What makes Maremmas what they are?
Maremmas aren't dogs.
Like other working dogs, they have something in them that puts them
on
another plane seperate from pets. But Maremmas, I suppose like
other guardians, are on another plane further above most working
dogs. I mean: how much brains can you have if you do what humans
want you to do. That's why guardians are different - they don't
work for humans. They do what they themselves reckon should be
done, and humans just profit from it. Indeed, they just don't
worry about what people try to tell them.
Many people have wonderful relationships with their pets. I'm
sure the vast majority of them don't know what they are missing.
Would you rather have a friend who didn't really know much, or would
you rather have a friend who knew what was going on and didn't need
you, but still decided to be friends with you? This thought never
occurred to me till I got a maremma and I started to wonder why our
relationship was so special ... nothing like people normally have ...
nothing like that. And even further than that
- our maremma is, sort of, honerable and has a strong character.
I feel honoured to have his friendship. All of this still fills
me
with wonder.
Our maremma has added so much to our lives.
People say they don't make good companions, and this is
right in a strange way. And it's also wrong. It depends on
what you want and can do. To most people a companion dog is calm
and is
just always there. If are lucky enough to be able to work at the
relationship and live in the country then your relationship with a
maremma will be on a couple of planes beyond what can be achieved with
a dog. It's real companionship ... real mateship. It will
add so much to your life that it will look like everyone else is just
mucking around.
Ever since we got
Mawson I keep wondering about his characteristics and
have built up a small list of meaningful qualitlies that make maremmas
special ... why Mawson's presence make such a contribution to our
lives.
They think.
Normal dogs look at things and they don't know what they are looking at
... and keep looking. Maremmas look for a second or two, if at
all, and move on from there. Their gaze never becomes
intense and fixed. In fact they never gaze,
their eyes are always moveing, and they are never wide.
Indications of someone's awareness is through the movement of their
eyes.
They know.
Normal pets are around because that's where they live. Like cats,
maremmas are there because they want to be, not because you put them
there and feed them. If you don't feed and treat them right they
can sometimes go to live
somewhere else. They are with you because they themselves decide
to be.
More cats than dogs.
Cats also look and know. And a cat will go and live somewhere
else if you aren't right. But, a cat
doesn't take on your concerns as it's own.
You worry about something, they will do something about it.
All pets look at you to try to work out something about what is
happening. But there is something different in the way maremmas
look at you. I know that ours is looking at me to decide try to
decide whether an
event is worth acting on. Do I think this is worth bothering
about? If he senses that I am concerned, then Mawson becomes
concerned.
Disobedience.
They don't instantly go off and do what you tell them to. They
always look for a second, maybe longer (if they look at all) and think
"Hmmm..... wonder if I should really do that?" In fact your
feelings have much more influence over them. If they detect a
feeling in you that is one of their priorities then they act
instantly. But as for mindlessly obeying commands .........
Intelligence.
Ha! The stupid myth of humands! "Oh, this dog will do
anything you tell it. There's nothing it can't do!" Jeesus.
And so many people are so convinced that this it ... this is
intelligence. If someone told you to jump through a hoop
what should be your reaction? Does anyone place any significance
on a being not having to be told what to do? Possession of this
myth is
an intelligence test.