You’re not reserving a specific dog — you’re reserving your place at the front of the line when the right dog becomes available.

One client did exactly this. She needed two dogs, knew her timeline was flexible, and reserved two spots months before she actually needed them. When a mother-daughter pair became available — including a breeding dog I had recently decided to retire— she got the first call. By the time anyone else knew those dogs were available, she had already said yes.

Another client reserved two older and TBD dogs months before she needed them. She eventually brought home, Romeo and pele, a one-year old brother and sister pair that was absolutely perfect for her new farm.

That’s what being on the Priority List looks like in practice.

Important things to know before you decide:

There’s no timeline guarantee. I genuinely cannot predict when the right dog will become available — it could be weeks, or it could be many months. This works well for people with flexibility. It doesn’t work well for people with a hard deadline.

If a dog is offered to you and you pass, the offer goes to the next person immediately. The reservation holds your place in line, not your access to any specific dog indefinitely.

The reservation fee is non-refundable, but it can transfer to a puppy if you decide to go that route instead.

This works best when you’re open on the specifics — age range, gender, working history. The narrower your wish list, the longer and more frustrating the wait tends to be.

If this sounds like the right fit for your situation, reach out and we can talk through whether the Priority List makes sense for you.

Contact Kim About the Priority List

How Older Dog Placement Works

1. Browse & Learn
Review available dogs and understand where each one is in their development journey.

2. Review Individual Profiles
Click through to detailed pages with complete information, photos, videos, and health records.

3. Self-Assessment
Consider your experience level, timeline needs, and capacity for continued development (if choosing adolescent).

4. Contact for Consultation
Reach out to discuss your specific situation. We’ll be honest about whether each dog matches your needs.

5. Visit or Phone Call (optional)
Meet the dog, see them working, and ask detailed questions about their personality and behaviors.

6. Plan the Transition
If it’s the right fit, we’ll coordinate bringing your new LGD home and setting everyone up for success.

Common Questions About Older Dogs

“Are older dogs harder to transition than puppies?”

Different, not necessarily harder. Adolescents and adults have established personalities and habits, which means less flexibility but more predictability. Puppies are blank slates but require 2+ years of supervision and training. It’s a trade-off.

“Why are these older dogs available?”

Various reasons: We usually have a few pups or dogs from our litters that remain in training past the puppy stage. Some may have been returned due to their owners’ life circumstances. (Sold farms, divorce, illness, etc.)  Some may have been breeding candidates that we decide to sell, and some may be breeding dogs we are retiring. Each dog’s story is explained on their individual page.

“Will an older dog bond with my livestock?”

Yes, absolutely. LGDs are bred to bond with whatever living beings they’re raised with or introduced to properly. (This includes humans and family pets.) The bonding process with an older dog just looks different.

“How long before an adolescent is ‘done’ maturing?”

Most Maremmas reach full physical and mental maturity between 2-3 years old. (Some mature sooner.) A 12-month-old adolescent generally has another 12-18 months of development ahead. A 6-month-old needs 18-24+ months.

“Can first-time LGD owners handle an adolescent?”

It depends on your experience and willingness to learn. Adolescents require more nuanced handling than adults but less intensive work than puppies. We’ll be honest in our consultation about whether we think you’re set up for success.

Ready to Learn More?

The best next step is a conversation about your farm, your experience, your timeline, and what you’re really looking for in an LGD. We can discuss any of the available dogs and help you determine which maturity level makes sense for your situation.

📞 Book a Call
📋 Detailed Inquiry

We’d rather have an honest conversation now than a mismatched placement later. Let’s make sure we find the right fit for both you and the dog.

🚨 IMPORTANT: PAYMENT TIMELINE

We usually have multiple people interested in our dogs at the same time. When you request to reserve a dog, I send you an invoice immediately and hold the dog for 24 hours as a courtesy.

You must complete payment within 24 hours to secure the dog.

If payment isn’t received within 24 hours, the reservation is automatically cancelled, and the dog becomes available to other buyers.

This policy ensures fairness and keeps dogs from sitting in limbo. Please pay promptly when you receive your invoice.