Meet the 9-year-old who perfects every puppy's education 👵🐕

Prancing Pony Farm

Ethically bred, professionally trained livestock guardian dogs and family companions

Livestock Guadian Dog Consulting

Hi Reader,

There's a dog on my farm whose contribution to my breeding program is so valuable that I consider her role second only to the mother dogs themselves.

Meet Genevieve—or as we affectionately call her, "Auntie Genny."

At 9 years old, this remarkable Maremma has been perfecting the art of puppy mentoring for nearly a decade. She's raised four litters of her own (including Polar, one of my best working LGDs), but her greatest gift isn't her genetics—it's what she teaches every single litter that comes through our farm.

Genevieve is the living example of everything a livestock guardian dog should be.

The Discovery

When I brought Genevieve home at 10 months old as my first breeding female, I had no idea she'd become irreplaceable to my program.

But she showed me something special: Every time I brought home a young dog from another breeder, Genevieve immediately adopted them. I have pictures of her with nearly every puppy I've purchased over the years, including 9-week-old Simba (one of my stud dogs) who desperately needed that maternal presence.

She simply loves puppies. Not all dogs do.

What Makes Her Irreplaceable

Genevieve possesses a rare combination you can't train:

✨ Genuine love for puppies - she actively seeks their company, even with the chaos they bring

✨ Unlimited patience - puppies can climb on her, pull her tail, pester endlessly. If annoyed? She walks away. Never a correction, never aggression.

✨ Perfect livestock guardian example - as an excellent working LGD herself, she models ideal LGD behavior that puppies naturally copy

✨ Universal respect - most mother dogs trust her to help with their litters

My Favorite Genevieve Story

When she was younger working alongside my first Maremma, Olaf, she had a signature move that perfectly captures her personality.

Whenever something at the fence needed investigation, Genevieve would bark at Olaf as if to say: "Go check that out, will ya!"

He'd dutifully trot off while she waited. When he returned, they'd have this moment of exchange, and she'd calmly return to her business.

Genevieve has always known how to conserve her energy and apply her wisdom exactly where it matters most.

Her Perfect Semi-Retirement

At 9 years old and spayed a few years ago after her fourth litter, Genevieve has transitioned to full-time puppy mentoring. The climate-controlled Puppy Parlor gives her comfortable rest during extreme weather while keeping her close to her charges.

This isn't just kindness to a retired dog—it's strategic. Her experience creates better puppies than I could produce without her.

What puppies learn from Auntie Genny:

Calm, confident presence around all livestock
Appropriate protectiveness towards stock
Gentle communication instead of aggression
How to be both powerful and kind
That the world is safe when you're truly confident

Why This Matters

I've purchased dogs from breeders who use "dominance" and aggressive corrections to "train" puppies. Those dogs were always problematic—either excessively fearful or carrying defensive aggression.

Genevieve teaches the opposite: confidence through positive example, protection through love rather than fear.

When you receive a puppy from Prancing Pony Farm, you're receiving a dog shaped by weeks of watching Genevieve's perfect example. That foundation lasts a lifetime.

Want to read Genevieve's complete story and see why her approach transforms puppies?

Read: "Livestock Guardian Dog Socialization: Meet Genevieve, the Maremma Mentor Who Perfects Every Puppy's Education"

Current Litter Update

Our now 10-week-old future livestock guardians continue thriving under Genevieve's guidance. Their calm confidence around livestock, gentle interactions, and emerging protective instincts show exactly why her mentoring is irreplaceable.

Only a few spots remain for this exceptionally mentored litter.

Reserve your Genevieve-trained livestock guardian

Questions about our mentoring program? Just hit reply—I love hearing from families who understand the importance of positive guidance!

Talk soon,

Kim

P.S. - Genevieve's influence on our program is so significant that I often wonder what I'd do without her. Thankfully, I don't have to find out—she's healthy, happy, and still loving her role as Auntie Genny to every new generation. 💕

Kim