Born: June 20, 2024 | Male | Current Weight: 90 lbs | Expected Adult Weight: 120-130+ lbs
At Prancing Pony Farm, we believe the source of your livestock guardian dog is the single most important decision determining whether your experience will be a blessing or a curse. Today, we’re delighted to introduce you to Romeo, a young guardian with an engaging personality and impressive working ability from our carefully bred Maremma lineage.
A Foundation Built on Health and Genetics
Romeo’s parents have undergone comprehensive health testing, including PennHip and DNA screening. This investment in genetic health isn’t just an extra precaution—it’s essential to developing dogs who can work effectively for years without being sidelined by preventable genetic conditions.
Currently weighing 90 lbs at just 9 months old, Romeo is projected to reach 120-130+ lbs as an adult—providing an imposing presence that can deter even the boldest predators.
Personality and Character
Romeo has a moderately high energy level balanced with extreme confidence. He likes to roughhouse with other dogs but doesn’t usually direct this behavior towards livestock. What truly sets Romeo apart is his engaging personality and social nature.
He’s very friendly and affectionate, genuinely enjoying this connection with humans—a quality that makes him an effective protector and a joy to work with. Romeo displays impressive maturity with livestock for his age, requiring minimal supervision after initial introduction and acclimation.
A notable personality trait is his curiosity about the world around him. Romeo has earned the nickname “escape artist,” though not in a concerning way—he has learned to open some gate latches and occasionally digs under gates to visit neighboring pastures. He’s not trying to leave the property; he simply has a case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and wants to be part of any action happening nearby. This charming curiosity was perfectly illustrated when he was once spotted peeking in our house window, checking to see what his humans were up to inside!
His training foundation already includes:
- Basic clicker training
- Manding (politely requesting attention)
- Targeting behaviors
- Voluntary eye contact
- Sitting for attention
He walks calmly on a long line and harness and has experienced various environments beyond his home territory. While not crate trained, he’s accustomed to spending time in kennels for feeding. (Our goats like to steal dog food, so we separate the dogs for feeding.)
Livestock Experience
Romeo lives outside full-time with goats, adult Maremmas, and younger Maremma puppies, adjacent to the poultry run. He has also lived with horses and been exposed to mini horses, mini donkeys, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and barn cats—giving him valuable exposure to the varied livestock he may encounter in his working life.
He is generally well-mannered around all farm animals and requires minimal supervision with livestock after initial introduction and acclimation—an impressive achievement for his age.
Social Nature & Adaptability
Romeo has been extensively socialized with children of all ages and gets along well with non-Maremma companion dogs and cats. He’s very social, greeting everyone enthusiastically. His adaptability to new environments is excellent—he’s easy-going, extremely resilient, bold, and brave.
This combination of sociability and confidence creates a well-rounded guardian capable of handling the varied situations that arise on a working farm, from visitors to new animals.
Is Romeo Right for Your Farm?
Romeo is adaptable to any environment but does have two specific needs:
- Secure fencing with good latches on gates due to his curious nature
- Regular human interaction and attention—he would not be happy in a setting where he’s expected to live by himself with only livestock and little human contact
He works best as part of a team but has the confidence to be placed as a solo guardian in the right home. He gets along particularly well with his sister, Willow, and Aspen, another male Maremma he currently lives with..
Reserve Romeo
If you’re interested in bringing Romeo home, we encourage you to contact us to begin the reservation process. Our puppies are in high demand, and we carefully match each one with the right situation to ensure success.
