History of the Cane Corso

The Cane Corso is an ancient breed, a great protagonist of popular tradition.  The Corsican term derives from the Latin "cohora, chors, cors" which means "guard dog" "body guard".

To trace its origins, one must go back to the time of the Romans.  It is now known that the Cane Corso descends from the ancient Roman Molosser "Canis Pugnax", the Molosser dog used by the Roman legionaries during their war campaigns.  And the presence of this noble breed in Italy is confirmed since the Middle Ages.

In 1591 Erasmo Valsone in the poem "La Caccia", quotes: "the Corso has great might, daring assaults the fera et rit: since he has taken it, he does not know how to spread the tooth".  In 1881 Giovanni Verga, in "Malavoglia" wrote: "Bites worse than a Cane Corso".

At the time he was trained for combat in warfare, for which he had a great predisposition, but the most suitable job of him even then was the defense of the territory.  And it is precisely this, the main use that was made of it in the ancient farms of southern Italy: defense of farms and custody of cattle in the wild. 

Risk of Extinction

Unfortunately, in more recent history, the Cane Corso has risked extinction.  Around 1960, with the progressive abandonment of the countryside, its use in such activities ceased and its breeding suffered a sharp decline. 

 Few surviving subjects remained in Southern Italy, especially in Puglia.

The recovery of the 70s

Fortunately, thanks to some enthusiasts of the breed, it was from these areas that the recovery of the Corso dog began again in the late 70s.

The first spark that rekindles interest in the Corso dog is a letter written by Paolo Petrelli and published in No. 6 of the official Enci newspaper: "Our Dogs", in the year 1978.

In December of the same year, an article signed by a CNR researcher, Paolo Breber, describes the subjects encountered in Puglia, thanks also to the report received in a letter from Professor Bonatti, dated 2 December 1973. In this letter a dog was described short-haired molossoid, different from the Neapolitan mastiff.

In September 1979 Paolo Breber, Stefano Gandolfi and Luciano Malavasi (renowned breeder of German Shepherds of the time) descend to Puglia to track down and choose the first subjects with which to select the breed and begin their recovery.

The beginning was anything but simple, as Stefano Gandolfi recounts: "" Heterogeneity, numerical inconsistency and difficulty in making our recovery program understood were a cause for perplexity if not for real bewilderment.  In September 1980, of the 17 puppies born with the Breber's first two matings, only 5 were traceable.  The others, donated to the shepherds, had dispersed in the countryside and their traces had been lost.  Basically, only a stone had been thrown into the pond: the true recovery of the breed had yet to begin.  "Thanks to the commitment, perseverance and above all to the competence of this group of enthusiasts (and not only), in November 1987 the Board of Directors of the Enci (Italian National Dog-loving Body) approves the standard drawn up by Dr. Antonio Morsiani based on a hundred specimens, but with particular reference to a particularly typical subject: Basir, considered one of the founders of the Corso dog breed.

In the following years, through exhibitions, canine measurements, canine studies and character assessments, a topographical map of the now known and registered subjects is drawn up, which finally leads to the official recognition of the Cane Corso breed on 14/01/1994, becoming fully qualified as the fourteenth Italian breed.

The Cane Corso today

To date, the Cane Corso is a vigilant, reactive dog, with a great temperament and strong territoriality.  Regardless of adverse weather conditions, also thanks to a thick undercoat, it is an excellent watchdog.  Faithful and balanced towards the owner and the family, with whom he establishes a very strong bond.  The current Cane Corso is of a sweet and calm nature, loves contact with the owner, of whom he is in extreme need.

Not very friendly to strangers, if not well socialized, he can prove to be a fearsome enemy for the ill-intentioned.  He is endowed with extreme daring and power, when it proves necessary.