The breeds recovery

After the Second World War the neglect befell the Cane Corso, he was made obsolete by the advent of modern farming machines with the exception of the outermost reaches of southern Italy where in remote pockets he was still employed in his traditional utilizations. The Cane Corso toiled in anominity until the breeds "Recovery Process" began in the early 1970’s. Prof. Giovanni Bonatti and DR. Paolo Breber started this modern recovery. In 1973 for work related reasons Breber was transferred to Foggia. In December of the same year DR. Breber received a letter from Prof. Giovanni Bonatti telling him " he has noticed in those places a molossiod dog different hair from the Neapolitan Mastiff, similar to the bullmastiff, likeness of the Presa Majorca" the letter went on to say "Prof. Ballotta, eminent dog lover, inhabitant of Romagna, had seen several examples of this ancient Pugliese breed." With Breber’s interest peeked he began the search of this Ancient "molossiod" by seeking out Foggiani who’s memories went back some 50 years. These conversations led Breber various works of art, illustrations poems and other historical documentation depicting the utilization of the breed. Though Breber was coming to understand the nature and function of the breed he had not as of yet encountered a living-breathing specimen. That changed in October of 1974, while attending a Canine exposure in Foggia, Breber encountered 5 examples of the breed, 2 black dogs from Montella(AV) a black female and a tigrato male where from Lucera (FG) and a gray male from Ortanova (FG). Breber purchased the tigrato female from Lucera named Mirak. These first Molossors of Puglia came to be known as "Dogo Di Puglia" they where even recognized Internationally in 1976 by the U.C.I. (Union Cinologica Italian)

During this time a couple of significant litters stand out. The first of which, DR. Breber bred Mirak to a dog named Aliot producing a litter which included Dauno and Brina. Brina was then later bred to a dog named Picciut. The most notable product of Brina’s litter was a female named Tipsi. In 1980 a litter of 18 puppies where born to Tipsi sired by Dauno, in this litter where such important foundation dogs as Bulan, Babak, Berzerillo, and most importantly Basir, the dog on which the ENCI/SACC standard is based. Around this time DR. Breber’s had the occasion to write an article in the ENCI’s I Nostri Cane magazine on his work with the Maremmano-Abruzzese in this article a two dogs of medium to large size dogs were pictured in the background. This picture drew the attention of 16-year-old student Stefano Gandolfi. To quote MR. Gandolfi from his book co-written with Fernando Casolino Il Cane Corso, Origini e prospettive del molosso italico "The reproduction was not clear enough in order to understand what type of dog they were, but in the book it was explained that the two subjects were Cane Corsos, an ancient molossoide that are still present in the south, in Puglia." Gandolfi sought out DR. Breber through the publishing company to learn more of this native Italian molossor. Gandolfi was successful in his attempts to reach DR. Breber; they soon started a correspondence that centered on the reselection of the breed. MR. Gandolfi soon enlisted the help of longtime friends Giancarlo and Luciano Malavasi. The Malavasi’s had for years bred German Shephard dogs. Luciano and GiaCarlo were skeptical of getting involved with a breed that they knew nothing about, but Gandolfi’s persistence eventually wore them down. Through mutual friend and councilman of the Bolognese Cinofilo (dog lovers) Group Gianluigi Spighi, Prof Bonatti was introduced to what would become another central figure in the recovery of the Cane Corso breed, Mr. Fernando Casolino. Casolino had many fond childhood memories of the breed and gladly shared stories of the Cane Corso, and it’s utilization's in the rural zones of southern Italy with Spighi and Bonatti. Bonatti recruited Casolino to the cause of the recovery process and soon introduced him to Gandolfi and the Malavasi brothers. Casolino would prove very useful as an interpreter of the southern Italian dialect and eventually would be chosen as the group’s main liaison to the ENCI. Casolino tells Gandolfi "the dogs need one center, a cautious attendant for the future development, and above all one pragmatic philosophy of selection." Heeding these words Gandolfi chose the Malavasi brothers farm in Mantova as the central location of the recovery process. Three Corso’s where temporarily loaned to the group from Mantova, Tipsi, Brina and Dauno. Dauno was particularly interesting because of very desirable characteristics he possessed: robust and powerfully built, light undershot, 3/2 head to muzzle ratio, square thick head and fierce character. In 1980 a litter was born to Tipsi sired by Dauno that produced 18 puppies, included in this litters are Basir, Bu-lan, Aike, Baal, Babak and Bezerillo. This is probably the most significant Cane Corso ever litter ever born as Basir was chosen as the model of the standard with his sister Babak chosen as the model of the feminine characteristics of the breed. Basir was given to Casolino and Bu-lan was given to Gian Antonio Sereni on the condition that they are used to "fix the essential characteristics of the breed." Bonatti, Ballotta, and Casolino all agreed that the get of Dauno where the most similar to those of their childhood memories of the breed. Realizing that new lines of blood would need to be added Gandolfi, Sereni, and Casolino obtain additional dogs from Paolo Breber, Aike was bred to Picciotto, who’s daughter Bibli was bred to Bezerillo this type of breeding was designed to fix "type" in this very young breed. On October 13, 1983 Gandolfi, Breber, Sereni, Casolino and the Malavasi Brothers formed the SACC (Society Amatori Cane Corso) the SACC’s goals where to increase the value of the Cane Corso, upgrade the selection of the breed, and to obtain E.N.C.I. recognition. Days later Mr. Casolino and Mr. Gandolfi organized the newly formed club’s first official function in Mantova, a breed survey conducted by ENCI judge Dr. Giovanni Ventura. From the 12 subjects examined by Dr. Ventura a morphologic profile of the breed was compiled. In May of 1984 Casolino arranges SACC’s first "unofficial" contact with ENCI in Catenaso near Bologna, judges Morsiani, Perricone, Bussadori and Bonetti, are invited to examine the characteristics of the breed. 10 Cane Corso’s are presented to the judges including Basir. With the success of this first contact the breed is officially introduced to ENCI November 3, 1985 in Montova. Twenty Cane Corso’s are presented to judges Barbati, Mentasti, Morsiani, Quadri, Perricone, Vandoni, and Ventura. Morsiani and Perricone take a particular interest in the breed, and in the future prove to be invaluable to its eventual recognition by ENCI. In 1986 SACC is shocked by the defection of Paolo Breber. Today it is still unclear why Breber left, but in subsequent article’s he has written on the breed he has been very critical of certain aspects of the standard particularly as it pertains to the bite. Later that year Dr Morsiani accepts the assignment from the executive board of ENCI judges to draft the standard of the Cane Corso. Morsiani travels the Italian country side conducting examinations and taking measurements of Cane Corso’s in some of the most remote and far away locations. The members of SACC, and two new editions to the cause Flavio Bruno and Vito Indiveri aid Dr. Morsiani in his journeys. Bruno and Indiveri carry out a census of "Peasant subjects" recording 97 photographs of 57 dogs from Beneventoano, Puglia, Molise, and Lucania. The results of this census where then sent to ENCI. Stefano Gandolfi attributes Flavio Bruno for much of the knowledge of traditions, sayings, past and present uses of the breed, and much of the historical material we have today. Basir is eventually chosen as the model for the standard, with his sister Babak chosen as the feminine ideal. The ENCI’s Directive counsel and Judges committee approved Dr. Morsiani’s draft of the standard in November of 1987 thus paving the way for full recognition of the breed. The ENCI decided in 1988 to hold three "gatherings" of Cane Corso’s one each in Bari, Florence and in Milan to determine the reality of the breed. 50 "peasant" dogs were subjected to biometrical examinations by judges Morsiani, Perricone and Vandoni. Another gathering was arraigned at the International Exposition of Foggia where a total of eighty dogs were inspected. During a SACC meeting held on November 20, 1988 at the Hotel Cristallo di Cerese di Virgilio the club laid out it’s objectives for the up coming year 1) Increase the number of dogs reaching within 3-4 years at least 150 registrations per year. 2) To increase the breeds homogeny, mainly exploiting the blood whose genotype would be well identified and utilizing, only for the precise scope, dogs whose phenotype would be typical, but of unknown ancestry 3) To eliminate the dogs genetic flaws. 1990 proved to be a very eventful year for the Cane Corso breed, June 16^th the Conference of the Civitella Alfedena was held, this conference was a gathering of most of the men responsible for the recovery and reselection of the breed to date. In attendance and speaking where Paolo Breber, Flavio Bruno, Vito Indiveri, Paolo Paoletti, Stefano Gandolfi, Antonio Morsiani, Scimon Goldmann, Alfonso Comer, Umberto Leone, Giusppe DiGirolamo, Germano Castellano, Mario Perricone, Giancarlo Malavasi, Giorgio Gualtierri, Tommaso Ruggieri, Vittorio Dagradi and Fernando Casolino. The European Exposition of Verona was held and SACC presented 15 Cane Corso’s to FCI delegates in attendance, these delegates also received summarized copies of the standard drafted by Dr Morsiani in English, French, German and Spanish. ENCI’s Directive counsel decides institute the "Libro Aperto" or Open Book certifications to enroll adult specimens that where morphologically consistant with the standard. The Open Book certifications took place in Mantova, Foggia, Ostuni, Morciano de Romagna, Messina and Empoli from 1990 to 1992 and a total of 561 Cane Corso’s where "certified" by ENCI judges Ammannati, Dagradi, Morsiani, Perricone and Vandoni. The procedure in which a dog was enrolled in the Open Book where as follows; 1) Judgment regarding the typicalness of the dog expressed by a pair of judges appointed by the ENCI during an official show or meeting. 2) The puppies born from the mating of two certified subjects will be inscribed officially and also their offspring. 3) A further judgment following the dog’s first year anniversary will confirm if the characteristics of typicalness of the progenitors were present. For the most part step 3 was ignored. Following the results of the "Open Book" registrations the SACC petitions the ENCI to officially recognize the Cane Corso. On January 20, 1994 SACC’s goal of obtaining official recognition for breed are realized as ENCI designates the Cane Corso the 14^th Italian breed. With this recognition however problems arise, since none of the existing ENCI judges have ever been a breeder of the Cane Corso they "sanction" a number of all-rounder and working judges as Cane Corso judges without giving them any type of test or require that they study the realities of the breed. Two such examples standout November 1997 during the National Exposure of Genoa one of these "all Rounder" judges determines that a dog named Lothar is excessively undershot, the dog in Question is undershot by 4mm, certainly within the ENCI standard, especially considering in the book IL Cane Corso, Origini e prospettive del molosso italico written by SACC President Stefano Gandolfi & the Prof. Fernando Casolino it states in the comment to the standard chapter page 98. "The measure of 5mm is an optimal medium value." Another such occasion was when ENCI Judges Antonio Di Lorenzo refused to judge the breed at the National Exposure of Pisa defining the them as "these bastards." The dogs inscribed into the "open book" where then upon ENCI recognition enrolled in the ENCI studbook, offering these dogs LIR certification (Italian Book Recognized) Soon after the breeds official recognition it under goes a huge population explosion going from a few hundred puppies a to around 2500 annual registrations. This sudden popularity lent itself to lower the quality of the breed in general. The Cane Corso is introduced to the governing body of the FCI on May 22^nd 1996 in Milan, about twenty subjects are present to model the characteristics of the breed. A complete standard, historical description, results of analysis on HD and hereditary eye defects and anatomic designs with canine metrical proportions of various anatomic areas as well as research done to identify the various blood lines registered in the "Open book" are submitted to the FCI. November of the same year the Cane Corso is recognized on an International level by the FCI. It is important to note that even today this recognition is somewhat in flux, equivalent to the AKC’s miscellaneous class. Unfortunately the problems that accompanied ENCI recognition are now compounded on a much larger International scale.

 References,

IL Cane Corso, Origini e prospettive del molosso italico S. Gandolfi & F. Casolino

Brevi Annotazioni Sul Cane Corso, Nel Tempo, Nelle Diverse Condizioni Geografiche, Ambientali E Sociali, Flavio Bruno.

IL Cane Corso, Renzo Carosio

IL Cane Corso, Flavio Bruno

Fattoria Ad Indirizzo Cerealico-Zootecnico, Flavio Bruno

IL Cane Corso, Edizioni L’Orsa

IL Cane Corso, Giuseppe Chiecchi & Giorgio Gualtieri 1^st Edition

IL Cane Corso, Giuseppe Chiecchi & Giorgio Gualtieri 2^nd Edition

Testimoniaze Visive E Grafiche Di Un Amico Ritrovato: "IL Corso" Flavio Bruno & Giovanni Tumminelli

Quattro Zampe Magazine, 12/28/95

Canidapresa Magazine, June 2000

Canidapresa Magazine, August 2000

Canidapresa Magazine, September 1997

Canidapresa Magazine, December 1998

Canidapresa Magazine, October 1999

Cani Una Rivista Di Razza Magazine, January 2000

Cani Le Razze, Eraldo Tonelli

Lezioni Di Cinognostica, L. Barbieri

Le Razze Italiane, ENCI

A Celebration of Rare Breeds, Cathy Flamholtz Volume 2

The Rare Breed Handbook, Dee Gannon 2^nd Edition

Conversations with Flavio Bruno

Conversations with Renzo Carosio

Conversations with Umberto Leone

International Cane Corso Federation Bulletin Board (www.canecorso.org)

International Cane Corso Federation History page (www.canecorso.org)

International Cane Corso Federation Information Pack

International Cane Corso Federation Judges Manual

International Cane Corso Federation Quarterly Newsletter (fall 1996)

Association of Italian Cane Corso Bulletin Board (www.canecorsoitaliano.com)

Private correspondence letters from Renzo Carosio