Arthur Murray loves, and needs, his dog Stella. The owner of a vineyard in Healdsburg, California, Murray was looking for a dog who could help protect the family and their land.

When he discovered the Maremma Sheepdog, a rare dog breed originally from Italy , he knew he had found the perfect “wine dog.”

“Maremmas chase off birds, turkeys in particular, which will pick you clean when your grapes get really sweet,” Murray tells TODAY.com.

His dog, Stella, fits the breed’s description. “She is always on guard and always helping us keep things the way they should be,” he says.

Stella the dog.

Flambeaux Vineyards

When she reached 10 years old, Murray began worrying about how many years she had left — her breed’s life span is about 10 to 12 years. That’s when a friend made a joke about d

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