Dog Diaries #2

What is a Cane Corso?

The above photo is a typical cane corso. Dark colouring, clipped ears and tail, and very large. The first thing to know is that cane is not pronounced as in candy cane, though many people do say it that way. It's actually pronounced can-nay. This pronunciation derives from the breed which is part of the Italian Mastiff family.

The cane corso is a great protector and guard dog. A full grown adult male can weigh from 100-140 pounds. They have a short coat that can be black, grey, fawn, or a mixture. Corso's are intimidating dogs, but they are also affectionate and gentle. They are intelligent, eager to please, and intensely loyal to their family. However, they are also assertive, and stubborn.

This is our Midnight Rambler, at four months, experiencing his first snow. The look on his face says he didn't like it, lol. 

At four months, Rambler already weighed in at 40 pounds. At his current growing rate, we expect him to be near the average of 110-120. His colouring is a slate grey with lots of fawn ripples throughout. 

As growing puppies, they have very lanky legs. Our nickname for Rambler is Little Moose because that's exactly what he looks like, a baby moose trying to stand on stilts for legs. He loses balances easily so we have to watch that he doesn't run across the tiled floor or his legs will fall out from under him. He has already hurt himself once.

Though may people have their corso's ears and tail clipped, we will NOT be doing that. Rambler has the cutest face and those droopy ears are part of his charm. And he loves to chase his tail.

It is true what they say about the corso wanting to be the leader and will test his boundaries on a daily basis. Rambler doesn't like to be corrected, and while he is stubborn, he is also extremely affectionate. He loves to snuggle and nap with our five-year old lab, and he loves to cuddle next to us. His favourite thing is sitting on my lap or feet. He needs to constantly be near me, which is good and bad.

In this post I wanted to share a bit about the breed, but in my next post the fun begins...or not so much fun. Coming soon, I will go into the chaos of puppy behaviour.