In recent years, many breeders of service dog breeds like Cane Corso, also known as Italian Mastiff have ceased to pay attention to working qualities. Of course, this is because many breeds do not have to pass the standards for admission to breeding.
The breed standard clearly states the requirements for the body. Breeders are focusing on them. Thus, dogs with a lack of working qualities that were inherent in this breed are often allowed for breeding.
The Cane Corso: A Powerful Dog with Purpose
The Cane Corso, or Italian Mastiff, is a fascinating breed with a rich history as a working dog. However, irresponsible breeding practices have led to some dogs losing their desirable working qualities. Here’s what you need to know about the Cane Corso’s purpose, temperament, and training.
Understanding the Cane Corso
- Origins: Ancient Italy, descended from Roman war dogs. Traditionally used for guarding, hunting large game, and herding.
- Appearance: Large, muscular, and imposing build. Short, dense coat, often black, gray, or fawn.
- Temperament: Intelligent, loyal, and protective. Can be wary of strangers but deeply affectionate towards family. Early socialization is crucial.
The Importance of Working Qualities
- Responsible Breeding: Breeders should prioritize working abilities, temperament, and health to preserve the breed’s purpose and minimize negative traits.
- Loss of Working Qualities: Breeding without standards leads to dogs with undesirable traits like excessive aggression, fearfulness, or instability.
- Beyond Just Working Ability: A Cane Corso should be sound in both physical health and temperament to ensure a well-rounded companion.
Cane Corso Temperament & Training
- Trainability: Highly intelligent and eager to please, making training enjoyable with a skilled handler.
- Need for Experienced Guidance: Requires confident leadership and a knowledgeable trainer to prevent aggression or timidity. Early socialization is essential.
- Natural Guarding Instincts: Protective and watchful, requiring proper socialization and training to channel these instincts constructively.
Working Abilities of Cane Corsos
- Physical & Mental Needs: A working breed needing ample exercise and mental challenges to thrive. Failure to do so can lead to behavioral problems.
- Purposeful Activities: Excel at tasks like pulling, swimming, and protection work, keeping them mentally and physically engaged.
The Cane Corso as a Companion
- Clean & Adaptable: Suitable for both rural and urban living if exercise needs are met. Not suited to living outdoors due to their short coat.
- Family Dog: Devoted and gentle with family, making them excellent companions and protectors for children.
- Multi-Purpose: Can accompany you on hikes, runs, or other outdoor activities.
Responsible Training
- Professional Guidance: Seek a qualified trainer specializing in working breeds and Cane Corsos.
- Early Socialization: Crucial for developing a well-adjusted, confident dog.
- Building Trust: Essential for establishing a strong bond and facilitating training.
- Consistent Leadership Define roles within the family and maintain clear leadership.
- Positive Reinforcement Utilize treats and praise for successful training outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- The Cane Corso is a magnificent breed with inherent working abilities and potential as a devoted companion.
- Irresponsible breeding jeopardizes the breed’s working qualities and can lead to temperament issues.
- Early socialization, experienced training, and a focus on purpose are crucial for raising a well-balanced Cane Corso.
- Seek out reputable breeders prioritizing health, temperament, and working ability when considering a Cane Corso.
With the right care, training, and responsible ownership, the Cane Corso can be an exceptional companion, fulfilling its historical purpose as a loyal guardian and versatile working dog.
Contents
Features of the Cane Corso breed
This breed is distinguished by good trainability and plasticity. The Cane Corso lifespan is around 9–12 years (a little longer than the average for large dog breeds). Among the representatives of the Cane Corsi adult dogs, there are often more friendly, but incredulous dogs than other dogs out there. Distrustfulness and suspicion are usually characteristic of young individuals and puppies.
Therefore, it is very important to educate and train them very carefully with other pets, without undue perseverance. But these qualities can also be turned into pluses.
For example, if you need to keep an eye on the territory, then the incredulity of the Cane Corso will play into your hands. The dog will not let anyone into the protected area. But if there is no such need, it is necessary to correct such behavior from an early age with proper early socialization in the Cane Corso dog breed.
When working with an inexperienced instructor, you run the risk of raising a muscular dog with excessive aggression or, on the contrary, “blind” an insecure and cowardly pet.
Therefore, it is best to take care of a qualified cynologist in advance, who knows the peculiarities of Cane Corso dog breed root upbringing and will take into account all the character traits of your pet.
They were mainly bred to be Roman war dogs. These giant breeds even used to hunt wild boar and cattle. Thus, these dogs are extremely intelligent and energetic to do any work. You can socialize or give obedience training to them with other puppies or adult dogs to burn their young puppy energy while teaching them the needed social skills.
Cane Corso Temperament And Working Abilities
The Cane Corsos are lesser-known breeds that originate from rustic Southern Italy. They’re a working dog breed that was mainly used for herding, hunting, and also guarding farms.
They are also very trainable, intelligent, and ready to please. Nevertheless, they do need an owner who is confident as well as can provide strong leadership, proper care with the right dog food, and both mental and physical stimulation.
Despite being a scary-looking and big dog, the Cane Corsos are affectionate and gentle, particularly with their family members. Nevertheless, they’re inherently good guard puppies so they will protect your property as well as can be doubtful of strangers. However, this guard dog breed is often seen to suffer from health issues like hip dysplasia.
This working dog breed was originally bred as a guardian because of its imposing stature and size. Quite similar to pit bulls, the reputation of Cane Corso as an aggressive dog breed creates an adverse feedback loop.
So, let’s take a look at their working abilities below…
Working Abilities Of Cane Corsos
This bodyguard-dog breed requires a fair portion of daily physical exercise and also mental stimulation. Because they’re working large breed dogs and should be kept busy and have a task to do. This affectionate breed Cane Corso loves to pull, thus, your puppy may need to introduce to the sled-pulling sport.
The Cani Corsi needs plenty of activity and exercise, both mental and physical. They need at least 1 hour of physical exercise a day like Siberian Huskies. Without the chance to release all their pent-up energies, they can get behavior issues. This can contain barking, destructive behavior, digging, etc.
There are 3 main activity and exercise types and you should provide the large dogs with the following exercise every day to maintain their healthy weight.
- Daily walk
- Mental stimulation
- Purposeful Activities such as building muscle
These suggested exercises are for adult Cane Corso to keep them generally healthy. The exercise requirements of a Cane Corso puppy are different since they are still developing. Since this dog has high energy, it needs proper food in the dog’s bowl and adequate exercise to burn its pent-up energy.
The Purpose Of The Cane Corsi Dog
This is the perfect house dog. Cleanliness and lack of smell allow you to keep this breed both in a country house and in an urban environment. The only thing: it is not suitable for winter outdoor maintenance – the lack of a thick double-layered coat. Cane Corso easily finds a common language with other animals that you may already have in your home.
He will fit right in with them. For young children, he will become the best nanny and educator, a reliable and attentive friend.
Naturally possessing strength and resourcefulness, the Cane Corso will be able to keep you company on a hike, fishing, and other types of recreation. Balanced, he will not cause trouble and will not require additional attention.
You can use this powerful dog as a companion in some sports (swimming, running, dock diving, skiing, hunting big game, etc.). Cane Corso is an intelligent, wise, balanced dog. An adult Cane Corso, aware of his strength, is calm and self-confident, full of self-esteem, and very intelligent.
The actions of the Cane Corso seem deliberate and testify to great nobility. Behind his powerful appearance lies endless tenderness, and loyalty to his family, but at the moment of danger, he will defend his family and the property of the owner to the last no matter what.
Dog Training Advice To Improve Their Working Abilities
Cane Corso’s training requires a lot of effort, time, and energy. But there are basic rules of education that must not be violated:
- Dog training should be handled by professionals. And the sooner you start teaching, the better.
- From the first days, it is necessary to build a trusting relationship and establish contact between Cane Corso and the owner.
- In no case do not pay attention to the provocations of the puppy. So he probes the boundaries of what is permitted.
- Initially, distribute roles in the family, and show who is the boss in the house. Naturally, the owner of the dog should take the leader’s place.
- Any exercise should begin with a certain command, and end with it. When executing the command, it is necessary to reward the dog with a tasty treat.
Training a Cane Corso is not a difficult task, but it requires a certain amount of attention to detail. And the sooner you start training, the better for both you and the dog.
FINAL WORDS
This is a great companion dog. Some Cane Corso dogs achieve good outcomes in dog sports. This dog breed was mainly developed as a working dog and its characteristics reflect usefulness for work.
Cane Corso is focused on protection and guard. They have excellent intuition and the inborn dog does not show aggression. Thus, this’s an extraordinary bodyguard-dog with an inherent sense of fearlessness, and territory, and can make independent decisions.
