Cane Corsos

What is a Cane Corso?

The statuesque Cane Corso is a huge Italian guarding dog. Its name in Latin literally means ‘bodyguard dog’ and they have the physical stature to match.

Since being used as war dogs in Roman times they have since evolved into hunters and farm dogs used to look after livestock. These days they’re more commonly companion dogs, although they’re still a very rare breed in the UK.

Cane Corsos aren’t a breed that’s recognised by the UK Kennel Club, but the Cane Corso Kennel Club UK is a group of enthusiasts that provide lots of information about these dogs. They were recognised by the Italian Kennel Club in 1990.

Cane Corso types and colours

Cane Corsos usually come in a range of black to grey colours, but they can also be found in brindle, merle, or even white.

They’re sometimes referred to as ‘King Corso’ or ‘King Cane Corso’, but there’s no real difference and this isn’t a variant.

Some people believe the Cane Corso is a banned breed in the UK, but this isn’t true. There aren’t actually any banned breeds, just ‘types’ which have characteristics described in the Dangerous Dogs Act.

But as Cane Corsos aren’t recognised as a breed in the UK, they could potentially resemble the types on the list, including Dogo Argentino or Pit Bull Terrier, especially if they’re crossed with other large dog breeds.

You might see some Cane Corsos with sharp, pointy ears and short tails. This isn’t a different type and they’re not born like this. Their tails and ears will have been cruelly cropped and docked – both of these mutilations are illegal in the UK.

Cane Corso temperament and characteristics

Cane Corsos are mastiff-type dogs with strong working roots. While that means they’re highly trainable, without the proper training and socialisation their behaviour can become problematic and they’re not a dog for the inexperienced owner.

They’re independent and strong-willed, which combined with their huge size and strength could make them dangerous in the wrong hands.

They do love a job to do, so to avoid behaviour problems owners can focus training on imitating tasks like herding or guarding, or even fun games like agility and scent work.

Cane Corso health conditions

The large and heavy Cane Corso can suffer from a number of genetic conditions that are fairly common in bigger dog breeds.

Make sure you choose pet insurance with a high enough vet fee limit to cover the sort of costly conditions that can affect Cane Corsos and other large breeds of dog.

If you’re choosing a Cane Corso puppy, make sure you see both parents and ask plenty of questions about their health history.

Cherry Eye – Cherry eye is the common name for a prolapsed gland in the nictitans – or third eyelid – which causes it to protrude and redden, resembling a cherry.

Unfortunately, it’s very common in Cane Corsos and was the most common claim we saw for them in 2021. It needs to be treated with surgery and claims cost £733.55 on average.

Epilepsy – Epilepsy is more common in Cane Corsos than in many other breeds. Seizure disorder was the third most common Cane Corso claim at an average cost of £590.90.

Epilepsy is a lifelong condition that’s likely to need repeated pet insurance claims, which can really rack up the vet bills over the years. All our policies are lifetime pet insurance, which means they have a vet fee limit that refreshes each year so you don’t run out of cover for long-term conditions.

Hip dysplasia – Hip dysplasia was the fourth most common condition for Cane Corsos. Although the average claim cost was £433.04, this is likely to be for managing the condition with medication. If your dog needs surgery, the cost is usually £5,000+ per hip.