The cane corso looks intimidating with its well muscled body and large size. However, their personalities are loving and friendly, making them a popular pet for dog lovers.
What is a Cane Corso?
A cane corse is a type of Mastiff, known as an Italian Mastiff. They are majestic and noble. They are highly intelligent, and require lots of mental stimulation.
They were originally bred as working dogs. To be at their best, they need a job to do.
Cane Corso History
Cane corsos are descendants of the Greek Mollusers breed, which is also the ancestor of today’s Mastiffs and Boxers. They go back to Ancient Rome, and perhaps even further.
They stood beside Roman soldiers during battles. Once the war was over, they found other jobs to do. They were used for hunting wild boar and other animals.
They were often used to guard livestock, people, and property. They still enjoy this role today.
The breed almost became extinct in the 20th century. They were essentially rediscovered in Italy in the 1970s, and their popularity began to grow.
Many corso lovers believe that they know that they were narrowly saved from extinction, and that this contributes to their loyalty today.
Cane Corso as a Guard Dog
The name Cane Corso translates to “body guard” dog. As the name suggests, the breed makes excellent guard dogs.
One reason for this is their temperament. They have a calm demeanor. They won’t attack anyone, or even growl at them, without a good cause.
However, when needed, they have the strength and agility to defend their owner and family, with their life is necessary.
Cane Corso as a Member of the Family
In addition to being excellent guard dogs, Cane Corsos are an excellent four legged family member. They are friendly, and great with children. They have endless patience, and are obedient.
With those they love, they are always gentle. They form very close relationships with their family, which is why they are so protective.
While they are great with those they love, they aren’t friendly with strangers. When well socialized, you can expect them to stand by, keeping a close eye on those they don’t know.
It’s also important to note that they don’t do well with small animals. They are working dogs and hunters. Smaller animals, including cats, can trigger their prey drive.
Cane corsos do require a strong owner. You’ll need to be calm and assertive. They aren’t recommended for inexperienced dog owners. They need a leader. If you are easily intimidated, the Cane Corso will likely own you, rather than you owning them.
Cane Corso Physical Characteristics
Cane Corsos typically weigh 100 pounds or more. They have a graceful well muscled body. They typically reach 23 to 28 inches tall, and weigh 85 to 120 pounds.
They have a very short coat which can be black, fawn, blue, or red. In addition to a solid colored coat, they can also be brindle. Brindle coats have black lines, along with the base color.
Great Dane Cane Corso Mix
The Great Dane Cane Corso mix is also known as the Italian Daniff or great corso. Like the cane corso, they are well known for being loyal and affectionate companions.
Great Danes and Cane Corsos have many traits in common. They are both ancient breeds, and are both considered Mollossers. Both were bred to hunt boar, and to be guard dogs.
Size and Weight
The great dane cane corso, or Italian Daniff, is even larger than the cane corso. They grow to an astounding 35 to 36 inches in height, and weigh 115 to 130 pounds.
Coat and Appearance
Both parent breeds have a short dense coat, and a large muscular body. The Daniff gets most of its appearance from the Great Dane, but they do have the broad chest of a Cane Corso. They have floppy ears like their parents.
However, some owners choose to clip their ears, which makes their ears appear small and erect. Clipped ears do add to the intimidating appearance of the pooch.
Black is the most common coat color. They can also be brown, Isabella, blue, or fawn coat colors.
Merle coats are also a possibility, because merle is fairly common in Great Danes. There are some concerns about the health of merle dogs, particularly if they are double merle, which means they inherit the merle gene from both parents.
Rottweiler Cane Corso Mix
The Rottweiler Cane Corso mix is also known as Rotticorso. The Rottweiler is also a Mollosser breed, which plays a role in their similarities. They are an excellent choice for families who are active. Like the Cane Corso, these pooches need to stay busy. Give them a job to do, and they are happy and fairly well behaved.
They are very affectionate with their family. In fact, they need to be near their family most of the time. This breed will follow you from room to room, and become upset if they are left alone for too long.
Size and Weight
The Rotticorso is similar in size to the Cane Corso. They reach 22-27 inches in height, and weigh 80 to 120 pounds.
Coat and Appearance
Their appearance can vary, because they are a hybrid. Some will look more like a Rottweiler, while others will resemble the Cane Corso. However, there are some characteristics that are common in the Rotticorso.
Both parents are sleek and well muscled, so you can expect the Rotticorso to look similar.
The Rotticorso typically has a longer coat than the Cane Corso. The coat is considered medium length. It’s straight and dense, like the parent’s coats.
Most Rotticorsos have a coat that’s only slightly longer than the Corso, which still gives it a sleek relatively short coat. However, some can have longer coats, particularly if they have a long haired Rottweiler parent.
Their coat can be black, red, brown, fawn, or sable. They can also have the brindle coat pattern.
. They have a square shaped head, and a broad muscular chest. They have a large frame with a solid heavy bone structure.
Doberman Cane Corso Mix
Like our other hybrids so far, Dobermans and Cane Corsos have a lot in common. They are Mollosser breeds.
When it comes to personality, there are a few important differences between them and the Cane Corso. One is that they will develop a close relationship with one family member.
Dogs with this personality trait are often known as a “one owner dog”. They will get along well with other members of the family. However, they will clearly prefer one person, who they consider to be their owner.
The other difference is that they aren’t as affectionate as Cane Corsos. They love their family. They are simply a bit more reserved and aloof than their relatives.
Both parent breeds are working dogs, and require a job to do. This is also true for the Cane Corso Doberman. They need to be useful and have tasks to complete.
If they are left to their own devices too often, they may become unruly or aggressive. Raising them requires a firm but steady hand, and plenty of time and energy to train them. You can allow them to be a guard dog, or simply focus on teaching them new commands as their job.
Size and Weight
Doberman Cane Corsos are a bit larger than a Cane Corso, and stand 24 to 28 inches tall. They weigh 90 to 120 pounds.
Coat and Appearance
The coat and appearance of the Doberman Corso will vary, based on which parent they resemble the most.
Most have a short and smooth coat, like the Corso. Their head may be large and wedge shaped, like the Cane Corso. They can also inherit the head of the Doberman, which is pointy and longer.
Cane Corsos often have clipped ears. In their natural state, their ears are large and floppy. The Doberman Corso will naturally have floppy large ears, like their Corso parent.
When it comes to their coat color, they can be black, rust, gray, or brindle. Other coat colors are possible, but rare. These include white, red, or blue. They may inherit red or blue from either parent. White can only be inherited from their Doberman parent.
German Shepherd Cane Corso Mix
You can expect the German Shepherd Cane Corso mix to inherit some desirable traits for both parents. They are highly active, intelligent, and protective of their family. They are often called a Corso Shepherd or a German Corso.
Even though the German Shepherd isn’t a Mollosser breed, the two breeds have a lot in common, particularly when it comes to their temperament.
Both are excellent guard dogs, and are highly protective. They do very well as working dogs. In fact, they are both used by law enforcement.
German Shepherds are typically a bit more excited and friendly than Cane Corsos. Both are wary around strangers.
You can expect a Shepherd Corso to be very loving with family. They require lots of attention, and have plenty of energy. They are excellent with children, and develop a close relationship with everyone in the family. This is their pack, which they are very devoted to.
Size and Weight
The Shepherd Corso is a little smaller than our previous hybrids. They are 23 to 28 inches tall. They are often lighter than the Cane Corso, with their weight ranging from 65 to 110 pounds.
Coat and Apperance
The German Shepherd and Cane Corso are very different in appearance. This creates more variation in the Corso Shepherd, because they can get more of their characteristics from one parent than the other.
They can have wedge or square shaped head of the Corso, or the elongated head of a Shepherd. Their ears can be floppy or erect. Their muzzle can be either long or short.
Even their body is a toss up between the two parent breeds. They can be heavily muscled and stocky, or lean and slender.
They typically have a short to medium length double coat. The most common coat colors are black or black and tan. They can also have a white, blue, silver, or red coat.
Bullmastiff Cane Corso Mix
Bull Mastiffs and Cane Corsos are closely related. In addition to both being Mollossers, they are also both Mastiffs. Cane Corsos are known as Italian Mastiffs. Bullmastiffs are actually a cross between an English Mastiff and a Bulldog.
Interestingly, despite both parents breeds having a rich history, no one knows when the Bull Mastiff Corso was created.
Like the parent breeds, a Bull Mastiff Cane Corso will be very protective of its family.
They are excellent with children, and make a great pet for families. When well socialized, they are well behaved with strangers, but they may be aloof rather than friendly.
They are excited and playful. In fact, the biggest danger they pose to those they love is simply jumping up in excitement. This can be a problem for young children, due to the dog’s large size.
However, they are easy to train. They have a strong desire to please, and they are very intelligent.
As long as they get plenty of love, exercise, mental stimulation, and training, they are incredibly fun and well behaved pooches.
Size and Weight
The size and weight is similar to that of the parent breeds. They will weigh 90 to 130 pounds. They can grow to 23 to 28 inches tall.
Coat and Appearance
The Mastiff and Cane Corso are fairly similar in appearance. They have broad heads and well muscled bodies.
They have a broad skull with almond shaped eyes. They have erect ears that are v-shaped. Their muzzle is usually medium length, and slightly longer than it is wide.They can have an underbite.
Their stomach will be muscular but toned. Their legs are strong and proportional, and perfect for carrying their body.
Cane Corsos and Bull Mastiffs have different facial features, so there can be some variation in their faces, depending on the parent they inherit the most traits from.
Cane Corsos have generous droopy jaws, and Mastiffs have a wider face than the Corso.
They can inherit the coat colors of either parent as well. They can be black, gray, fawn, red, or chestnut. They can also be black or gray brindle.
Husky Cane Corso Mix
At first glance, a Siberian Husky and a Cane Corso seem like a strange combination. However, they can actually be incredible pets.
The Husky Cane Corso mix, also known as the Siberian Corso, is highly intelligent. Like it’s parents, the breed has lots of energy and is bred for hard work.
Siberian Huskies were originally used as sled dogs. They have incredible endurance, and can travel up to 150 miles in a day.
When you combine the Husky’s unbeatable stamina with the Cane Corso’s extraordinary strength, you have quite a dog.
Like their parent breeds, this hybrid pooch requires plenty of exercise. In fact, you’ll need to let them exercise at least 1 hour a day, and potentially more.
One of the advantages of this mix is that Corsos are very willing to please. Huskies, on the other hand, are very independent. They don’t typically follow orders well, and can be hard to train.
The Cane Corso tempers the Husky’s stubbornness, which makes them easy to train.
Both dogs are highly intelligent, and require lots of mental stimulation.
Siberian Corso Size and Weight
Huskies are a little smaller than Corsos. Siberian Husky Cane Corso’s can be similar in size to either of their parents, though they are usually some where between the two sizes.
They range from 20 to 27 inches in height, and they can weigh between 40 and 100 pounds.
Coat and Appearance
Typically, the Siberian Corso will have a build of a Cane Corso, and a coat that similar to a Husky. There will be some variation, even between siblings, so their appearance is a bit of a gamble.
They will have a longer coat than Cane Corsos. You’ll need to be prepared to brush them frequently to care for their coat.
Cane Corsos typically have a solid coat, while Huskies usually have a coat with a base color along with white. The most common coat color for a Siberian Husky Cane Corso is brown or black along with white. However, they can be a range of colors, including red, black, brown, fawn, and brindle.
Shar Pei Cane Corso Mix
Shar Peis originated in China, but they have a surprising amount in common with Cane Corsos. Both were excellent boar hunters. This is why the Shar Pei has loose skin folds. It helped protect them from boars.
They have another commonality as well. Both were nearly extinct in the past. Today, both breeds are thriving. Both parent breeds are extremely loyal and protective. They’ll need plenty of socialization from an early age, to help them be comfortable around strangers.
Both parent breeds are calm, as well as protective. Shar Peis do well in apartments, while Cane Corsos do need a lot of exercise.
Size and Weight
A Shar Pei Cane Corso will be a similar size as their parents. Shar Pei’s are smaller than Corsos. They are typically 18-22 inches tall, and weigh 45 to 55 pounds.
Cane Corsos are 24 to 28 inches tall, and weigh 85-120 pounds.
The Shar Pei Cane Corso will typically be in between these sizes. You can expect them to reach 20-26 inches tall, and weigh 60 to 110 pounds.
Of course, this is a wide size range. Your pooch’s size will depend on which parent they inherit more of their physical characteristics from.
Coat and Appearance
Shar Peis and Cane Corsos have very different appearances. One of the biggest differences is their coat length and texture. Shar Pei’s have a bristly coat, which can vary from short, known as a horse coat, to a longer coat, which is called the brush coat.
Your Shar Pei Corso can inherit the coat of either parent. You can usually expect it to be bristly, like the Shar Pei.
When it comes to coat colors, the parent breeds are similar. You can expect a Shar Pei Corso to be black, cream, fawn, red, sable, or blue.
The pooch may inherit the wrinkles of a Shar Pei as well.
bristly coat. It stands straight up, like a 1950s butch-style hairdo, and varies in length, from a really short “horse” coat to a longer “brush” coat. You can find it in many colors, including solid black, cream, fawn, red, sable, and blue. He sheds minimally.
The Shar chestnut or dark brown color without many other distinguishing features. Some of these mixes may have a white patch on their chest and
Labrador Cane Corso Mix
Labrador Cane Corsos are excellent pets. Both parent breeds are hard working, and intelligent. They are great guard dogs, and can be trained to perform a wide variety of other tasks as well.
This hybrid is fearless. They may be aloof with strangers, but you can expect them to be very affectionate with family members.
Labradors are the most popular dog in the U.S. Combined with the calmer and more muscular Cane Corso, they create a great well rounded family pet.
They are great with children. They are playful, but are comfortable relaxing as well. They do need plenty of exercise each day to keep them from being too rambunctious.
Size and Weight
A Labrador Cane Corso will reach 22 to 28 inches in height. They can weigh 55 to 100 pounds.
Coat and Appearance
A Labrador Corso will have a short double coat with medium density. The coat colors are essentially those of either parent, including black, brown, blue, yellow, red, fawn, and brindle.
Like other mixes, some puppies will resemble one parent more than the other. Both Corsos and Labs are well built pooches, so they have some similarities in appearance.