western australia

A Maremma named Polo protects this rooster and his hens

@JudyEv (382336)

Rockingham, Australia

October 9, 2022 11:25pm CST

While in Boat Harbour, Western Australia, we visited the smallholding of a veterinarian. Among her creatures is a Maremma, Polo, who lives with and guards her poultry against predators. Maremmas are white dogs, originally from Italy, and were bred to live out with sheep flocks and guard them against predators. They are white, which allowed to be distinguished more easily from wolves. They are large and solid with a muscular build and a thick, white coat. Traditionally, they are placed among their charges as youngsters so they bond with the stock. They live with their charges night and day. Human contact is kept to a minimum. Probably their main use in Australia is to guard sheep and poultry but on Middle Island in Victoria, Maremmas are being used to protect fairy penguins against foxes. The photo is of one of the roosters that Polo keeps safe.

13 people like this

16 responses

@DaddyEvil (174590)

• United States

10 Oct 22

Well, that's interesting. Do you know why human contact is kept to a minimum?

4 people like this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

It's so they bond properly with whatever they're supposed to be protecting. They get food taken out to them but otherwise they just run with the sheep/chooks/whatever.

3 people like this

@DaddyEvil (174590)

• United States

10 Oct 22

@JudyEv Huh! I guess that makes sense, especially if nobody else wants to take care of the flocks.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

@DaddyEvil You'd have to have someone going round all night every night or else pen the stock which wouldn't always be feasible.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@sol_cee (38669)

• Philippines

10 Oct 22

You and your unique sounding animals and places loll

2 people like this

show previous comments

@sol_cee (38669)

• Philippines

11 Oct 22

@JudyEv of course! Yours is always a good read

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

I hope you enjoy reading about them.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)

• China

10 Oct 22

Maremmas is a good helper for human being !I think it would take a long time to condition a Maremmas to guard the stock and poultry against predators.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)

• China

11 Oct 22

@JudyEv Oh, I see.With the lapse of time,the dogs identify themselves with the flocks.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

As long as they are put out with the flocks at a young age, it is instinctive for them to protect their charges. They aren't really taught to do it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

@changjiangzhibin89 Yes, that's true. They become very protective.

1 person likes this

@jstory07 (148749)

• Roseburg, Oregon

10 Oct 22

That is a nice looking rooster.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

My group of more of the chickens came out blurry.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

10 Oct 22

I love these roosters. A neighbor has the black ones here, I forget what they are called. So pretty.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

There was quite a collection of poultry but the other photos were blurred.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

12 Oct 22

@JudyEv That happens from time to time.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

10 Oct 22

A very good looking rooster.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

I thought that too. I have a photo of more of them but it's blurry.

2 people like this

@snowy22315 (209080)

• United States

10 Oct 22

YOu should show a pic of the Maremma, if you can get one. What are fairy penguins?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

Fairy penguins are the smallest species of penguin and only 33cm tall. I was trying to get a photo of Polo but he didn't stay still long enough.

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

10 Oct 22

Cool rooster. I would have loved to have seen those dogs.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

11 Oct 22

@JudyEv It sure is Judy

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

It's amazing that they instinctively bond with and protect whatever they grow up with.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@LadyDuck (502653)

• Italy

10 Oct 22

My cousin had two Maremma dogs, a female and a male. The male was quite a good boy, but the female was horrible, very dangerous, she attacked everyone who tried to approach my cousin.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@LadyDuck (502653)

• Italy

10 Oct 22

@JudyEv Those are big dogs that are breed to protect the sheep, the one of my cousin was in a mission to protect her.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

I remember in the mountains in France, there were signs warning tourists about getting too close to the sheep if there was a dog with them.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@wolfgirl569 (135910)

• Marion, Ohio

10 Oct 22

A good guard dog is irrereplaceable

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

That's for sure. This one was friendly enough once introduced but if no-one is at the house then he puts up a big show.

1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (98072)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

11 Oct 22

What a very handsome rooster,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Oct 22

They seem to know they look good, don't they?

@xFiacre (14787)

• Ireland

10 Oct 22

@judyev Roosters always look so cocky and self-confident.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

They are indeed but no match for a fox.

Dr Souvik Chatterji

@sathviksouvik (23251)

•

12 Oct 22

great share I gained knowledge

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

12 Oct 22

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

@LindaOHio (222623)

• United States

10 Oct 22

Interesting; but I'll bet that Polo would welcome some human contact.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

He gets plenty of human contact as she is only on 9 acres and is home every evening.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222623)

• United States

10 Oct 22

@JudyEv I'm glad she goes home every evening!

1 person likes this

@marlina (154103)

• Canada

10 Oct 22

Interesting to know

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

Dogs have all sorts of uses.

@Fleura (35069)

• United Kingdom

10 Oct 22

I've heard about the Maremmas before (although I wouldn't have been able to tell you the name), I thought they were white so they would fit in better with the sheep. Does Polo think he's a chicken? Good idea about the penguins!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382336)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Oct 22

Polo hangs out with the chickens but he certainly has a dog's bark. :)

1 person likes this