Cane corso, origins
Morphology
Psychology of the cane corso
Treating a cane corso

Origins of the cane corso

The name of the Cane Corso has nothing to do with Corsica even if its  name is misleading. The Latin etymology indicates the idea of ​​the “guard dog”.

The Corsican is an Italian dog, and its roots are truly ancient, so much so that it dates back to Roman times : it seems that it descends from the Roman dog ” canis pugnax” . The Cane Corso is mentioned in various texts from the Middle Ages up to the Malavoglia del Verga, where we read the expression
 ” […] bites worse than a Cane Corso “.

In ancient times the Corso was trained as a war dog, for the defense of the territory. In recent times, the Cane Corso has risked extinction , as it is considered a dangerous and difficult to manage dog. Towards the end of the seventies, some dog enthusiasts sensitized on this breed have rekindled the spotlight on these splendid specimens.

Morphology

The Cane Corso can be defined as a medium / large breed, a Molosser : a specimen can weigh around 50 km and a height of 68 cm at the withers.

It is structurally very powerful and muscular . The head is characterized by a brachycephalic conformation (the skull is wide and short), the muzzle is square , the conformation of the mouth makes it possible to smear, especially when it is agitated.

The neck is bull -like and the trunk is perfectly inscribed in the square of the standard. Its coat is dense and short, and the allowed colors are black, gray with multiple gradients , from lead to slate to light gray, tawny red. In some specimens it is uniform, in others mask or brindle.

Cane Corso, psychology

As mentioned, the Corso is a working dog, selected over time also as a hunting, fighting and guard dog. It is definitely not an apartment breed . He has a very sensitive and sensitive character. Poorly tolerates aggression and high tones of the voice.

It needs well-structured socialization and obedience training in order to channel its possible hyper-reactivity. In fact, a Corso that from a puppy receives an incomplete imprint can become a dangerous adult dog.

A well placed specimen responds very lovingly and protective of its family. But be careful it is not a dog suitable for children, both in size and in character, even if integrated in family life since a puppy; legs and tail can be disturbing elements in living with lively children.

By its nature it is very wary of strangers . It is therefore necessary to always pay close attention to meeting places with other people and also other animals. The owner must always be present and be able to exercise control if necessary

How to take care of a cane corso

The Corso is a resistant dog with a good life expectancy, in fact it can reach up to 14 years, despite its size. The pathologies it can incur are those typical of large dogs, such as hip dysplasia and stomach torsion .

It is therefore important to pay attention to nutrition , it must not be concentrated in a single daily meal and must not weigh down its structure, the doses and concentrations of nutrients must be commensurate with the degree of movement that the course can develop throughout the day. , as it can easily tend to overweight .

Its coat does not require special care , being a short coat with undercoat, a weekly brushing is sufficient. But beware of the cold season, if the corso lives outdoors it needs shelter in the heat, while it can tolerate the summer heat well .