I saw the Maremma pup yesterday! So much to tell you I don't know where to start! Long story short, I will be bringing him home on Saturday; I'll be fostering for a few weeks and then make the official decision after that. The reason for that being because he was a little more energetic than I was expecting. I am sure that will mellow out after he gets away from the high energy shelter, but just to be sure. He did mellow out when it was just me and him though.
I spent almost 2 hours with him. We were told that when we were in the little room (in the pictures) he would not come near us at all. We spent probably 45 minutes in there just standing there not facing him or looking at him. Within a few minutes, he had already sniffed my brother. After that, he came over and sniffed my hand. I had the guy he trusts (pictured standing next to where pup is laying) give me some treats. Pup came over to sniff my hand again, but this time I had a goodie! He came back several times for more treats from my hand :) He did have a barking fit when my brother lifted his foot (he and the other guy were talking about the football punter who only had half a foot), but it was a sudden movement that might have scared him.
I spent almost 2 hours with him. We were told that when we were in the little room (in the pictures) he would not come near us at all. We spent probably 45 minutes in there just standing there not facing him or looking at him. Within a few minutes, he had already sniffed my brother. After that, he came over and sniffed my hand. I had the guy he trusts (pictured standing next to where pup is laying) give me some treats. Pup came over to sniff my hand again, but this time I had a goodie! He came back several times for more treats from my hand :) He did have a barking fit when my brother lifted his foot (he and the other guy were talking about the football punter who only had half a foot), but it was a sudden movement that might have scared him.
Next we went on a walk. The guy he trusts held onto him and we walked with him. He tried to go for my hand a few times, but it was the same hand that I gave him a treat from, so I think he was partly looking for something. It seemed more in play that anything else. Then we were walking and he gave the leash for me. We all walked together for a while, and then they stopped and it was just me and the pup he kind of wanted to go back to the guy he trusts, but was playful in walking with me and did come towards me when I bent down to his level.
Then we let him off leash into the play yard. He was running around a lot and then starting digging in the snow/eating it.
They told us he was good with cats (although we didn't see an interaction) and he is good with dogs (which will be nice when we add lgd #2). There was a dog leaving the shelter when we were outside. I was holding him while he was leashed and the dog passed by him maybe 2 feet away and he just stood there looking at him wagging his tail; didn't bark at him and didn't make any advances toward him.
About his lymes/anaplasmosis- no treatment has been started for it, because he is showing zero symptoms. The only reason he was tested for it was because he was from a farm and they test all dogs that come from farms. I am glad that his immune system is stronger than I thought it was going to be, and (since I have a natural farm) I'm glad he hasn't had any drugs to compromise that. I'll start natural treatment when he gets here.
He does have double dew claws, so maybe there is some GP somewhere, but I did read that some other lgd breeds can have double dews also??
His name will be revealed after the foster time is up.
Then we let him off leash into the play yard. He was running around a lot and then starting digging in the snow/eating it.
They told us he was good with cats (although we didn't see an interaction) and he is good with dogs (which will be nice when we add lgd #2). There was a dog leaving the shelter when we were outside. I was holding him while he was leashed and the dog passed by him maybe 2 feet away and he just stood there looking at him wagging his tail; didn't bark at him and didn't make any advances toward him.
About his lymes/anaplasmosis- no treatment has been started for it, because he is showing zero symptoms. The only reason he was tested for it was because he was from a farm and they test all dogs that come from farms. I am glad that his immune system is stronger than I thought it was going to be, and (since I have a natural farm) I'm glad he hasn't had any drugs to compromise that. I'll start natural treatment when he gets here.
He does have double dew claws, so maybe there is some GP somewhere, but I did read that some other lgd breeds can have double dews also??
His name will be revealed after the foster time is up.