Our New Maremma Puppy was Born!

PLEASE NOTE: I can no longer recommend or endorse Prancing Pony Farm. After this video was released, I had some extremely negative experiences working with them. Furthermore, new information related to their breeding practices led me to file a complaint with the Maremma Sheepdog Club of America.

Send us mail:
Gold Shaw Farm
PO Box 225
Peacham, VT 05862

About Gold Shaw Farm: Gold Shaw Farm is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. Our dream is that someday we are able to transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and productive homestead and farm.

[voltaicfire]

Dude! Install one of those cow scratching posts! I just remembered them and how happy they make cows. They're basically a post with a bunch of brush heads attached for them to rub up against.

[Barbara-vh]

Just a bit of caution but we always soak the alfalfa cubes before feeding to horses as they expand like crazy. You would be amazed at the volume if you soaked 3 or 4 in about 6 cups of water. For horses they can be dangerous if fed dry as a choking hazard and as they expand in the stomach, but maybe it's different for cattle.

[ruthmeow]

Can confirm. Working dogs make bad apartment dogs. Not myself, but neighbors. They got a border collie, howled and cried all day long when they were at work (I work from home, so got to listen to this all day long). And when they moved, the sofa they threw out had been torn to shreds.

[MdMzzz]

Working dogs love to work. You can see on Toby's face in each video that he's happy and content with his life. Dogs get a lot of satisfaction from doing the work they're meant to do. Congrats for that and keep doing what you're doing with him.

[Lonesome__Dove]

yay! i have to admit...at the beginning of the year and last winter when i heard all your goals for the summer and fall seasons...puppy, cattle, tons of work and improvements...then throw in the added cats, i was a little skeptical that it was all going to get done...i mean it was ALOT but im proud to say youre pretty much accomplishing everything, well done Mr. Gold and Mrs Gold. youre a great team. everything is coming along nicely.

[neenajaydon]

My rabbit (and his late bondmate) absolutely adore those alfalfa cubes, too! He'll ignore other food in favour of a good cube. It seems like your steer has a similar opinion. I agree with you about the adopt-don't shop vs. breeder debate -- it is often over-simplified. Ethically produced purpose-bred animals have a place just as much as rescue animals should.

[early_morning_sd_team]

A lot of the points you made about specialized training and breeding with dogs, also apply to service dogs. I think it is a big part of why most program, or owner trained dogs come from breeders. A good breeder is going to place the most right puppy for the job that they can. Where as with a rescue you can’t guarantee that the dog will be able to do what is required.

[wallsofgab]

About the puppies: Y'know, after raising bred family dogs from 12-ish weeks old, the best socialised dog I've ever had is my shelter dog who I got at 4 months old. She was with a foster family with 2 older dogs with good social skills. It really makes me rethink how I get my puppies in the future. It's amazing what a great start it gives them!

[CFGossettAbbasHealingArts]

Toby Dog is special with a job just for him. He appears to be thriving and is such a happy boy. That is so awesome. No dog or cat should be unhappy. They deserve happiness and lots of love so they can live their best life. You and your Mrs. are doing awesome for Toby Dog and your other animals.

[juliegale]

All the best with your new lady dog coming soon, look forward to seeing her. This was a most interesting video with plenty of information, not that I do anything but sit in my comfy chair and watch you but I am an 86 old English lady and remember country days of my youth. As youngster I sat with chickens as my only companions in the coop on rainy days.

[tamara]

Thank you Morgan for emphasizing on the proper lifestyle for an LGD. There are so many LGD breed dogs that get surrendered to be adopted out because they could not provide that for them. It's so sad.

[reydelsol]

So happy that you did extensive research for an ethical breeder. I have always adopted but I also don't need a working dog. I decided a long time ago that if I ever wanted a specific breed, it would be from a well researched breeder. 🙏✌🐜💚

[LeftLefttheGecko]

Thank you so much for addressing the situation about dogs being adopted by people who are ill-equipped for them! My next door neighbor had a border collie (her name was Stella) and they were NOT equipped for it. Stella was in a situation where she had no mental stimulation. The neighbors just threw her into the yard (not a big yard) and never really interacted with her aside from giving her food and water. She was BORED! She would get aggressive whenever she saw someone walk past a window. Thankfully she has been rehomed, but my neighbors got another dog (some kind of mix with what was considered a "discriminated breed" and they only got her for that reason not because they liked her but because she was passed over so many times for her breed) and they've treated that dog the same way they did Stella and this new dog has turned out so much worse (its mutilated rodents, foxes, and another neighbor's cat in addition to being aggressive towards people). People need to realize that sometimes a dog (or any kind of pet for that matter) just might not be a good fit.

[lhmcd]

Your training of Toby so he knows exactly what to do is why you have been so successful with him. Morgan, you have caused this with all of your animals. Good for you as your hard work is showing. I agree with your ethics. May you please take care and stay safe.

[dbmail]

Toby will benefit from training the puppy as much as the puppy does.

[pamelacolvin]

So happy to hear that Toby dog is getting a wife. He deserves it. His life will be 100% complete once she's there. He will be a wonderful daddy dog.

[AB-oluz]

A 3 or 4 month old maremma could fly in the cabin if it can stay in a crate that fits in a seat, or under a seat. Definitely agree that cargo hold is NOT the place for them.

[jameseenacoene]

I just love this podcast. It's all like grandpa's farm I get to visit. I fell like a kid when I watch. I'm a 78 year woman who visited farms as a child.

[Atochabsh]

I have shipped a lot of animals, specifically kittens, all over the country even costa rica. Though it seems traumatic it is the best way to get your pup across the country. By the time 3 to 4 mo comes, the breeder will have made sure the pup is familiar with the carrier and comfortable in that carrier. The hold of the plane for animals is climate controlled. It is dark and away from the hustle and bustle of human seating and traffic. The journey will take a day. IF you travel out there, the trip back to VT will take days and days (probably nearly a week) prolonging the time the pup will be travelling and contained in a carrier and not learning her new farm. Anyway, your breeder will have her ideas of what would be best. My opinion is based on over 30 years of shipping animals. Good Luck and we all will be looking forward her arrival on the farm.

[BigGuy]

I flew with one of my 12 week old Lab puppies from Los Angeles to Boston a couple of years ago, and it went flawlessly: I crate trained him a bit, drove him around in my car some, and got some "lactating mother dog" pheromone spray for his crate. We stayed in a Motel 6 overnight, and then flew the next morning. He was perfectly fine when we got to Boston. Took him to my niece's place, and his family has bonded perfectly. I could have just shipped him by air, but I wanted to visit them anyway. Taking a dog crate with you is surprisingly cheap. Your breeder will know all about getting a vet inspection and issuing a health certificate before an interstate move. And you are absolutely right about 12+ weeks: Momma dog teaches them so much in that time. They are bitey monsters at 8 weeks!