Cane Corso History

The Cane Corso breed is a Mastiff breed originally from Italy.

The name is derived from the Italian word for dog, cane, and the Latin term cohors, meaning “protector” or “guardian.” These dogs descended from Roman war dogs. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, The Cane Corso worked as farmhands, hunters, flock, property and family guardians. They were thought to have come from the original mollosians, in the region known today as Albania. Roman troops brought the dogs back to their homeland during the Macedonian wars and begun the breeding that would soon result in the unique warrior. These dogs were used as piriferi, dogs who charged across enemy lines with buckets of flaming oil strapped to their backs.

This breed was on the brink of extinction.

They almost vanished due to the changes of farming in the 19th and 20th centuries pushing them out of work. Children who had grown and remembered the breed decided to revive the dogs from their childhood. The first Cane Corso to arrive in the US made its appearance in 1988. The breed was admitted to the AKC working group in 2010.

Temperament

The Cane Corso is a very intelligent, smart, trainable and humble protector. This is an assertive and confident breed. Its name means bodyguard and even though they may look intimidating they are very eager to please, versatile and immensely loyal to their humans.

Being that the Cane Corso is an assertive breed, as an owner you have to put your foot down early so they know who’s boss! It is important to socialize your Cane Corso as early as possible with people and other dogs. The breed is even tempered, wise, fearless, loyal, alert, and calm.