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You are here: Home / Breeds / Pure / Cane Corso Temperament – Is This Dog Right For Your Family?

Cane Corso Temperament – Is This Dog Right For Your Family?

February 7, 2019 By Happy Puppy Team 13 Comments

cane corso temperament

The Cane Corso temperament is confident and loyal.

The Cane Corso is a descendant of the old Roman Molosser. The name derives from Cane de Corso, an old term for dogs used in rural activities, herding cattle and swine.

They were good at guarding property, livestock, and families.

Today, people still use the Cane Corso for these purposes.

The Cane Corso is a large, powerful, intelligent, active, and headstrong dog.

Furthermore, the Cane Corso loves its family, but does not typically show affection.

They may want to be near you but they’re not demanding in terms of physical touch and attention.

Cane Corsos are large, and interactions between small children and these dogs must be supervised.

The Typical Cane Corso Temperament

Aficionados of the Cane Corso find them to be wonderful with members of their immediate family. Also, they’re great watchdogs.

But proper training is imperative.

This breed can make a stable and reliable companion. However, the Cane Corso is naturally possessive, territorial and distrustful of strangers.

Cane Corsos are very sensitive to even the slightest signs of danger, disruption, or distress in the household.

It would be a bad idea for anyone to challenge a Cane Corso or threaten to harm them or their owner in any way.

The size of the Cane Corso does not keep them from being highly energetic and active dogs that thrive on regular exercise.

However, they do not need extensive exercise like other high energy dogs. They get a lot of their exercise from patrolling their home and yard, which comes naturally for them.

cane corso temperament

Are Cane Corsos Easy To Train?

The Cane Corso is an intelligent and willing breed. They are usually eager to please their owner, which in return makes them quite trainable.

Nevertheless, Cane Corsos need positive reinforcement training.

Do not use punishment based techniques, as you will come into conflict with your dog.

The consistency part of this training is the most important, so the positive behavior becomes natural.

Are Cane Corsos Friendly?

The Cane Corso is very loyal companion. All they want is to please their owner.

Their temperament has been bred into them over thousands of years.

There is evidence that these dogs were often responsible for babysitting young children in the residential courtyards in Ancient Rome.

These dogs adore children of all ages and play with a natural awareness of their size.

A Cane Corso can be highly suspicious of new people, and aggressive behavior should never be encouraged.

This type of behavior can still carry on even after years of training. It’s unnecessary and not recommended to opt for protection training.

This is also a quiet breed that typically barks only when there is a reason to.

When a Cane Corso becomes alarmed or senses trouble, it transforms from a friendly pet into a protective and potentially dangerous animal.

However, when an owner takes the much-needed time and care to train this breed, they can grow up to be protective, loving, trustworthy companions.

Are Cane Corsos Aggressive?

Some studies attribute some aggression to the Cane Corso.

An aggressive dog, no matter the size, may lunge at, bite, or even attack another person or dog.

It is upsetting to see a Cane Corso, or any dog for that matter, act aggressively. If your dog starts to act out, it is imperative to find the cause.

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To combat this type of behavior, socialize them. Put them in different situations where they can interact with other people and dogs with your supervision.

Do Cane Corsos Like Other Dogs?

Cane Corso puppies should be friendly with unfamiliar animals. With proper socialization, puppies can become more comfortable around new dogs as they mature.

Socialization is an absolute requirement to promote a correct temperament.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are breeding or raising these dogs in irresponsible ways.

As a result, Cane Corsos among other dogs can  have unstable or aggressive temperaments that can potentially be dangerous.

A few ways you can train them to be more social is by taking them for long walks around your neighborhood or park.

As time goes on, they should grow more comfortable with new places and people.

You can also take them to one-on-one play dates with another dog.

It is recommended to do this when they are on a leash until they are friendly and playful towards each other. Keep doing this until they became more sociable and behaved around other people and dogs.

Another great way of social training is to take them to a doggie kindergarten class. These are controlled environments with other dogs, making them safe places to socialize.

You will be there with other pet owners and dogs who are trying to achieve the same goal: to make their dog more sociable and friendly.

If this interests you, visit your local vet so they can recommend a perfect fit for you and your Cane Corso.

Natural Instincts

Since Cane Corsos were bred and trained to watch over humans, they display various traits that are typical of guard dogs.

This means that they are highly aware and cautious around unfamiliar faces. They also have assertive, self-assured, and determined personalities.

They are territorial dogs, known to be tough and diligent workers. Roman war dogs, after all, are their forefathers.

In the southern regions of Italy, they were often used to hunt wild pigs and other sizable game.

Hunting wasn’t the only thing the Cane Corso was used for.

They also lived on farms, where they served as guard dogs not only for the owners and their family but also for livestock. Guarding is a natural instinct of this breed.

   

Today, they are often used as guard dogs.

Tracking is another typical modern duty for Cane Corsos.

Are Cane Corsos Good Family Pets?

The Cane Corso can be a loving and devoted companion that wants nothing more than to please its owner.

They are also known to be great guard dogs with a sharp sense of alertness.

However, since they are a large sized dog, they do not make the best dog for families with small children.

Furthermore, they also come with a lot of health issues, making them unpredictable and somewhat expensive to own.

Do you have a history with this breed? Let us know about it in the comments!

References and Resources

Lorella Notari “A survey of behavioural characteristics of pure-bred dogs in Italy,” Applied Animal Behavior Science, 2007.

Sabina Di Donato “Cane Corso attack,” Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, 2006.

Seksel, Kersti. “Preventing Behavior Problems in Puppies and Kittens,” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2008.

Kutsumi. “Importance of Puppy Training for Future Behavior of the Dog,” Journal of Veterinary Medical Science. 2013.

Joanne A.M. van der Borg et al, Evaluation of behaviour testing for human directed aggression in dogs, Applied Animal Behaviour Science,

 

Comments

  1. Kylie says

    December 8, 2020 at 18:09

    I’m not sure where the not good family pets and don’t show emotion parts apply to cane corso’s. That could not be farther from the truth. I have three small children and they are gentle and loving with them. Yes they can be protective, however generally that is what someone is looking for when they get a cane; loyal around people they know and wary around others.

    Reply
  2. Kamika says

    November 21, 2020 at 01:24

    We have a 6 month old female CC. This breed is wicked smart. We also have a 5 year old huge lab and I must admit that the Cane Corso is smarter.
    She is very intuitive, if I can say that about a dog. Training is fairly easy, although she is a bit headstrong.
    We have been socializing her since the day we got her, taking her to all the stores that allow dogs (Lowe’s and Home Depot are GREAT), Bass Pro Shops are also amazing, the dog park, just everywhere. Loves, loves, loves kids, oh my!
    Whoever said this breed is not food driven must be mistaken. She would eat us out of the house if we’d allow her. 🙂
    She is playful, however this is a serious breed. CCs WILL test you and push your buttons. You have to be the leader or else the dog will run the show. They’ll do everything to please, therefore positive reinforcement works great. I noticed that a stern stare is quite enough to deter her from an unwanted behavior. Maybe it is just my pup. I don’t even have to make a sound, I just give her the “mom look”, I stare her down and she quickly lays down and looks away.
    Barks only when necessary. Very alert. Training is imperative. The dogs really pick up on the family vibe. Great, serious dog for a responsible, seasoned owner. Not for first timers.

    Reply
  3. Melissa says

    July 16, 2020 at 05:08

    I have a BIG GIRL, 125lbs of Cane Corso! She’s the SWEETEST and most loving dog ever, I have a 4,6,and 7 year old kids and they treat her like a giant pillow and she absolutely loves it. She’s super social with dogs of all sizes! I walk her almost 8km every morning, I may have to drag her out of bed but she does walk primarily off leash. She was easy to train, but I’ve learned to be patient and to wait for her to respond when I give commands it takes a long time to move that kind of weight! Amazing breed and she’s been unbelievable with kids, my house is a circus of children coming and going and she loves all the kids and them her! We get so many compliments from people saying how they never been comfortable around big dogs until they met her! We love our big Dolly!

    Reply
  4. Sam says

    June 19, 2020 at 19:42

    My wife and I have 2 Cane Corsi in our house. 4 yr old 100 lb female, and a 2 yr old 135 lb male. Both a sweet, gentle, love playing with our grandkids. get along with our border collie, and love meeting new people that we invite into the house. Neither likes strangers walking across our front yard and will bark, etc. Both would like to be allowed to chase a cat, though I haven’t given them permission, so I have no idea what they would do if they caught one. Most likely get scratched and run away! They are trained NOT to leave our front yard without permission and I am able to walk them and the border collie all over the neighborhood, off leash in a heel position. If a cat or squirrel runs past, they no not to chase it and not to break their heel position. Overall I’m delighted with their temperament/tolerance of the grandkids, and training them has been okay. Harder than working with GSDs or Collies, but not impossibly hard. just takes them a bit longer and a few more repetitions.

    Reply
    • Tom says

      June 26, 2020 at 04:27

      I would say Congratulations with the level of obedience and predictability your Corsi have achieved. You must have skill and experience training.

      Reply
  5. Sandy Samra says

    April 21, 2020 at 14:10

    I have a cane corso he’s 18 months right now and he is an amazing, loving dog! We had him when he was just a baby, I have a big family so he is good with everyone be it older grandparents to my younger cousins, he gets along with everyone, he may look dangerous from his large muscular appearance but he really is a big softie and wouldn’t harm anyone.
    When I do take him for walks he does show his guarding Instinct and if a stranger does approach us for a chat or just to say hello then my dog does look back at my reaction to see if I’m smiling and he’ll stand in front of me as they approach, as long as the stranger approaches calmly and I speak in a cheerful tone then he understands that everything is okay and he becomes more accepting.
    Honestly I’ve been reading up on a few negative stories about cane corsos and I must say I strongly disagree that they are aggressive breeds and so on, I’ve seen many cane corsos and they are the most gentle, loving and loyal dogs I’ve come across and I’ve had an Alsatian and Rottweiler in the past, so anyone considering this breed I highly recommend if you’re willing to put in good amount of exercise, you like being active and love spending time with your dog because mine loves to cuddle follow us around the house and always brings us joy!

    Reply
  6. Ken Martin says

    February 9, 2020 at 13:53

    My neighbor has a 18 month old Cane Corso. They will tell everyone who will listen how loving he is, great with kids and all that. Cute pictures of him all over social media. He has charged into my yard multiple times attempting to attack my two female Belgian Malinois. He chased my wife into her car and into the house. He went after me and my daughter at the school bus stop. But the owner said don’t worry, he is a big baby, and it is just a phase in his growing up. We are expecting the worse when he matures. But the owners say no, he is just a big baby.

    Reply
    • Mia says

      May 23, 2020 at 04:04

      Sounds like irresistible dog owners NOT the breed!

      Reply
    • Paul says

      August 20, 2020 at 05:54

      Completely agree with Mia. The owners need to establish clear boundaries with their corso. I adopted mine when she was 4.5yro, she was awesome with the family. But has taken many years of socializing and reinforcement to become trust worthy with visitors or off lease in an unfenced yard. These traits must be consistently trained and reinforced when they’re young and periodically over the years.

      Reply
  7. Audrey says

    January 25, 2020 at 19:30

    I am in awe of this breed I have has Rotties, Dobies, and current have Yorkies. I still love this breed and some day will have one love watching everyone Cane Corso. Keep up the good work with rescuing these babies from mean people

    Reply
  8. Shannon O says

    November 2, 2019 at 18:09

    I have a traditional Italian corso. I found him running down the road scared to death I watched him get hit by a car, it took me an hour to catch him. It was clear they cropped his tail with a blunt pair of scissors or sull knife, he had what looked like cigarette burns hal way healed all over his under belly and private parts, ha huge gash which was a clean stab and cut most likely as vet said done by a human and his ear tips were burned severely. Next day to the vet and he said this dog was clearly abused terribly and if anyone comes looking for him to bring to vet immediately as he would make sure no one would hurt him again and he has ways to stop previous owners from obtaining dog. next 2 days to a very large horse show for socialization as he was at the time a highly anxious mess and a very good friend of mine breeds shows and was at one point on board of cane corso association of america tol me to bring into large crowds so we could see if he had any agression issues. to come home and see lost dog ads all over social media. I called and was told he was a rescue from out of state being fostered and got out of the house. They announced on ad he is a very aggressive 4 month old dog and not to approach.. I found that suspicious as a 4 month old puppy (even the ever untrusting corso) was highly aggressive. I told them in the vicinity I saw him and if I seen him again I would try to catch him (i was very suspicious of the woman that was the “foster mom) I asked if when they caught him would he be brought back to same home and if they would be taking further measures to keep him enclosed as I have had several corsos in my time she replied with vulgarity and I hung up. That’s when i absolutely knew in my heart he was going to stay with me and i was ready to protect him with everything in me. I had a dog trainer that works with military and police dogs as well as dogs that are aggressive and unattainable by normal standards, he advised me to give him the room to become a dog if possible and patience A LOT OF IT! We never really disciplined him or reprimanded him for much, he took to my grandmother immediately and a year later to my mother. Finally after 4 to 5 years of saving and being a constant in his life he is completely my best friend and I am his. He is fiercely protective but not aggressive. He is going on 6 years in february and continues to get better and better. I introduced an american bully puppy about 2 years ago she was also sort of a rescue I bought to keep her out of being a bait dog. She rescued him. She gave him confidence none of us could. He has become more of a “dog” and less anxious and more of a people person. He loves kids as long as they give them their palm up and not reaching for his head. He is funny he is loyal and this particular corso of mine has THE BIGGEST HEART I have ever known in any dog i have ever known. I will always have a corso, particularly a rescue if it will allow… I have learned now more than ever you dont own a corso they own you…. you and everything else is theirs…. I wouldnt have it any other way. I know I did the right thing as he was meant to be with me…

    Reply
    • Sandy Savanna says

      November 17, 2019 at 17:12

      Man that’s awsome. I’ve had pit bulls for the last 35 years. All of my family is from Italy and I’ve heard about the bread for years. My son and I have been researching the corso and would love to have one.

      Reply
  9. Elizabeth Balcomb says

    September 15, 2019 at 17:04

    This is a very accurate sum up of these magnificent creatures. I have a boy who is 14 months old. He was incredibly ditzy and unpredictable over his fear imprinting periods. They take a lot of time and effort to socialise. It is imperative that this happens every day and that the other dogs they meet are well socialized and friendly. They definitely cannot be left alone at home. This could result in a very anxious and unhappy dog. They love big families. He really loves children. Even little ones and ones previously Unknown to him, unlike adults. He responds very well yo positive training techniques and on the occasions I have been impatient he literally crumbles.

    Reply

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