Last Updated on March 25, 2026 by Kim Crawmer, KPA CTP, LFDM
The Smartest Thing You Can Do Today Doesn't Require Being Ready for a Dog
Most people wait until they're ready to start looking. That's exactly why they end up waiting even longer.
Already Know What You Want and Ready to Move Forward Now?
This page is written for the families who know a Prancing Pony Farm Maremma is in their future — but aren’t quite ready to bring one home yet. If that’s you, keep reading.
But if you’re ready to move forward now and want to see what’s currently available, you’re in the right program — just a different page:
If you’d like to talk through your options first, the consultation call is always the right starting point, regardless of your timeline.
Here’s something I see over and over: someone spends months — sometimes over a year — researching Maremmas, learning about LGDs, watching our program from a distance. They follow along, they read everything, they get excited. And then when they’re finally ready to move forward, they discover the wait has already started without them.
Puppies from our program are often reserved months before they’re born. Adolescents and adults go to families already on our list before they’re ever publicly posted. The families who bring home the best matches aren’t the ones who acted fastest when urgency hit — they’re the ones who positioned themselves early, before they needed to.
That’s what the Master Reservation List is for. It’s not for people who are ready right now. It’s specifically designed for people who aren’t — but know they will be.
Join the Master Reservation List — $500, Applied Toward Your Purchase →
What the Master Reservation List Actually Is
The Master Reservation List is our primary waiting list for families who want a Prancing Pony Farm Maremma but aren’t tied to a specific litter or timeline yet.
A $500 reservation fee secures your place in chronological order. You’re not committing to a specific dog, a specific litter, or a specific date. You’re simply making sure that when the right dog becomes available — whether that’s a puppy from a planned litter, an adolescent with a head start, or a proven adult — you’re at the front of the line.
Here’s what your $500 gets you:
- Your chronological place in line — reservations are fulfilled strictly in the order they’re received
- First access when new litters are announced, before spots are opened to the public
- First access to adolescents and adults as they become available, often before they’re ever listed publicly
- The ability to pass on a litter that doesn’t fit your timing without losing your place — just move to the next one
- Full flexibility to transfer your reservation to any age category if your needs change
- Ongoing access to me personally as you prepare — questions, guidance, and coaching while you’re getting your farm, fencing, and setup ready, not just after your dog comes home
- Early access to our upcoming membership community for Prancing Pony Farm clients — once launched, Master Reservation List families will have access before their dog even comes home
- Your $500 applied directly toward your purchase price — it’s not a fee, it’s a down payment
- No expiration — your reservation holds until you find the right dog
There are no soft holds, no “keep me in mind,” and no informal spots. The list is chronological and fair. The families who are on it get the first conversations. Everyone else waits.
It’s Not Just a Spot in Line — It’s the Start of Our Relationship
Here’s something that gets lost when people think of a reservation list purely as a queue: getting on the Master Reservation List doesn’t just secure your place for a dog. It starts our working relationship now, while you still have time to prepare.
Most of the families who struggle in their first year with an LGD aren’t struggling because they got a bad dog. They’re struggling because they weren’t ready when the dog arrived. The fencing wasn’t right. The livestock integration plan wasn’t thought through. The family didn’t have a shared understanding of how to handle a giant, independent-minded livestock guardian dog in the adolescent phase.
The families who thrive are the ones who spent their waiting period actually preparing — and who had someone to help them do it.
When you’re on the Master Reservation List, I’m available to you. That means real conversations about your specific setup, your specific livestock, your specific challenges — before your dog ever sets foot on your property. You’re not waiting in a vacuum. You’re preparing with support.
And there’s more coming. I’m currently building a dedicated membership community for Prancing Pony Farm clients. It will include training resources, guidance, community support, and direct access to me in a structured format. Once it launches, Master Reservation List families will have access — even before their dog comes home. You won’t have to wait until pickup day to start getting the full benefit of working with a breeder who is also a certified professional trainer.
The reservation isn’t just a financial hold. It’s your entry point into a program that’s designed to set you up for success long before your dog arrives.
Why Now Is the Right Time — Even If You’re Not Ready
Let me be honest about something: the vast majority of people who contact me about our program aren’t ready to bring a dog home within the next few weeks. That’s completely normal. Planning ahead is smart. Maremmas are a significant investment and a long-term commitment — it makes sense to take your time.
But “not ready to bring a dog home yet” and “not ready to reserve your spot” are two very different things.
Here’s the reality of our program’s timeline:
For puppies
Most families wait several months from the time they reserve to the time they bring their puppy home. We plan litters carefully, but nature has her own schedule. When a litter is announced, Master List families are contacted in order, and spots fill quickly. If you’re not already on the list when that call goes out, you’re starting over.
For adolescents and adults
These dogs become available when circumstances shift in our program — a retirement decision, a breeding program change, a dog whose development path opened the perfect placement opportunity. There’s no predictable schedule. When one of these dogs becomes available, it goes to the person at the top of the Master List. By the time it might be publicly posted, it’s usually already placed.
The families who get the best matches aren’t lucky. They planned ahead.
Real Families Who Got It Right
Payton’s Story
Payton needed two dogs, knew her timeline was flexible, and wasn’t in a rush. So instead of waiting until she was urgently ready, she reserved two spots on the Master List months before she actually needed the dogs. 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.
She wasn’t lucky. She was positioned.
Noelle, Romeo, and Pele
Another client reserved two spots for older 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 match existed because she was already in line when it happened.
These stories aren’t unusual. They’re what the Master Reservation List is designed to produce.
How It Works — Step by Step
Step 1: Get to know our program and the breed. If you’re new here, start by joining our email list. You’ll receive our free Maremma Buyer’s Guide, an email series covering what separates successful LGD programs from failures, real client stories, our breeding philosophy, and weekly practical LGD tips. This gives you the foundation to make a confident decision and have a productive conversation when we connect.
Get the Buyer’s Guide & Learn About Our Program →
Step 2: Apply and book your free consultation call. When you’re ready to take the next step, one form handles everything — your application gives me the background I need, and you’ll book your consultation call right then and there. The call is where we talk through your farm, your livestock, your timeline, and what you’re looking for. I’ll come prepared, having already reviewed your application, so we can skip the basics and get straight to what matters.
Apply & Book My Free Discovery Call →
Step 3: Pay the $500 reservation fee. Once we’ve connected and confirmed it’s a good mutual fit, you pay the $500 per dog non-refundable reservation fee through HoneyBook. This secures your chronological place on the Master Reservation List.
Step 4: Receive confirmation of your place. You’ll receive confirmation of your position on the list. You’re welcome to check in on your status at any time and ask all the questions you have as you plan for the happy day when you’ll bring home your Prancing Pony Maremmas.
Step 5: We contact you when a match exists. When a litter is announced that fits your preferences, you’ll be among the first to know — before it’s opened to the public. For adolescents and adults, you’ll hear from me when the right dog becomes available, before anyone else knows it’s happening.
Step 6: Choose to move forward or stay on the list. If the timing or the specific litter isn’t right, you can pass and stay in your place for the next opportunity. There’s no penalty for passing on a litter that doesn’t work for you.
Step 7: When you’re ready to commit to a specific dog or litter, your $500 reservation fee transfers seamlessly and applies toward your purchase.
What the Master Reservation List Is NOT
It’s not a guarantee of a specific dog or timeline. I genuinely cannot predict when the right match will exist for you. It could be a few months. It could be longer. This works well for people with flexibility. It is not the right fit for people with a hard deadline.
It’s not a casual “keep me in mind.” We don’t do informal holds or soft reservations. Your place is only secured when the fee is paid.
It’s not an extra cost. Your $500 is applied directly toward your purchase price — it reflects the time, guidance, and personal investment that goes into every family from day one.
It’s not a commitment to a specific dog. You have full flexibility to pass on litters or dogs that aren’t the right fit, and to transfer your reservation between age categories if your situation changes.
It’s not something you can do at the last minute. By the time urgency arrives, the families who planned ahead are already in line. The list works for people who act before they need to, not after.
Why Families Choose Prancing Pony Farm
- MSCA Code of Ethics Breeder
- Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP)
- Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LEGS Applied Ethology)
- Over 200 Maremmas placed in working and companion homes
- Health-tested breeding program with two-year guarantee
- Lifetime breeder and trainer support included with every dog
The One Thing I Wish Every Family Understood
The most common version of regret I hear from families in our program sounds something like this: “I wish I’d gotten on the list sooner.”
Not because they had a bad experience. Not because something went wrong. Just because they spent months watching from the sidelines, learning about our program, knowing they wanted a Prancing Pony Farm Maremma — and not realizing that every month they waited was a month they could have already been in line, already in a relationship with me, already preparing.
You don’t need to be ready for a dog to be ready to reserve your spot. Those are two different decisions with two different timelines. The reservation is the easy one. Make it now, while the timing feels right, before urgency changes the equation.
Honest Answers to Real Questions
How long will I wait?
It depends on your preferences and our breeding schedule. Families who are flexible on timing, age, and gender tend to get matched faster. Families with very specific requirements may wait longer. Most families wait somewhere between a few months and a year. I’ll give you an honest estimate based on your specific situation on our call.
What if I end up wanting a different age than I thought?
No problem. Your reservation can be transferred between age categories at our discretion. If you reserve thinking you want a puppy and later decide an adolescent or adult is a better fit — or vice versa — we can work with that.
What if none of the puppies in a litter are a good fit for my situation?
You can pass on the litter and stay in your place on the Master List for the next one. There’s no penalty for this, and your position is maintained.
What if I change my mind entirely and decide not to get a Maremma?
The reservation fee is non-refundable. This is intentional — it reflects a mutual commitment and covers the significant time I invest in each family through our consultation process and ongoing communication while they’re on the list. It’s not a fee I take lightly, and it’s not one I waive.
Can I specify gender, bloodlines, or other traits?
Yes, and I’ll take your preferences into account. Just know that more specific requirements generally mean a longer wait.
Do I need to be approved before I can reserve?
Yes. The application and consultation call come first. The Master Reservation List is for families we’ve connected with and confirmed are a good fit — not an open signup.
What if I'm interested in a companion placement rather than a working LGD?
Every Prancing Pony Farm Maremma is raised to succeed in any home — working farm, hobby farm, or companion setting. The difference isn’t the dog. It’s having an owner who understands the breed, accepts them for who they are, and has the right support system in place. That’s exactly what our program provides — I’ve placed Maremmas as companions and lived it firsthand as a companion Maremma owner myself. If a companion placement is your wish, make sure to mention it in your application so we can talk through it on your call.
When do I get access to the membership community?
Once the membership launches, all families with an active Master Reservation List reservation will receive access — even if your dog hasn’t come home yet. We’ll notify you when it’s ready.
Ready to Reserve Your Spot?
Before paying your reservation fee, please make sure you’ve completed our Maremma application and had a chance to connect with me through a free Maremma Discovery Call. Reservations are most successful when we’ve already had a real conversation about your property, your animals, your family, and your goals — that’s what makes the matching process work.
Apply for a Maremma/Book a call →
If we’ve already connected and you’re ready to move forward, you can pay your reservation fee directly here:
