Cane Corso Excellence Kennels

Cane Corso is an Italian breed of dog, for years valued highly in Italy as a companion, guardian and hunter.

So, you are thinking about getting a Cane Corso? This is an exciting time and one of careful planning and consideration. The Corso is a strong, large breed that needs boundaries, constant socialization, plenty of excersise and large quantities of premium food to feed. Temperament is paramount with this breed. Corsos respond well to training in a variety of disciplines.

Here are a couple of points worth considering when you are looking to see if a Cane Corso will suit your life style.

1. If you are looking for a cheap puppy, Corsos are not the breed for you. BUYER BEWARE if you find a Cane Corso in the $1000 or less range. Finding a puppy with ear cropping, tail docked, rear dew claws removed and shots all for $800 or less is a SCAM. BUYER BEWARE health problems or mixed breed for sure!!
2. Corsos are large dogs. their destructiveness is on a larger scale ( a small dog may chew the heel of your shoe, a Corso can chew that shoe and the whole shoe closet ).
3. Are you situated to house a Corso for the duration of it's life?
Corsos need higher, stronger, more secure fencing. (5 foot fence) is the recommended height. Unlike typical Mastiffs, Corsos need a lot of exercise. Though, long, strenuous exercise is discouraged until the dog reaches 2 years of age. Growing really fast and excessive exercise (example going for a 10km run, going for a 5km bike ride, going for a 5km ATV ride averaging 10km/hr) It is widely known by veterinarians, pet owners, and dog breeders that large breed puppies are at greater risk than other breeds for developmental disorders of the bones and joints, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), and hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) can lead to joint problems. (see links on nutrition for more information) The genetic selection that produced this breed makes them grow really fast, therefore it's been proven that too much strenuous activity while YOUNG can cause detrimental effects to the bones and joints. That is why I emphasize, interactive play, an excellent diet, thinking games (kong with a treat inside), social dog-play interaction as ways to stimulate your Corsos without putting undo stress on the dog before it reaches the age of two.
Corsos need larger crates, in order to be housed inside. In more temperate climates an outside kennel with a heated dog house, sun canopy and a food and water station, would do as a temporary shelter while at work. Corsos want to be around their family, they are truly a big indoor dog. In our winter climate of Northern Ontario (which is the same around most of Canada), Corsos need to be housed in a heated space, not just a heated dog house. Depending on the thickness of coat, our dogs need indoor space in the winter time. At -30 degrees centigrade a Corso will be able to do 5/10mins of outside exposure at a time. Having a rec room is great for tossing a ball about. Water has to be heated to prevent freezing and if you do a dry/wet combo of food, your feed dishes need to be heated as well if you are planning on housing your dog outside while you go to work.
4. How much experience do you have with dogs? Corsos are for you if you have experience with any Bully breeds, Rottweilers, Dobermans or any Mastifs, and have a calm, obedient, socialized dog. Corsos are powerful, tenacious, natural born guardians. Training and socialization will last the length of a Corsos life. If you are looking for a low maintenance training program, a Retriever is for you. Lets not pretend here people, if you are looking for "The Right Cane Corso" go with a Labradour. No one wants to deal with a poorly trained Corso that does not listen, could also become dangerous if aggresive. Corsos make great family dogs, they have complete loyalty to their family, and will forever be wary of strangers. This breed was bred to protect farm and family. If you are a first time dog owner, I will try to match you with a puppy that is as submissive as possible. A timid Corso puppy does not mean it needs to be encouraged to be more of a guardian type, it is just a PUPPY!
5. Do you have time to care for a puppies needs? Bringing home that little bundle of cuteness is an unforgettable moment, but if you're not prepared for the world of a puppy, then that bundle of cuteness can turn into a monster. Separated from the pack a new pup might cry all night for the first few nights, ignoring it is essential, but not a pleasant way to spend a couple nights. Next, your puppy must be let out to relieve itself every four hours, day or night. Puppies simply can't hold it for any longer yet. To achieve quick house breaking this routine must be established and maintained from day one. The questions that arrive from this are: A. Are you caring for this puppy alone? or Is their someone else who can get up on shift in the night to put the puppy outside? Using Puppy Pads or Newspaper is not recommended with this breed. They get big really quickly and going inside is a large mess. Until the puppies bladder has grown it will not be able to hold it past 4 hours. Puppies naturally want to defecate as far from the den (crate) as possible. An accident in the den (crate) is a major set back. Submissive peeing is also common in this age group. Do not get mad at a submissive pee'er, it will only exacerbate the problem. We also do not recommend having your puppy in bed at night. The crying is bad but having a pup in your bed increases their separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is a negative behaviour. B. Is your work going to let you leave every 4 hours to let out your puppy? Or are you arranging for someone else to come by to let the puppy out?If you work 8-10 hours a day, owning a puppy is a tall order. Corsos need puppy classes, which I will provide for free. Do you have the time to take your pup to classes over several months at a time? It's important to train and socialize a Corso and training classes make sure that you are taking the right approach to training and offer support if any negative behaviors are displayed. You can never stop learning about dogs and dog behaviour. Puppy classes are an investment for you and your dog. I am alway available for advise. I want my Corso owners to be ambassadors for the breed.

As ROB WHITE says, Cane Corsos need boundaries, calm assertiveness and proper socialization to become productive members of the pack.