Family raised Cane corso mastiff puppies inside a quiet country setting. Dew claws, tails docked, vet health certificate. Current on vaccines, routine deworming. Black & brindle. Call or text (315) 525-5132
Breed History & Information
The Cane Corso is a large working dog who decends from the ancient Roman Molossus. Native to Italy they now represent a modern day continuation of war dogs that were sometimes pitted against lions and other wild beasts in ancient Roman arenas. These Molossian Mastiffs were in great demand as war dogs and household guardians for generations to come. Throughout the breeds existence, the cane corso were used as big game hunters. Their power, courage, agility and tracking ability made them especially valuable with wild boar, stag and bear. With the decline in big game hunting the cane corso found a home with Italian farmers. They were often used as a driver, moving animals to the market and to the slaughter houses. On the farms they protected the livestock from both human thieves and animal predators, also doubling as a guard dog for homes and estates. With the transformation of the agricultural structure in many regions of Italy, this majestic dog was in danger of extinction. However, with the help of some skillful and caring dog lovers in the mid 1970's success was made in procuring as many good subjects as possible. Selective breeding began and the cane corso was given a new birth.
Since coming to America in the late 1980's the cane corso is mainly recognized as family companions and guard dogs. The cane corso bonds quickly to his family and becomes quite attached, especially to the children. To the children they are playful, protective, yet gentle, always aware of a child's helplessness and innocence. They enjoy being included in the family activities. Their athletic ability lends itself to include such activities as hiking, jogging, long walks, swimming, bike riding or just playing fetch. In the house hold they are not overly energetic or spasmatic. They are generally a quiet dog, only barking to alert in strange situations. They are very animal friendly and will get along with any of your other pets.
The cane corso is instinctively a guard dog. Having a strong sense of territory and desiring to be with his family, the corso generally stays on his grounds. With strangers, they are quite aloof, and will be suspicious until the person is welcomed by the family. These dogs don't need any encouragement to be agressive, they know specifically when and when not to be protective. They should be socialized starting at young ages. The cane corso are able to judge character without exception, always to discern friend from foe.
If you have ever owned a Cane Corso, you know that training this dog can be a serious job; especially if you've got a stubborn one like mine. But one thing that is not hard to do, is falling in love with this amazing dog. To give this dog all of your love, and remain sane, is another story.
The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of dog used mainly as a guard dog. It is of the large molosser type.
Appearance
The Cane Corso is an extremely large, lean molosser-type dog. It is well muscled and looks more athletic than most other mastiffs, tending less toward sheer bulk like the English Mastiff and more towards definition like the original Old English Bulldog. The official FCI standard calls for dogs to stand from 60-68 centimeters at the withers (23.6-26.7 inches), with bitches in the lower region and dogs in the higher. Weight should be in keeping with the size and stature of these dogs, ranging from 40-50 kg (88-110lbs). The overall impression should be of power balanced with athleticism.
Its ears are naturally dropped forward, but where legal, many breeders crop them short and close to the head so that the remaining stubs stand upright. Most Corsos have docked tails as well. The standard calls for docking at the 4th vertebra, although many are docked shorter.
Corsos appear in two basic coat colours: black and fawn. This is further modified by genetic pigment dilution to create blue (from black) and formentino (from fawn) colours. Formentino only express the blue colouring on the mask. Brindling of varying intensity is common on both basic coat colours as well, creating tigrato (full brindle), black brindle, and blue brindle. Fawn also has a number of different expressions, ranging from the pale of a formentino to 'red' to the more common beige colour, with the back coat hairs tipped with black. In blue dogs, the nose can appear grey, but should be darker than the coat. In all other dogs, the nose should be black. White markings on the chest, toes and on the nose are seen as well, with smaller white patches being preferable.
Temperament
Cane Corsos are naturally reserved with strangers, but generally relax eventually. Corsos are a quiet breed who frequently suffer from separation anxiety.
Although many breeders claim that these dogs are aggressive, the true Corso should be indifferent when approached and should only react when a real threat is present. However, "the majority of the American version of the Corso do not possess the proper temperament for this breed."
Very loyal, willing to please and quiet around the house. The Cane Corso is highly intelligent and very trainable. Active and even-minded, he is an unequalled watch and protection dog. The Cane Corso Italiano is great with children in the family. Docile and affectionate with the owner. They are protective yet gentle. The Cane Corso has a very stable temperament. It makes an excellent guard dog and watchdog. It will not wonder from the home. They stick close to their masters. If necessary he becomes a terrible and brave protector of people, house and property. The Cane Corso is not a fighting dog. They were bred as working dogs for hundreds of years. Therefore they will not go out "looking" for a fight, but on the other hand they will not back down from other dogs. The Cane Corso requires an experienced owner. It can be aggressive with strangers and other dogs. It should be carefully socialized when it is a pup. It is highly recommended that these dogs become fully obedience trained. When fully trained, the Cane Corso makes an amenable companion. Suspicious of strangers, but wonderful with the family. It will usually put up with strangers if the owners are present. When raised correctly, the dog should be submissive to all members of the family. Corso ears were originally cropped to help them ward off wolves while protecting livestock. Their ears are much more sensitive than the rest of their bodies. Generally, they're practically impervious to pain otherwise, so many Corso owners are often disappointed to find that electrical "invisible fence" containment systems don't deter their dogs.
History
The Cane Corso is a recently recovered breed, and its history will probably always be shrouded in mystery and differing opinions. The breed was originally to be found mostly in the south of Italy, Puglia, and also similar dogs were found throughout Sicily. It was a farm dog, used for big game hunting, guarding, and many other purposes throughout its history. Recovered from near extinction through the efforts of a group of enthusiasts in the 1980's, now the Corso is becoming a popular breed globally.
Probably derived from the same root stock as the Neapolitan Mastiff; the Roman war dog "Canis Pugnax". Where the Neo is known for power and weight, the Corso favoured agilty, speed and stamina.
Our Cane Corsos love to play. If you are not an active person who enjoys physical activity, this is probably not the right breed of dod for you. The Cane Corso is a working breed, so don't expect to tire them out easily. They could play all day if you could keep up, but trust me you can't. So how do you maximize the time you do have to play with your Cane Corso. A Cane Corso's prey instinct is strong and they love to run. One of the best way to exercise your Cane Corso without tiring yourself out is playing fetch with the loudest, highest pitch, most annoying squeak toy you can find. When the toy squeaks your Cane Corso's energy will go through the roof, as she is now in hunting mode. Throw the toy as far as you can and watch her tear through your yard after it. This is a great way to exercise your Cane Corso without letting them beat you up. Keep in mind, however, this is only the Cane Corso's second favorite game.
A Cane Corso's favorite game to play is Tug. She won't care if it is a large rope, a bone, a disk, a shirt, a shoe, etc. She likes to flex her muscles and she like to pretend she is dominant over you. Playing tug with your Cane Corso is a great way to bond with it. It can strengthen her jaw, her teeth, her back and leg muscles, and it is also a great confidence builder, but beware. Tug must not be played with a Cane Corso until she is trained and obedient, never bites or nips, and never shows aggression towards her owner. Playing Tug too soon in this dogs development will send mixed signals, telling the dog that it is okay to challenge your authority. It's okay to pull back, it's okay to fight the power, it's okay to take things from you. Although this is clearly not what your intending to do, this is how a young, rambunctious Cane Corso will interpret it. These are not signals that should be sent to a Cane Corso too early, or training will be even more of a nightmare then it may already be.
