Dog Training and Dog Care advice from UK Professionals

Cane Corso Dog Breed Profile

The Cane Corso gets its name from the Latin “Cohors” which means
“Guardian” or “Protector”.

Other Names: Italian mastiff, Sicilianos Branchiero, Cane di Macellaio,
Italian Corso Dog

K9Obedience Breed Profile

Origin: Italy

Breed Purpose: Guarding the property and hunting big game such as bear and wolves. Also used as a war dog.

Kennel Club Dog Group: Mastiff

Height: Bitch 60cm-64cm., Dog 64cm-68cm.

Weight: Bitch 40kg-45kg., Dog 45kg-50kg.

Lifespan: 10-11 years

Exercise Needs: Described as a “coursing mastiff” the Cane Corso differs from other mastiffs in athleticism, speed and agility. They need plenty of daily exercise and make wonderful jogging or cycling partners. They love splashing around in water and digging holes, generally typical of strong outdoor orientated dogs.

Feeding Needs: The Cane Corso suffers with flatulence but feeding a fresh home prepared diet with plenty of red meat reduces gassiness.

Common Ailments: The Cane Corso is a robust and generally healthy dog but as with most large breeds they can suffer with bone and joint problems so care must be taken not to do too much physical exertion when the dog is young.

Physical Description: The Cane Corso is a medium to large sized, powerfully built dog. The overall appearance is one of strength, endurance and agility. The head is square shaped with no wrinkles and the ears drop. The muzzle is broad and deep with the width being equal to the length. The depth of the muzzle is more than 50% of the length making it square or block shaped. The jaw is undershot and the neck is slightly arched. The body is long, well muscled and powerful. The coat is short and the colours are black, plumb grey, slate, light grey, dark fawn and tubby (marked stripes on different shades of grey or fawn) .

Cane Corso K9 Obedience Dog Breed Summary:

The Cane Corso (pronounced kah-nay-cor-so) is an extremely powerful dog that is suspicious of strangers yet docile and gentle with their families.

Considering the fact that they were bred as guard dogs, they have surprisingly stable temperaments. Their guarding instincts result in them being predisposed to becoming aggressive with strangers and other dogs which is why it is extremely important that they are well socialised as puppies.

They are responsive to consistent and firm training more so than other mastiff breeds and the owner must establish a strong working bond from the beginning.

Males especially can be dominant and should be trained to be submissive to all family members. This can not be done with purely dominant behaviour from the humans, but with careful and intelligent TRAINING, not force of any kind.

This is a dog that thrives on personal interaction and being at the heart of the family, however they do not like being left alone for long periods and will become destructive if bored.

Possibly this is not a dog for the novice but needs an owner that is well versed in positive training methods and is more than capable of handling 50 kilos of intense muscle power, sometimes backed by a huge instinct to protect. Do not choose this dog for its protective instincts alone, this dog should be chosen for its family loyalty, and working abilities as well, otherwise you will not have the guard dog you were hoping for.