The Cane Corso is a large, lean molosser-type dog. It is well muscled and looks more athletic than most other mastiffs, tending less toward sheer bulk like the English Mastiff and more towards definition like the original Old English Bulldog. The official FCI standard calls for dogs to stand from 60-68cm (23.6-26.7 inches) at the withers, with bitches in the lower region and dogs in the higher. Weight should be in keeping with the size and stature of these dogs, ranging from 40-50 kg (88-110lbs). The overall impression should be of power balanced with athleticism.
Its ears are naturally dropped forward, but where legal, many breeders crop them short and close to the head so that the remaining stubs stand upright. Its muzzle is as wide as it is long.[1] Most Corsos have docked tails as well. The standard calls for docking at the 4th vertebra, although many are docked shorter.
Corsos 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. Formentino only express the blue colouring on the mask. 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 are seen as well, with smaller white patches being preferable.
[edit] Temperament
Cane Corsos are considered to have an even, stable temperament. They are easy to train, generally good with children, and calm with their primary guardians. They can be reserved, suspicicious and may be aggressive towards people they do not know. Corsos are a quiet breed who frequently suffer from separation anxiety.[2]
Although many breeders claim that these dogs are aggressive, the true Corso should be indifferent when approached and should only react when a real threat is present. However, "the majority of the American version of the Corso do not possess the proper temperament for this breed."[3]
[edit] History
Advances in DNA profiling have traced the Corso breed, recovered in the 1980s, to a combination of the Staffordshire Terrier, Neapolitan Mastiff, and the English Mastiff.[4] It is generally agreed that the Cane Corso is a farm dog which has been used for stock control, property and personal protection, and big game hunting. [5]
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