ABOUT

My name is Maurizio Marziali. I come from a peasant family. I grew up in the hinterland of the Marche region. As a result of this, I have had the opportunity to watch closely many dog breeds and I also have had the opportunity to become aware of the relentless decline of peasant world, which has long been bereft of its real meaning because of the industrial development and the globalisation.

Just like everything that is linked with rural world, the cynognostic heritage also has been affected by this reshaping process considering that it is no longer needed: the intensive farming has replaced the sheep farming, no longer suitable for the mass production and for the ever - growing market's needs. Moreover, because of the peasant migrations to the cities, the country's manor farms were depopulated; just in these manor farms of patriarchal type, there was the need to have many different dog breeds, depending on different tasks:

Two varieties of shepherd dog: herding (italian paratore dog, bergamasco shepherd, Italian Spitz, “pumetti”, etc) and guardian (Abruzzese Mastiff, Sicilian Shepherd Dog , Italian Cane Corso, Dogue Sarde, Fonni Dog, etc).

Watchdogs: very useful in the countryside's loneliness, as an alert watchdog (Italian Spitz and “pumetti”) and as a dissuasive dog against prowlers (Italian Cane Corso).

Hunting dogs: used to add some food and, at the same time, to kill dangerous animals.

Little Dogs: useful to hunt rats into the silos (foxy dogs).

Considering the cynognostic heritage is fading and given his depreciation that is due to the changing of the social and economical circumstances, me and a group of Italian dog lovers, all together we have decided to take care of the genetic heritage left that has been passed to us. This is the reason why dicasaMarziali kennel was established and has become the breeding centre and meeting point for breeders of Italian Cane Corso and for breeders of Abruzzese mastiff, but also for all dog lovers who have trusted us giving custody of some high - value dogs so as to preserve and improve the breed.

I return their trust giving them some of our dogs so as to get dogs back to their traditional habitats. The goal is to pass the best sources of the Italian cynognostic heritage to the people who use working dogs; I want to preserve this important heritage which has been passed to us by History. In order to achieve this aim, I can't help the traditional use of the dogs. That's why I have arranged useful contribution with the people who have always used working dogs and I have created a way of breeding, which is a “one to one relationship” : I am used to get in my breeding centre some dogs that come from the world of “dog users” (manor farms, sheep farming,etc) where are going to come back their descendants, so as to be tested.

The main purpose is to preserve untouched and still useful some bloodlines, to avoid genetic contaminations and to get easier the betterment of the genetic heritage. Otherwise, we can risk losing the genetic variability useful to preserve the health and the phenotype, especially considering that are no more the usual meeting moments when spontaneously did happen mating of dogs (transhumance, for example). Last but not least, there is the aim that is due to my own way of breeding: I want to give sensitive and conscious people as many useful and well selected dogs as possible; this can make these breeds known .

I wish to thank all people who contributed to make deeper my knowledge of dogs, particularly about the history, the behaviour, the genetic knowledge and the health. I have honoured that many people, who often come from the farming world, (shepherds, breeders) have decided to place their trust in me giving me some high value dogs. I also would like to thank all people who share with me their knowledge: academics, researchers and vets, who share with me joys, sorrows and success. In a nutshell, I wish to thank all dog lovers that I have met, who pursue sharing with me hopes, experiences, news, points of view. We don't agree on every issue, but we are always honest and pursue helping each other, thanks to the common passion for Dog.