Cane Corsos: 11 Truths About These Majestic Guardians You Didn’t Know

Cane Corsos were fighting dogs in ancient Rome. Theories suggest that the Cane Corso was first spotted in the Tibetan Highlands, where it had happily resided for over 1,000 years. When Romans spotted these gorgeous dogs, they eagerly brought a few home. Some Cane Corsos were then put into arenas, where they fought lions.

Thankfully, cane corsos don’t need to fight anymore, and can now focus on fighting the urge to sneak treats from your plate!

Cane Corsos are becoming increasingly common, but they almost went extinct during World War II. Fortunately, breed enthusiasts banded together to salvage the breed in the 1970s.

In 1983, Società Amatori Cane Corso was founded. This group became instrumental in spreading the breed’s popularity and, in 1994, the Italian Kennel Club recognized the cane corso as its own breed. America lagged behind a bit, and cane corsos weren’t added to the official AKC list until 2010.

Thanks to their centuries-long lineage and gorgeous silhouette, cane corsos have been favored by many painters. Bartolomeo Pinelli and Andrea Mantega are particularly famous for their cane corso art. Throughout the Italian Renaissance, cane corsos were frequently immortalized on canvas.

While cane corsos are gentle giants, not everyone sees them that way thanks to the bias against all “bully breeds.” Unfortunately, the breed has been unfairly classified as violent, and some insurances refuse to cover individuals with a cane corso.

Cane corsos are actually born with floppy ears. However, to conform to breed standards, many pups have their ears cropped. This practice is what gives the dogs their pointed ears, but it’s highly controversial.

Thanks to their gorgeous figure, cane corsos are a favored breed of the rich and famous. Television personality Sherri Shepherd has a Cane Corso, and she regularly shows her pup off online. Famed quarterback Patrick Mahomes also has a Cane Corso — two, in fact! (Keep reading to find out more about the Mahomes Corsos.)

Most people say that the plural of this breed is “cane corsos”, but that’s not exactly true. The breed’s name comes from Latin, and its meaning is generally taken to mean “bodyguard dog” or “robust dog”. Its Latin roots mean that the proper plural form of cane corso is “Cane Corsi”.

It’s not an entirely unique trait, but it’s worth mentioning that cane corsos are particularly famous for their expressive voices. In addition to barking, these pups have been shown to yowl, snuffle, and make “whoo-whoo” noises.

Thanks to their similar body type and large size, cane corsos are frequently mistaken for English mastiffs or bull mastiffs. If you see them both together, however, you’ll know which is which. Cane corsos are smaller, though not small. In fact, English Mastiffs are classified as “giant” dogs, and they can be twice the size of a full-grown cane corso!

To wrap up our list of amazing cane corso facts, we will leave you with something neat about their double coats. These dogs come in a wide array of colors. 12 coats are recognized by breeders:

• Black
• Gray
• Fawn
• Red
• Black Brindle
• Gray Brindle
• Chestnut brindle
• Blue
• Formentino
• Chocolate or Liver
• Isabella
• Straw