The Cane Corso is a very rare and ancient Italian breed, tracing its roots back to Roman times when its ancestors were used as war dogs. They can still be seen in Italy and Sicily working as a herd dog and a guard.
The Cane Corso is a muscular and robust dog, strong yet agile. They are extremely bold, intelligent, easily trained, keen to please and have a strong sense of territory. They have the ability to identify dangerous situations and are exceptionally loyal to their family. As a family guard, the Cane Corso is unequalled.
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Temperament in the CairnTerrier
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
Formal Cane Corso Breed Standard
Head: Molossoid, massive, broad and flat
across the skull, when viewed from the top, the lines of the skull are
parallel. The upper longitude axes of the skull and muzzle are slightly
convergent with a well defined stop.
Muzzle: The muzzle should be almost as wide as it is
long. The
muzzle should not exceed 34% of the total length of the head. The
muzzle should be deeper then it is long. When viewed from the front the
muzzle appears as a slight trapezoid (widest at the bottom).
Lips: The lips are thick and heavy. The upper lips
are
moderately hanging covering the mandible so the lower profile of the
muzzle is framed by the lips. Should be pigmented.
Nose: The nose must not stick out past the vertical
line of the
front of the muzzle. The pigmentation is black except in blue's where
it is slate gray.
Eyes: The eyes should be of medium size, almond
shaped and
wide-set. Dark eyes are preferred, but allowances may vary with coat
color. The eyes should be tight fitting, although with all mastiff type
breeds a minimal haw is acceptable. They should look intelligent and
alert.
Ears: Cropping varies greatly from close to the
skull to
triangular in shape. Uncropped ears are acceptable and should not be
faulted/penalized.
Bite: The teeth should meet in a level bite,
however scissors and slightly undershot are acceptable. Full dentition
is desirable.
Neck: The neck should be muscular, powerful and
well arched. The
neck may have a moderate amount of dewlap, but should not be excessive.
Forequarters: Shoulders should be muscular, well
laid back and
free in there movement. Elbows are straight and tight against the body.
The front legs should be straight with heavy bone. Pasterns should be
upright but must have flexibility. Feet are tight and oval shaped, with
thick pads and toes well knuckled over. Feet should not turn in nor
out. Rear dewclaws if any should be removed.
Hindquarters: The hindquarters should be broad,
well developed
and very muscular. The thigh is moderately long and powerful. The
stifles should be well angulated and commensurate with shoulder layback
so as to produce a well balanced dog. Hocks are let down and parallel
when viewed from behind.
Body: The chest should be broad and deep,
descending below the
elbows with ribs well sprung. The topline should be straight and show
no weakness. It should flow smoothly into the hindquarters, which are
slightly rounded when viewed from the side. The belly is slightly
tucked. The dog should appear longer than it is tall, (approx. 10%)
Most important is that the dog appear balanced and athletic.
Tail: The tail is set high as to appear as a
continuation of the
topline and is docked to one-third the length. When the dog is excited
the tail is raised but never held straight up.
Coat: The coat is short and dense, in the cold
weather the Cane Corso develops a dense undercoat.
Movement: The movement should be free flowing and
powerful, yet
effortless. The front legs should reach with long strides. The rear
should thrust with great drive and extension. When viewed from the
front the legs should move parallel to each other and cover a great
deal of ground with each step. When viewed from the side the topline
should remain on a level plane with a minimum roll or bounce and should
converge as to single track. The dog should move with a great deal of
ease and confidence.
Temperament: The Cane Corso is very intelligent. He
should
appear self confident and alert. He should never be shy or vicious.
Indifference to strangers should not be considered shy or vicious.
Height: Minimum height for adult males is 24 inches.
The minimum height for adult females is 22 inches
Weight: Minimum weight for adult males is 100lbs.
The minimum weight for adult females is 80lbs
While the larger size is preferred, it should not come at the expense
of the dogs working ability or movement.
Color: Black, Blue, Chestnut, Fawn, Red, or any of
these colors
brindled. Tawny subjects often have a black mask. White is permitted on
the chest, chin, toes and the back of pasterns.
Faults:
Excessively long muzzles
Wry mouth
Parrot mouth
Disturbingly undershot
Continuously ambling gait
Converging sidelines of the muzzle or skull
Excessive dewlap or wrinkle
Any departure from the standard shall be considered a fault. The
seriousness of the fault shall be proportionate its degree, i.e. a very
crooked front is a serious fault, a slightly crooked front is a slight
fault, etc.
Disqualifications: Monorchis, Cryptorchid. Blue
eyes, except in
puppies. White on any other parts of the body, except where allowed. A
few white hairs do not constitute a marking. Tail not docked. Rear
dewclaws.
