Bonnie – Amazing Maremma Sheep Guardian

Bonnie is a Maremma guardian dog – (formally Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog – indigenous to the Maremma area of Tuscany where they have been bred for centuries to defend sheep from wolves.) In her long life Bonnie successfully battled many coyotes and was bonded naturally to her sheep. During lambing season the easiest way to find new born lambs was to look for Bonnie, who always positioned herself closest to the newest born. She would not only protect the lambs, but help the mothers clean them up after birth, a defensive act to eliminate the ‘air’ of birth that would attract predators. Bonnie came to the farm with our initial flock of Shetlands. When Bonnie crossed the rainbow bridge I buried her in the shade of giant elm tree, her favourite spot to relax with her sheep in the heat of the day (the spot shown in 4th picture).