Cane Corso Care

The Cane Corso ("Corso" for short), a large-sized, muscular Mastiff breed, is a devoted, intelligent protector of its people. These dogs are beloved by owners around the world--and if properly trained and cared for, Corsos can be docile, loving, and devoted members of active families. Overall Cane Corso care and maintenance takes a moderate amount of work, and will need to include early training and socialization and plenty of daily exercise.

Below you'll find plenty of details on raising a Cane Corso: puppy care and development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more are all covered here. For answers to your questions about how to raise a Cane Corso, read on!

Since these dogs are very athletic and muscular, Cane Corso exercise requirements are quite high. These dogs will need physical activities that benefit them in several ways: first, they need conditioning through walks, jogs, bike rides, or fetch; they'll also do well to have some mental stimulation (canine sports, etc.); and those formidable Cane Corso muscles will need to be maintained as well (tug-of-war, weight-pulling).

The typical adult Corso, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need about 90 minutes of proper exercise per day. You can start exercising your Corso puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short (5- to 10-minute) leashed walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the puppy grows. And these early walks are a good opportunity to start teaching the puppy obedience and discipline, through leash training: have the puppy walk beside or behind you on the leash instead of being allowed to lead or "tug" on it. This, in the puppy's mind, establishes you as the leader, and should make training easier as the pup matures.

A few things to consider when exercising your Cane Corso: first, puppies younger than 12 months old shouldn't participate in activities that include a lot of jumping, running on hard surfaces, or navigating of stairs, as doing so can injure their still-developing joints and bones. And regardless of age, all Cane Corsos will definitely need to be leashed when in public. These dogs have high prey drives, and will instinctively chase interesting-looking critters--birds, squirrels, cats, even small dogs--if given the chance; they're also very protective, and might be confrontational and even aggressive towards strange people and animals. A leash will help you control your Corso in these situations. Also, larger, deep-chested breeds like the Corso are prone to suffering bloat, an often-fatal digestive condition; bloat often occurs when a dog eats just before or after exercising--which means owners shouldn't let their Corsos eat for an hour before or two hours after any strenuous exercise. And finally: these dogs form deep bonds with their owners, and will respond much better to exercises in which their humans also participate.

Precautions aside, exercising your Corso every day is a must. Without consistent physical activity these dogs will become bored, frustrated, disobedient, and even aggressive--so regular exercise is good for both the dog's peace of mind and your own safety! Here are a few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs will chase a ball, stick, or Frisbee for hours
• Tug-of-War: Good indoor, rainy-day activity; use a rope or old towel
• Canine Sports: Corsos can excel at obedience and agility trials, cart pulling, and other events
• Weight Pulling: Attach a rope to a heavy object like a spare tire, the other end to a harness for the dog
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity; bonus if you can find a remote area where the dog can be off-leash

If your Corso spends a lot of time indoors, it's good to give the dog access to one or more balls or chew toys that will allow it to burn excess energy. I's also recommended that you establish a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs or bike rides in the morning and evening and a play period or weight-training session in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these dogs need moderate to frequent care. Cane Corso shedding is light for most of the year, but heavier during the twice-yearly shedding seasons; drooling is a bit of an issue as well.

Corsos have short-haired, glossy, double-layered coats that don't shed too much most of the time--but when they blow their coats in the spring and fall, the shedding is profuse. Owners will need to brush their Corsos weekly with a bristle brush to keep the shedding to a minimum, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary occasionally. (Brushing and cleanup will of course be required more often during shedding season.)

And Cane Corso drool is a semi-regular thing: these dogs will drool in anticipation of food, after drinking water, or when especially excited or nervous. Owners should keep old rags in rooms where the dog spends time for cleaning up excess slobber--and if the drooling is excessive, you can tie a bandanna or towel around the dog's neck to protect its chest and neck area from getting dirty and stinky.

As with all breeds, the Cane Corso diet will need to include plenty of animal proteins and carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals for digestive and immune health, and omega fatty acids for coat and skin wellness. This means the best Cane Corso dog food is the premium dry kind, particularly the kind made for large breeds, as it contains balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients. While some owners prefer to feed their Cane Corso a raw diet of fresh meats, vegetables, and other protein sources, many find such a diet to be too expensive and time-consuming, and choose premium dry food instead.

The typical adult Corso, depending on its age, size, and activity level, will need about 4½ cups of dry food per day, divided into two meals. Cane Corso puppy food portions, again depending on age, are only a little less: about three cups of dry puppy food per day, divided into three meals per day (not two) until the age of six months. For further info on feeding your growing dog, here's a handy Cane Corso puppy feeding chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a bit more adult food to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.

If possible, try and stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), your Corso can become overweight--and a fat Cane Corso will have joint, breathing, and digestive problems, not to mention a possibly shortened lifespan. You can help control your Corso's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time, thereby allowing it to eat anytime it wants. It's better to put your Corso's bowl down only at mealtimes, then pick it up 20-30 minutes after the dog begins eating.

If you're worried your Corso is overweight, give the dog this simple test: run a hand along its side, and if you can't feel any ribs beneath the muscle, it's diet time. Decrease the dog's daily food consumption by one-fourth, and add an extra walk, jog, or play period to its daily exercise schedule.

Though opinions differ on what's the best dog food for a Cane Corso, the most popular and convenient choice is premium dry food, specifically the kind formulated for large breeds. This food type, though more expensive and difficult to obtain, will provide your Corso with the nutrients it needs to maintain its health in the long term.

Perhaps the most popular brand for this breed is Bully Max. Cane Corso dogs also do well with Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Taste of the Wild.

Technically speaking, Corsos are both indoor and outdoor dogs. They'll need to get plenty of outdoor exercise, and they can actually sleep outside as well--but they'll need to spend part of each day inside with the human family members they love so much! A Cane Corso in an apartment is not a good match, as the breed is just too large and active.

For the Cane Corso, temperature isn't much of a concern. These dogs can handle hot and cold weather with equal ease.

No temperature restrictions are documented. The Cane Corso has origins in Italy, which has a seasonal climate, so it will likely fare well in both hot and cold weather. They have an undercoat that grows denser as the temperature cools off.