Breed Information

The Cane Corso is a very loyal breed. they have a very stable temperament. They are protective yet very gentle. They do well with children in the family. They are very energetic and trainable. They require daily exercise and make great jogging companions!

The breed originated in Italy. The name is derived from the latin 'cohors' which means guardian or protector.

The life expectancy for the Cane Corso is around 10 or 11 years. Males can weight from 100 - 140 pounds and be as tall as 24 to 28 inches.  Females range from about 85 to 110 pounds with heights as much as 23 to 26 inches. This and more information can be found on the Rare Breed Network website.

Itallian authorities believe that the Cane Corso is one of two breeds which stem directly from the Roman Molosser. It is said that, in ancient times, the historic Molossus gave rise to two quite different breeds. One dog was very massive and became the progenitor of the Neapolitan Mastiff. The other was a taller, lighter, and less cumbersome dog known for its quickness and agility. From this very athletic Molossus sprang today's Cane Corso.

In medieval times, the Cane Corso was used as a big game hunter. His power, courage, and agility made him especially valuable on wild boar hunts. It is also reported that he was used to hunt stag and bear. Italian fanciers of the breed say, proudly, the Corso is "the only true coursing mastiff."

With the decline in big game hunting, the Corso found a home with Italian farmers. He was often used as a drover, moving animals to market or to the slaughterhouse. On the farm, he protected livestock from both human thieves and animal preditors. He also dooubled admirably as a guard dog for the home. Indeed, to this day, he can still be seen throughout rural Italy performing these old duties.

What is the Cane Corso like to live with? "They're great dogs." Mike Sottile says, "Although they are superb protection dogs, they are quiet around the house. They're not at all noisy. they love their family and need lots of personal hands-on attention. There's a lot of eye contact with this breed. I'm very impressed with their intelligence. They always seem to be thinking. Its like you cn just see the wheels turning. they are so eager to please that they are usually at your side just waiting for your next command."

Despite the breed's size, they make excellent house dogs. The Cane Corso deffinately needs socialization, and it is strongly urged that owners obedience train their dogs. Properly raised and trained, the breed is suspicious of strangers, but wonderful with the family. When raised correctly, the dog should be submissive to all members of the family.

"This breed gets along very well with children. They are protective, yet gentle. The Cane Corso has a very stable temperament" Mike observes. Ettore Frassinetti says that the breed "Devotedly loves his owners, his family, and in particular children with whom he behaves delicately and gently."

 

Translation: Dr. Antonio Morsiani, Dr. J.M. Paschoud, and Prof. R. Triquet

  • Origin: Italy
  • Date of publication of the original valid standard: 12.03.1999
  • Utilization: Guard, protection, police, and tracking dog
  • Classification: F.C.I.- Group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossian and Swiss Mountain - and Cattledogs. Section 2.2 Molossian, Mountain Type. Without working trial.
  • Brief Historical Summary: Its direct ancestor is the old Roman Molossian. Formally scattered all over Italy, in the recent past, the breed was only prevalent in the Province Apulia and in the adjacent regions of Southern Italy. His name derives from the Latin 'cohors' which means "protector, guardian of the farmyard".
  • General Appearance: Medium to large-sized. Robust and sturdy, nevertheless elegant. Lean, powerful muscles.
  • Important Proportions: The length of the head reaches 36% of the height at withers. The dog is somewhat longer than high.
  • Behavior/Temperament: Guardian of property, family, and livestock; extremely agile and responsive. In the past, it has been used for herding cattle amd hunting big game.
  • Head: Large and typically Molossoid. The upper longitudinal axis' of the skull and the muzzle converge slightly.

Cranial Region

  • Skull: Wide (at the zygomatic arches its width is equal to or greater than its length. Convex in front, it becomes fairly flat behind the forehead as far as the occiput. The medio-frontal furrow is visible.
  • Stop: Marked

Facial Region

  • Nose: Black and large with ample, open nostrils, on the same line as the nasal bridge.
  • Muzzle: Noticeably shorter than the skull (ratio muzzle:skull approximately 1:2). Strong Square - the front part of the muzzle is flat; the lateral surfaces are parallel; the muzzle is as wide as long. The profile of the nasal bridge is straight.
  • Lips: The upper lips hang moderately and cover the mandible, so that the lower profile of the muzzle is determined by the lips.
  • Jaws/Teeth: Jaws are very large, thick, and curved. Slightly undershot. Level bite acceptable, but not sought after.
  • Eyes: Medium-sized, ovoid, looking directly forward, slightly protruding. Eyelids close fitting. Color of iris as dark as possible depending from the color of the coat. Expression is keen and attentive.
  • Ears: Triangular, drooping, with a wide set on high above the zygomatic arches. Often cropped in the shape of an equalateral triangle.
  • Neck: Strong, muscular, as long as the head.

Body

The body is somewhat longer than the height at the withers. Sturdily built, but not squat

  • Withers: Pronouonced, rising above the level of the croup.
  • Back: Rectilinear, very muscular and firm
  • Loins: Short and strong
  • Croup: Long, wide, slightly inclined
  • Chest: Well developed in three dimensions, reaches to the elbow
  • Tail: Set on fairly high; very thick at root. the tail is docked at the fourth vertebra. In action, carried high, but never curled nor erect

Limbs

  Forequarters

  • Shoulder: Long, oblique, very muscular
  • Upper Arm: Strong
  • Forearm: Straight, very strong
  • Carpal Joint and Pasterns: Elastic
  • Forefeet: Cat Feet

Hindquarters
  • Upper Thigh: Long, wide, back line of thigh convex
  • Lower Thigh: Strong, not fleshy
  • Hocks: Moderately angulated
  • Metatarsals: Thick and sinewy
  • Hindfeet: Slightly less compact than forefeet
  • Gait/Movement: Long stride, extended trot. The preferred gait is the trot.
  • Skin: Fairly thick, rather close fitting.

Coat

  • Hair: Short, shinny, very dense with a light undercoat.
  • Color: Black, lead-grey, slate-grey, light-grey, light fawn: stag red and dark fawn; brindle (stripes on different shades of fawn or grey); in fawn colored and brindle dogs the clack, or grey mask, on the muzzle should not go beyond the line of the eyes. A small white patch on the chest, on the tips of the feet, and on the bridge of the nose is acceptable.

Size and Weight

  • Height at Withers: Males from 64 to 68 cm; females from 60 to 64 cm. Tolorance of 2 cm more or less.
  • Weight: Males from 45 to 50 kg; females from 40 to 45 kg.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Severe Faults:

  • Axis' of muzzle and skull parallel or too converging; lateral surfaces of the muzzle converging.
  • Partial depigmentation of the nose.
  • Scissor bite; pronounced undershot mouth.
  • Ring-tail, tail in verticle position.
  • Permanent amble when trotting.
  • Over- or undersize.

Eliminating Faults

  • Axis' of muzzle and skull diverging.
  • Total depigmentation of the nose.
  • Bridge of nose very hollow, rams's nose
  • Overshot mouth
  • Partial or complete palpebral depigmentation. Wall eye; straybism
  • Tailless, short tail (docked or not)
  • Semi-long, smooth, or fringed hair
  • All colors not indicated in the standard; large white patches

N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended

Information received from Avalache