Cane Corso: Dog Breed Information

The Cane Corso Italiano is a typical Molosser dog: imposing appearance, spirited character, and incorruptible protector. With early, empathetic, and consistent training, the Cane Corso is a very affectionate, friendly, and loving family dog. However, he needs a lot of living space, a meaningful task, and sufficient exercise. It is only conditionally suitable for dog beginners.

Origin and history

The Cane Corso Italiano (also called “Italian Corso Dog”, or “Italian Mastiff”) is a descendant of Roman Molosser dogs, which is still used today on the farms of southern Italy as a guard and cattle dog. It is also used in big game hunting. Its name probably derives from the Latin “cohors”, which means “guardian, defender of house and yard”. The Cane Corso was only recognized as an independent breed in 1996 and is not very common outside of Italy.

Appearance of the Cane Corso

The Cane Corso is a large, powerful, and athletic dog with a typically molossoid appearance. Overall, its body is very compact and muscular. The skin is tighter than other Molosser dogs, as are the lips, which is why the Cane Corso drools significantly less than other mastiff-type dogs.

Its coat is short, shiny, very dense, and has a little undercoat. It is bred in the colors black, grey, fawn, red, and also brindle. It has a very broad head with a prominent forehead and pronounced arched eyebrows. The ears are set high, triangular, and naturally hanging. Ears and tails are also docked in some countries.

Temperament of the Cane Corso

The Cane Corso is a spirited, territorial dog that is generally reserved for suspicious strangers. It hardly tolerates strange dogs in its territory. It has a high stimulus threshold and is not aggressive on its own. However, it takes its job as a minder seriously. The Cane Corso is very independent, intelligent, and has a strong personality. As such, this muscular builder is not necessarily a beginner’s dog.

However, with loving and consistent leadership and close family ties, the Cane Corso is easy to train. However, puppies should be socialized as early as possible and should be used to everything unfamiliar in the first few weeks.

The Cane Corso also needs a meaningful task and ample opportunities for movement. A sufficiently large living space is ideal – preferably a plot of land, a territory that it can guard and protect. It is therefore not suitable for life in the city or as an apartment dog. When used to capacity, the Cane Corso is an adaptable, friendly, well-balanced, and loyal companion.