Cane Corso

Country of Origin
The Cane Corso is a descendant of the canis pugnax, 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.

The Cane Corso is a catch dog used with cattle and swine, and also in wild boar hunts. 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. 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, and subsequently by the American Kennel Club in 2010 as Cane Corso. Celebrity ownership of Cane Corsi has increased the breed's visibility.

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

Temperament
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.