Cane Corso
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| Fawn Cane Corso | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Cane Corz | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country of origin |  Italy |
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| Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The Cane Corso [ˈkane ˈkɔrso] is an Italian breed of dog, for years valued highly in Italy as a companion, guardian and hunter.
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Description [edit]
Appearance [edit]
The Cane Corso is a large Italian Molosser. It is well muscled and tends less toward sheer bulk like the english mastiff and more towards definition like the original Old English Bulldog. The official Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) standard expects ideal dogs to stand 62–72 cm (24–28 in) at the withers, with females in the lower range and males in the higher. Weight should be in keeping with the size and stature of these dogs, ranging from 45 to 70 kg (99 to 150 lb).[1] The overall impression should be of power, balanced with athleticism. A Corso should be moderately tight skinned; however, some dewlap on the neck is normal, and the bottom of the jawline should be defined by the hanging lip.
The Corso head is one of its primary features. Its muzzle should be as wide as it is long, and should be 33% of the length of the entire skull (a ratio of 2:1). This head size and type also means that a Corso has superior bite strength.[2] Its ears are naturally dropped forward, but (where legal) many breeders crop them so that the remaining stubs are equilateral triangles, standing upright. Most Corsi have docked tails as well. The standard calls for docking at the fourth vertebra, although often they are docked shorter; this is considered an eliminating fault under the Italian FCI 343 standard.
Corsi appear in two basic coat colours: black and fawn. This is further modified by genetic pigment dilution to create blue (from black) and formentino (from fawn) colours. Brindling of varying intensity is common on both basic coat colours as well, creating tigrato (full brindle), black brindle, and blue brindle. Fawn also has a number of different expressions, ranging from the pale of a formentino to 'red' to the more common beige colour, with the back coat hairs tipped with black. In blue dogs, the nose can appear grey, but should be darker than the coat. In all other dogs, the nose should be black. White markings on the chest, toes and on the chin and nose are seen as well, with smaller white patches being preferable. Corso should NOT be seen in black with tan points, similar to the markings of a Rottweiler or Doberman.
The average life of a Cane Corso is 10 to 11 years.
Temperament [edit]
Cane Corso are easy to obedience train, have a willingness to please, and form a close attachment with their primary owner. As puppies, a Corso must have strong leadership and training, and although they easily learn the basic commands, any owner understands that the difficult part is controlling and moulding the Corso's strong protective instinct. Powerful and imposing, a Cane Corso is highly suspicious of strangers, and for this reason aggression should never be encouraged. Because of their need to keep the status quo, a Corso often dislikes new things, animals, and people, so the owner must be careful when introducing the dog to new places and people. Cane Corso tend to be a quiet breed, though they will bark at anything about which they are unsure. For the most part, they like nothing better than staying next to their owner all the time.[3]
A true Corso should be indifferent when approached and should only react when a real threat is present. Of course, socialization is the key to controlling the dog's natural protective instincts, because a Corso will find anything threatening if not properly socialized as a puppy. If socialized properly as a puppy, a Cane Corso can get along with other dogs and people. Corso are historically working dogs that need exercise and are at their best when they have a job to do.
History [edit]
The Cane Corso is a descendant of the canis pugnax,[2] dogs used by the Romans in warfare. Its name derives from cane da corso, an old term for those catch dogs used in rural activities (for cattle and swine; boar hunting, and bear fighting) as distinct from cane da camera which indicates the catch dog kept as a bodyguard. In the recent past, its distribution was limited to some districts of Southern Italy, especially in Basilicata, Campania and Puglia[2]
The Cane Corso is a catch dog used with cattle and swine, and also in wild boar and cougar hunters. It is also used by night watchmen, keepers, and, in the past, by carters as a drover. In the more distant past this breed was common all over Italy as an ample iconography and historiography testify.
The breed was recovered from near extinction through the efforts of enthusiasts in the 1970s by means of cross-breeding appropriate type selected breeds. The Cane Corso of today is a very different looking dog in comparison to its pre-80's forefathers. The drive has somewhat come down, the breed has more bulk and generally due to the shortening of the muzzle and widening of the skull it has lost its scissor bite.[4] The Corso is now popular globally.[citation needed] Since coming to the United States in 1987, the breed has gained popularity.[citation needed] It was recognized by the United Kennel Club on July 15, 2008 under the name Cane Corso Italiano,[5] and subsequently by the American Kennel Club in 2010 as Cane Corso.[6] Celebrity ownership of Cane Corsi has increased the breed's visibility.[7][8]
References [edit]
- ^ Cane Corso Standard of FCI
- ^ a b c Cane Corso Standard of Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana (ENCI)
- ^ "Cane Corso". 5 Star Dog, Inc. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ Back from the Brink (translated), The FOCC
- ^ Cane Corso Italiano at the United Kennel Club
- ^ Cane Corso at the AKC
- ^ Sydney, Grace. "'30 Rock' Star Tracy Morgan with His Dogs". DogTipper.com, 7 August 2009.
- ^ Withers, Tom. "Cavaliers Wary of Rest Turning to Rust", Associated Press, NBA.com, 2 May 2007.
External links [edit]
- Cane Corso at the Open Directory Project
