Post by funnymamma on Aug 21, 2013 20:35:10 GMT -5
We have been wanting to add a livestock guardian dog to our homestead menagerie, but have never had an LGD before. I have done tons and tons of reading and finally settled on the Maremma breed for many reasons. I've been looking and spoken with a few breeders but had no luck so far until this week. I found a woman with a litter of pups about an hour and a half away. The bitch is from one of the other well known, respected breeders and I was pleased with this. So I went today. I first met the pups who are 9 weeks old today. They looked great to me (from a very untrained eye). They all came up to me and did the puppy "hi" and then mostly sat back and just watched me interact with their siblings. I asked to see the parents so the owner left me on the deck with the pups and went to get the mother. She came out, sniffed me all over jumped up with her paws on my chest and smelled my face. Then got down and just milled around my legs, letting me pet her and love on her. Pups are still milling all around and everything seems fine. Then the owner leaves again to get the father. She heads into the house and I wait on the deck. All the dogs, mamma and pups, follow her into the house. Seconds later, mamma comes charging out of the house and attacks me as I stand there. The owner hears the screaming and comes running and has to pull her off. She's managed to sink her teeth into my left knee and in my attempt to fight her off, she also tore up 2 fingers on my left hand. I saw her come running out of the house and didn't even realized what was happening until I felt the pain in my knee and she was continuing to come at me as I backed into a corner. So scary!
Anyway, what the heck? Has anyone ever seen something like this in a dog with pups? My first thought is she's just hormonal and flipped, but the pups are 9 weeks old not newborns. She was also fine moments before. The owner was just mortified. She's owned this breed for 8+ years and has never had anything like this happen. I was really planning on getting one of these pups, but now I don't know what to think. I know in this breed in particular, they say the females tend to be the more aggressive dog and we were planning on getting a male, but they are supposed to be more people friendly that some other breeds which is one of my reasons for choosing this dog. I have a 17 years old high school girl who does animal chores/sitting for me when we're away and I can NOT have anything like this happening. What would you think/do?
Anyway, what the heck? Has anyone ever seen something like this in a dog with pups? My first thought is she's just hormonal and flipped, but the pups are 9 weeks old not newborns. She was also fine moments before. The owner was just mortified. She's owned this breed for 8+ years and has never had anything like this happen. I was really planning on getting one of these pups, but now I don't know what to think. I know in this breed in particular, they say the females tend to be the more aggressive dog and we were planning on getting a male, but they are supposed to be more people friendly that some other breeds which is one of my reasons for choosing this dog. I have a 17 years old high school girl who does animal chores/sitting for me when we're away and I can NOT have anything like this happening. What would you think/do?