Cane Corso Dog Breed Info – Are Cane Corso Dogs Vicious?

The short answer to this question is: NO. 

The Cane Corso is not inherently vicious, but some pet owners with irresponsible practices in caring for their Cane Corso dogs have led to behavioral changes in their pets.

Just like most dogs that are left to their own devices and are not properly socialized, the Cane Corso can develop unruly, unwanted behaviors if not trained properly. 

Cane Corsos have a large stature and need plenty of space to roam around. However, they do not always get along with other animals, so they may be difficult as house pets for some people (especially those without experience). 

Even though this dog breed is powerful, imposing, and athletic, their main characteristic is that they are very loving towards their family members.

Cane Corsos are known for being loyal, devoted family pets that adore children but they tend to be suspicious around strangers. They won’t attack without reason so it’s important that you teach your pet how to behave properly from a very young age or else it might become too stubborn for obedience training.

If you want a large athletic dog who is protective of his own family yet gentle with the kids, it’s time to consider this powerful canine breed. This breed needs owners who have experience in training dogs or at least patience because these sturdy Italian mastiffs need proper guidance and discipline to be a good member of the family.

Cane Corso Dog Temperament And Personality

Real qualities of a Cane Corso:

• This is a large and powerful dog breed
• It has a short coat that’s easy to care for; no intense vacuuming needed
• It is a calm pet and can be quiet especially indoors
• Will be a good watchdog
• Mild-mannered and serious with strangers
• Energetic, athletic, and responsive when in training

Some unwanted characteristics of a Cane Corso:

• Can become destructive when bored
• Can become aggressive when not properly trained
• Stubborn and needs a confident, firm owner
• Can make loud sounds like grunting, snoring, wheezing, and snorting
• Won’t do well with other dogs or pets at home
• Passes too much gas. Ew!

Cane Corso Dog Size

Cane Corso dogs are large, strong, and imposing breed.

On average, Cane Corsos tend to weigh around 90 pounds for females and 110-120 pounds for males. 

Males can grow 25 to 27 inches tall, while the average height of female cane corsos is 23-26 inches. 

Cane Corso Dog Health

Cane Corsos are known for being a healthy and hardy dog breed but may suffer from some health issues as well. Cane Corso’s most common health concerns include hip dysplasia because of their size, entropion or ectropion, bloating or gastric torsion, and demodectic mange. 

This dog is also prone to being overweight and with it, may develop arthritis in their joints. Regular visits to the vet will make sure that your strong and smart dog will grow up a healthy and happy dog. 

Hip Dysplasia in Cane Corsos

The hip joint is technically the most stable joint in the body – whether in humans or in dogs. But what happens when a dog is born with genetic defects predisposing him to frequent hip dislocation?

Such is the case with hip dysplasia. The Cane Corso puppy’s hip socket doesn’t develop fully and fails to cover the ball portion of the upper thighbone, making the dog vulnerable to partial or complete dislocations (ball comes out of the socket).

When you see your puppy displaying the following, take him to the vet for a thorough exam, which should include hip x-rays:

• Limping, unsteady gait with “bunny hopping” characteristics
• Pus is less active than usual
• The hip joint is stiff and displays decreased range of motion
• Your dog is unable to jump, run, or climb stairs, or hesitates to do so
• When you move the hip, there’s a grating sound and your Cane Corso pup pulls away
• The affected leg is less muscular than the other

First, do no harm. Don’t let your dog strain himself and limit his activity to 20-minute slow walking. Their vet might recommend a specialized leg brace to support the hip during weight-bearing activities, as well as medications to reduce inflammation. It will also help if your dog isn’t overweight to reduce stress and strain on the defective hip.

Physical therapy can also help, as well as home exercises that build up the muscle around their dysplastic hip.

These joint issues shouldn’t detract the loving Cane Corso dog owner from taking his pet out for regular walks. And if walks are just not possible, it’s time to invest in a good, solidly built heavy-duty dog stroller so your furbaby won’t be deprived of the social stimulation of walking with his pack around the neighborhood. Here are our best picks, don’t pick a rinky-dink wagon for your majestic Cane Corso.

If your dog likes to sleep in an elevated surface like your be or the couch, make sure you get him a heavy duty pet ramp that can hold his weight. Only the best for our Cane Corso pups.

Entropion in Cane Corso Dogs

Cherry eye is common among Cane Corsos. It’s caused by inward growth or curling of their eyelid, resulting to irritation of the cornea by the eyelashes. 

Treatment is pretty straightforward: surgery involving removal of their third eyelid. Results are pretty dramatic and their teary, bloodshot eyes immediately clear up.

Ectropion

This results from the corrective surgery for entropion – the lower lid if pulled downward, exposing icky pink tissue beneath. With more delicate eye tissues exposed, there is note chance for infection.

But a Cane Corso could live a long, healthy life even with an ectropic eyelid, but he certainly won’t win any beauty contests.

Bloat

This is a life-threatening emergency requiring surgery – there the Cane Corso’s stomach gets overstretched and twisted from excessive gas. This is common among other large breed dogs and a responsible Cane Corso owner should be aware of symptoms to watch out for. The mortality rate from bloat can go as high as 60%.

When your pet starts showing signs of pain behaviors, moaning, lethargy, and a bloated stomach, take him to the vet ASAP.  

Cane Corso Dog Care

Cane Corso dogs are one of the heaviest dog breeds in the world and need a lot of exercise and care. 

Here are some tips for caring for a Cane Corso:

Train your Cane Corso dog starting Day 1

Start training your pet from the first day it arrives home. Early training, especially respect training, can save you time and effort in correcting bad behaviors later. You can start house-proofing your pet by showing him around. 

If you have an adult dog, it’s easier to see what you’ll get, but a puppy may be difficult to tell. But despite this, shower your pet with love, attention, and care, but don’t forget to be firm when it comes to behavior and respect training.

This dog needs regular exercise

Exercise is a part of this strong dog’s day, and if it does not get enough exercise, it will become bored and destructive. 

So allot at least one hour of running, playing, and jogging with your pet. As much as possible, you should only take care of a Cane Corso if you have access to a large yard,  dog park, or outdoor area where it can run and play daily. 

Socialization is a must

Just like any other breed, dogs that are not socialized early can develop serious behavioral problems. You may start by meeting dogs while you go for a walk or in a play area. If everything works fine, arrange for a play date.

Let other members of the family take care of your pet so it will be more relaxed when handled by other people. 

Feed it the correct diet

A Cane Corso is a very large and muscular dog, and thus, it requires a special kind of diet to sustain its physical needs. Talk to your vet about the right kind of pet food and about giving supplements to your pet. 

Cane Corso Dog Feeding

Cane Corso dog breed has a large appetite because of their body size. If you are planning to get this canine companion make sure that he gets enough nutrition every day.

As a rule of thumb, you can feed your Corso dog high-quality dry food of 4 to 5 cups a day, arranged in two meals.

However, your adult dog’s diet is determined by his age, size, age, structure, metabolism, and exercise level. Just as people, dogs are individual creatures with unique food requirements. So it’s normal to feed your extra active Corso with more food, as opposed to a couch potato dog.

Like any other pet, the Cane Corso dog breed needs water at all times in order not to dehydrate quickly. This is why it’s important to provide your pet with fresh water daily because leaving it out will cause bacteria build-up which can lead to kidney problems later on. 

Cane Corso Grooming

Cane Corso dogs have shiny short coats that are easy to groom. 

Use a medium-bristle brush for the coat, paying special attention when brushing around your dog’s face. You can also use a hound glove to get rid of the dead hair from the coat and promote healthy hair growth.

Bathe or dry shampoo only when necessary because they might not like it. However, if you plan to bathe your dog regularly, you should familiarize it with the concept of bathing from an early age.

The nails should be clipped if they get too long because long nails can be unpleasant and painful for this dog when running. Be careful here because its nails have blood vessels, so don’t cut them too short, or even better, let your vet do it.

Also, make a habit of brushing its teeth at least two to three times a week to avoid gum disease.

Grooming should be a positive experience for your Corso dog, filled with rewards, so you can ensure a happy and healthy dog for many years to come. 

Cane Corso Training

Cane Corsos are very intelligent and easy to train. They love pleasing their owners, so be patient with them and find the right training approach for your dog because the Cane Corso dog breed needs firm, but gentle handling.

These dogs can become stubborn if they don’t get enough exercise or attention from their family members, especially during adolescence (from the age of 18 months up). Training should start at an early age in order to avoid problems later on. 

Despite their intimidating appearance, they are kind dogs that respond more to love and rewards instead of harsh training methods.

Cane Corso Dog History

Cane Corso breed comes from Italy and is a descendant of the ancient Roman molossus – a stout dog with large bones, prominent muscles, a wide chest, and a thick tail. 

In the 1800s, the first two Cane Corso dogs were brought into England by Lord Warwick who was said to have been impressed by its strength, courage, and nobility. These dogs then became popular in many countries around Europe because they could be used for hunting boar, bears, or even lions. 

The first litter of Corso dogs in the USA was imported in 1988.

The purebred Cane Corso gained official recognition in 2010 when it was recognized by The American Kennel Club (AKC). Today this canine companion is often used as a guard dog or for police work.

Pros

Cane Corso dogs are very loyal and protective of their owners. They have a strong character but still gentle enough to be around children. Due to being large in size, they can protect from any intruder or harmful animal that might come onto your premises. 

They also tend to get attached quite easily, which makes them great family pets even if you have younger kids who love playing with the dog. These dogs need a lot of physical activity so they don’t become destructive when bored inside the house all day long! 

Cons

This breed is not recommended for apartment living because it needs space where it can run around freely and play outside. If you leave this canine companion alone inside an apartment for too long without proper training he will destroy furniture just like any other bored dog. 

Cane Corso dogs are very protective of their territory which means that you need to include your pet in daily walks. This way you will spend more time together and let it get used to different people, surroundings, and new situations.