Cane Corso Italiano: Dog Breed Information, Facts and Pictures

Life span: 10 – 12 years
Origin: Italy
Temperament: Trainable, Reserved, Stable, Quiet, Even Tempered, Calm
Height: Female: 58–66 cm, Male: 62–70 cm
Weight: Female: 40–45 kg, Male: 45–50 kg
Colors: Black, Fawn, Black & brindle, Tan, Chestnut Brindle

The essence of the Cane Corso Italiano can be described as calm, serene, confident and alert. He will behave in a pleasant and friendly manner if he is early socialized and consistently educated with understanding. However, he shows a restrained distance to strangers. According to his origin as a Schutzhund, he sees it as one of his main tasks to protect his family and to defend them in dangerous situations. Its origin makes the Cane Corso Italiano an incorruptible guard for the house and yard, which usually deters by its presence.

The Cane Corso Italiano is intelligent and docile. At times he may have a certain hunting drive, but with the right upbringing he is good to handle. Despite its rather quiet nature, the Cane Corso needs a lot of exercise and employment. He will be happy to accompany his owners on hikes and is also suitable for some dog sports such as Obedience. In daily life together, the sensitive Cane Corso Italiano relies on close contact with its owner, to whom he will be faithful in every situation.

The Cane Corso Italiano is, according to its previous use, still a good watchdog today. Nevertheless, he still needs close contact with his people. Today, however, it is usually kept as a pure companion and family dog. When keeping a Cane Corso, one should consider how big and heavy this breed can become, which places demands on the physical constitution of its owner. It is also important to find out about local laws before purchasing. The Cane Corso Italiano needs a consistent and experienced dog owner. With patient education, he becomes a dog who can adapt well to many situations and accompany his owner everywhere. Some Cane Corso are also used as service dogs by the police or as tracking dogs.

The origin of the Cane Corso Italiano is not clear, but it is certain that this is a very old dog breed. Already in the high cultures of Mesopotamia between the Euphrates and Tigris, the likeness of similar dogs was carved in stone. From these ancestors of the Molosser probably originated in the Roman Empire, the Molosso Romano, from whose line probably originated the Cane Corso. His duties were mainly the guarding of the house and farm and large herds of cattle, but he was also used as a war dog, pulled loads and served as a hunting dog on large and defensive game. In the following centuries, however, the Cane Corso Italiano fell into oblivion, until only a few copies were left. In the 1970s, the race finally experienced a renaissance

The head of the Cane Corso Italiano clearly shows his affiliation with the Molossians. Its width exceeds in some places the length. The short, but very wide catch separates itself by a clearly recognizable stop from the skull. The jaw should accommodate a scissor bite. The ears are triangular and hanging, with a broad approach high above the zygomatic arch. The drooping games were previously mostly cropped, which is now prohibited in Germany. The eyes of the Cane Corso Italiano are medium-sized and round, depending on the color of the coat, very dark eye colors are preferred.