General Information
When looking at the Cane Corso your first impression is
that he is an athlete, reminiscent of a Greco-Roman wrestler. He should be balanced with
substantial bone and great muscularity. He should be alert, fearless and confident. The
Cane Corso is a dog of function, he was developed to perform multiple tasks from combat to
herding, and the Cane Corso should appear still capable of these tasks. The ideal Cane
Corso should be free of defilement from other breeds. You should know instantly when
looking at the dog that this is a Cane Corso and nothing else. Many Cane Corso's have
influences from of other breeds such as the Rottwielers, Boxer, Bullmastiff and Neapolitan
Mastiff; in Italy they even label certain Cane Corso's "Boxer type" or
"Mastino type". It is important that you be able to identify certain traits as
undesirable. Black & Tan and Blue & Tan are not listed as acceptable color
patterns in the American or European standards and should not be considered in the
selection of this breed, it is the equivalent to awarding points to a white Boxer. Cane
Corso's that have "brindling" where a Rottwieler would have tan markings or
points should also be penalized. Another color fault that should be mentioned is excessive
white on a subject, while a small bit of white on the toes is acceptable you may see a
Corso with white "socks" going up the hock or elbows and should be faulted.
White on the muzzle and large blazes of white on his chest or chin are also to be faulted.
Eye color should always be dark especially in the dark colored dogs. For example a black
subject with yellow eyes should be considered a major fault. Nose color should also always
be dark (black); the exception would be a blue/gray subject in which case the nose is
self-coloring.
The Cane Corso should not resemble the
Neapolitan Mastiff, he can have minimal wrinkle in the facial region. The Cane
Corso can have a minimal dewlap but it should not be excessive. When he is
moving you should not see a rippling of loose skin vibrating through his body,
what you should see is taunt sinewy muscles being flexed with each movement.
The Cane Corso is considered a medium to large sized dog. In America we prefer
the larger sized dog, this means that all things being equal the larger dog is
preferred. While there is no weight limit at this time on the American
standard there is language that dictate’s what would be considered
oversized. "While the larger size is preferred, it should not come at the expense
of the dogs working ability or movement." If the dogs size
inhibits his movement, stamina, or ability to perform the tasks for which he
was bred then he is oversized. It is important to remember that until about 12
or 13 years ago this dog was used solely as a working dog. If a Cane Corso was
not up to the tasks on the masseria, then he did not eat. Undersize should
also be faulted, it is important to remember that this is a mastiff type
breed. The smaller dog may move better, but that does not necessarily make it
the best Cane Corso. This dogs history as a war dog; hunter of bear, boar and
stag required that he be a dog of great substance and power. These dogs are
depicted in paintings and sculptures attaching themselves to horses and pigs.
The
head should be prominent, and should immediately draw your attention. It is powerful and
large in relation to the rest of the body. The muzzle is always short, square, deep and
wide. The axis of the skull is slightly convergent with a deep stop. The eyes should be
almond shaped, dark a set in a sub frontal position. The teeth should align in a
relatively straight line (not rounded like the Rottwielers) this is to accommodate the
rather wide muzzle of the Cane Corso. The following excerpt should provide you with a good
impression of the Cane Corso. This is taken from the Swiss naturalist Konrad von Gesner
(1516-1565) in his "Historia Animalium", from the section "De
Quadrupedibus", this chapter about the De Cane Venatico Robustus, Adversus Magnus aut
fortes Feris describes a the Cane Corso and his ancient utilizations. "There are many
ferocious canines, fearless in the chase and grip of every type of animal. One must choose
those endowed with an impressive muzzle, large head, with the upper lip hanging atop the
lower, with reddened eyes, with dilated nostrils that seem to throw fire, with sharp
teeth, with a powerful neck and a large chest. They should pursue like lions, with large
paws and nails spread, the claws are hard and curved in a way to better violently throw
and hold his prey to the ground. With this type of dog, the hunters can better reach and
capture the wild game. In Italy and especially Rome, it is said that one is best served by
using Cane Corsos against wild boar and wild bulls."
"The molosser is of great size and a great biter, like
the Cane Corso. I think that one considers him to be a great biter not because he bites
without reason, but because he has an energetic grip and has difficulty releasing the bite
he inflicts on a wild beast. Besides, I know that the Cane Corso, when he has struck his
fangs into a wild boar or wild bull, he can not be separated from the prey without the
intervention of the hunter to his locked mandible."
Cane Corso’s that have long and or narrow
muzzles, round eyes, parallel axis of the skull, light bone or
"leggy" construction are to be faulted as these traits are
undesirable and are more reminisant of a herding dog than a Molosser. On the
opposite spectrum, excessively convergent axis of the skull, which is
generally accompanied by disturbingly undershot bite should be viewed as
just as serious a fault. The Cane Corso’s bite should not exceed more than
1/2 cm undershot. If a scissor bite is presented it should be very tight,
evidence of an overbite should be considered a severe fault. When evaluating
the Cane Corso character must also come into the equation. The Cane Corso
should never be fearful. If a Corso is afraid of people how can he
effectively perform his duties as a guard dog? Timid or scarce character
should be severely faulted. A fear biter should not be considered for the
selection of this breed. A Cane Corso that shows belligerence towards other
dog’s should not be considered a fault (as long as he poses no threat to
others) This breeds history as a combat dog predicates a somewhat
belligerent attitude towards other dogs, particularly dogs of the same sex.
He should never be overly agitated or figitty like the Boxer, he is always
reserved and confident. The Cane Corso should be territorial, he should be
in tune and aware of his surroundings and show a keen interest in them. The
Cane Corso should never be fearful, and always ready to meet a challenge.
You must not mistake indifference or standoffish behavior with fear or
aggression. Most Cane Corso’s are not likely to look at you and wag there
tail, some yes, but in most cases this will not be so. He should not be
outwardly aggressive towards you; he must be under control at all times. The
Cane Corso should be a very balanced animal mentally as well as physically,
he should be confident, secure, vigilant. He should be a perfect blend of
Combativeness, aggressiveness, docility, sociability, and curiosity. The
firmness of his nerves represents the true mental strength of the breed. The
Cane Corso requires a great deal of socialization at a young age, this is
recommended to combat the breed’s natural aversion to strangers. We
require all Godiva Cane Corso’s attend puppy kindergarten. These class’
are an excellent environment to socialize your puppy with other dogs,
people, children and stimuli they might not otherwise be exposed to (i.e.
wheel chairs, walkers, strollers) they also are a great help with typical
puppy problems such as housebreaking, destructive chewing and crate
training. The Cane Corso will bond quickly to your family, particularly the
children, however as mentioned he has a natural aversion to strangers, so it
is best to supervise all your children’s house guest and keep the horse
play to a minimum.