Italian sheepdogs Bear and Holly kept some 600 turkeys safe from predators in the run-up to Christmas. Bear, two, and Holly, four, took their duties of protecting the hundreds of birds from foxes ...

Despite this, they are low shedders, though they might need their beards cleaned on a daily basis. The Maremma sheepdog, called pastore Maremmano in Italian, is still very much a working dog in Italy.

Italian sheep farmer Gabriele Filippini lost 90 sheep to wolves in five years but the introduction of Maremmano guardian dogs ...