Description of a Maremma Sheepdog.

Known in Italy as Cane Da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, a name derived from the Maremma area of Tuscany and the former region of Abruzzi (now Abruzzo and Molise) where the dogs guarded sheep in the Transhumance, a centuries-old seasonal migration from mountain grasslands in Abruzzoand Molise to lower pasture land in Apulia . Descriptions of sheepdogs similar to current Maremma can be found in ancient Roman literature and depicted in 15th century paintings, which suggests the breed's origins are equally ancient. While the Italian Tranhumance ended in the 1860s, the dogs continue to be widely used by Italian sheep farmers, especially where sheep are grazed on open rangeland. English-speaking breeders and kennel clubs tend to refer to the breed as simply Maremma Sheepdogs while Italian breeders are more likely to use the term Abruzzese Sheepdogs (Pastore Abruzzese). Ironically, the dogs are today far less common in the Maremma section of Tuscany where sheep farming has declined, and are quite prevalent in Abruzzo.

Today, Maremma continue to be extensively used as Livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) in Italy. They are also widely used as LGDs in Australia and the United States.