HOW IT ALL STARTED
We purchased our first Maremma, Marco, in the summer of 2019 after we started to lose our free range chickens to a persistent fox family and hawks. Unfortunately, upon bringing Marco home at 6 months old, we noticed he stood with an odd posture and was slow to rise and lay down. Shortly after, he started making a high pitched noise (like a scream) when he took off running after predators. Marco completed x-rays with our local vet at 9 months old, which showed bilateral hip dysplasia. An orthopedic specialist opined the way his condition presented on x-rays combined with the severity at such a young age, was highly likely to be congenital (genetic) and not from an injury or other environmental factors. Marco completed PennHIP and Provisional OFA at one year old to double check the diagnosis. Both of the evaluations confirmed Marco had hip dysplasia with moderate osteoarthritis already set in as if he was an elderly dog.
As a result, in late 2019, we added two structurally sound and registered Maremmas to our farm: Dam Eureka Sammie June and Sire Benson Ranch Giovane (pronounced Jo-va-nay). Our original Maremma, Marco, was neutered when he turned 18 months to prevent any accidental breedings. Marco remains on modified duty in an attempt to preserve his hips as long as possible. With our Maremmas out patrolling 24/7, we have yet to lose another chicken to predators. They also keep our potbellied pigs, goats, mini cows, and barn cats safe. Our neighbors frequently post on Nextdoor about foxes and coyotes out and about, taking small pets. We rarely see any predators on our property anymore thanks to our wonderful Maremmas acting as deterrents.
Hip Testing
Our experience with Marco fostered a desire to breed better working dogs that were not crippled in pain or reliant on pain relievers for the duration of their lives. In consultation with our vet, we structured our breeding program to have PennHIP completed on all our puppies at 16 weeks old to assure they are homed with healthy hips. Both of Marco's parents were owned by a MSCA Code of Ethics breeder, registered, and had completed OFA hip testing with passing scores, yet Marco and at least one other sibling (from a later litter) have tested positive for hip dysplasia. Hip testing the dam and sire does not mean the puppies will be free from hip dysplasia! Make sure the breeder you choose is forthcoming about this possibility. PennHIP can be done as early as 16 weeks old; research shows PennHIP is a reliable and valid evaluation for dogs at this age and older.
Some breeders will claim hip testing can injure the hips since they need to be placed in a certain position. The research shows this is unlikely; vets are skilled in x-ray procedures and don't yank and pull on the legs, they gently position dogs for the procedure. All vets that perform PennHIP must complete and pass a training on the procedure to become certified. Ask your vet if you can watch one of their x-rays, or at least have them talk through their x-ray process, and confirm for yourself if still uncertain about the safety.
Some breeders also argue that Maremmas are sensitive to anesthesia, which is used for PennHIP. While this might have been an issue several years ago, modern veterinary practice has advanced and there is low (of course never zero) risk in using anesthesia with LGDs. We've talked extensively to our vet and he has indicated that within the last few years anesthesia has come so far that they no longer even worry about using sedation in elderly dogs. If you've had dogs for a while, you know that anesthesia used to be a big "no way" for older dogs due to significant risk for fatality. Don't fall for these unfounded arguments from breeders. We are more than willing to provide you with published research on the safety of hip testing. We would never intentionally place our dogs in unsafe or compromising positions. We have read everything we can get our hands on to make informed decisions based on science.