Cane Corso Pitbull Mix

Pitbulls, just like Cane Corso, are a well-known breed with a reputation of a powerful dog ready to fight off aggressors and protect their owner. One the wave of the growing popularity of these two breeds, the Cane Corso Pitbull mix has recently come into the picture. They are now available for dog lovers all over the world. But will Cane Corso Pitbull Mix be a good dog for you and your family? What do you need to know before looking into getting one?

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Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso: history
Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso: appearance
Personality
Can you keep your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix outside?
Energy levels
Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso – will you need to do a lot of grooming?

Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso: history

Cane Corso Pitbull Mix is a very “new” crossbreed that only recently came on the radar of dog lovers

Truth be told, there isn’t much history yet to speak of: Cane Corso Pitbull Mix is a very “new” crossbreed that only recently came on the radar of dog lovers. The parent breeds, however, have a long and interesting history. Cane Corso has been bred for centuries: their ancestors were ancient molossus dogs from the Roman Empire. The breed itself got established in Italy, where Cane Corsos were used as hunting dogs as well as guard dogs. They were even used for herding and protecting herds of cattle.

Pitbulls can also boast a long and rich history: from the fighting pits of Europe several centuries ago, to wonderful family companions known worldwide today. However, due to their “fighting” past and a few occasions of dog-related accidents highly promoted by the press, Pitbulls are banned in many countries, such as Germany.

Cane Corso Pitbull mix only came into the limelight 5-10 years ago and is slowly becoming more popular among dog lovers that would like to combine the good qualities of both breeds.

Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso: appearance

What would a Cane Corso Pitbull Mix puppy look like? Well, it’s quite a special dog. Both Cane Corso and Pitbull are amazing dogs when it comes to their physique. They are both extremely powerful breeds with well-developed musculature. While Cane Corso is considered a large dog, Pitbulls are medium-sized.

A Cane Corso usually stands to around 60-70 cm tall and weigh around 80 to 120 lbs. Pitbulls are a little shorter at 40-49 cm tall and weigh 30-54 lbs. Both Cane Corso and Pitbulls have large, heavy heads and well-developed musculature. They are both known for their powerful jaws as well.

A Cane Corso Pitbull Mix is a perfect mix of both. This is a medium-to-large dog that can be around 45-55 cm tall and weigh somewhere between 40-60 lbs.

They can boast a strong body with a well-developed musculature, and large heads with powerful jaws. The coats are short and silky and don’t shed much except for the shedding seasons (spring and fall). Cane Corso Pitbull Mix can inherit their coat colors from both parents’ colors or their combination. They can be black, red, tan, blue, white, brindle and all the combinations of these colors. The ears are medium-length and usually hang low.

Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso: personality

What can you expect from Cane Corso Pitbull Mix in terms of personality? With the two parent breeds as unique as they are,  you can expect this dog to be quite unique as well. Cane Corso is a powerful dog often used as a guard dog. They are courageous, confident and strong, and have a strong, instinctive drive to protect themselves and their owners, as well as their property. 

They will not back away no matter how big their aggressor is. At the same time, Cane Corso is definitely not aggressive inherently. They are especially attached to their families and live to please their owners.  They are very patient and calm dogs, and only fight when there is definite aggression towards them and their family.

Pitbull has been known as an outstanding “fighting” dog for centuries. They were bred for fighting and used in fighting pits against other dogs. Eventually, this cruel practice was outlawed, but Pitbulls are still powerful, confident dogs with strong fighting instincts.

It is a mistake, however, to think that Pitbulls are aggressive and mean dogs that threaten the safety of every person they encounter. (As is often portrayed by the media). Pitbulls were intentionally bred NOT to be aggressive towards people, in fact, a well-bred and well-raised pitbull is actually very patient towards people. Dogs are a different matter. Pitbulls can often be dog-aggressive, especially if they haven’t been raised and socialized correctly. However, if raised well, Pitbulls should be friendly with everyone they meet, including other pets.

In this way, Cane Corso Pitbull Mix is a dog that certainly possesses some strong qualities, such as confidence and strength of character. This will not be a timid dog. A pup of Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso is a courageous, confident dog that will be friendly and loving with their family and friendly with strangers.

Despite their strong looks, this is a very loving and devoted dog. However, they can also inherit some character traits that may make it not the simplest dogs to own and raise. First of all, they may inherit some stubbornness from their pitbull parent. Pitbulls are wonderful pets and live to please their owner, provided they can respect their owner and consider them the leader of the pack. It may be the same with your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix: they will need to be able to respect you as the owner.

If you aren’t experienced with dogs, a Cane Corso Pitbull Mix may not be the best first dog. You kind of have to know what you are doing: that involves the daily life with your pup, as well as training sessions (and you will need to do a lot of training if you want to raise a polite dog!). You need to understand what you want from your pup in terms of their everyday behavior and what’s allowed and what isn’t.

You need to be strong and experienced enough to be able to teach your dog that. If you are a good owner, your pup will be happy to listen to you and obey. If you are not an experienced dog owner or aren’t prepared to spend a lot of time working on your dog, you may raise yourself a self-confident pup that isn’t willing to listen. And in the case of Cane Corso Pitbull Mix, a strong, powerful, and confident dog, you have to be able to fully control them. Otherwise, this dog may turn into a danger for you and others.

Cane Corso Pitbull Mix is a dog that certainly possesses some strong qualities, such as confidence and strength of character

Another possible trait your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix may inherit from both sides of its parentage is a strong prey drive. Cane Corso have been used as hunting dogs for centuries and have a powerful natural hunting instinct. So do Pitbulls. If you have other pets just want your dog to be safe around other animals, you will need to train them, from a young age, to be polite towards other animals. Socialization would really play an important part in it.

If you need a dog for a particular purpose, such as a guard dog or hunting dog, this dog could be a great option. They will most certainly have that protecting instinct deeply ingrained from them, inherited from both sides of their lineage. If they inherit the best qualities of both Cane Corso and Pitbulls, you likely won’t have any issues with aggression, unless the dog is provoked.

Cane Corso Pitbull Mix will need to be able to respect you as the owner

However, being the owner of a dog as big as Cane Corso Pitbull Mix, you will need to take training very seriously. An adult Cane Corso Pitbull Mix will be very powerful – and heavy – and you need to know that you can always keep them under control, so they remain a pleasure to be around.

Can you keep your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix outside?

Many large dog owners plan on keeping their dogs mostly outside if they live in a house or especially on a farm. The reasoning may make sense: this way the dog can protect the yard from strangers and let you know anytime someone approaches. Would a pup of Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso be a good dog to keep outside like that?

Cane Corso Pitbull Mix falls in love with their owner deeply and is very attached to their families

Well, the truth is they really wouldn’t. Cane Corso Pitbull Mix falls in love with their owner deeply and are very attached to their families. They need to be truly a part of the family,  and participate in your everyday life. This way, the puppy will grow up fully socialized, emotionally healthy and happy.

If your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix has to spend a lot of time alone on their own, without their human companions, they will be lonely, scared, uncomfortable, bored and frustrated. This is a basis for raising a very unhappy dog with possible psychological issues that may develop into behavioral problems, including aggression. So, even though it may seem like a good idea to keep your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix out in the yard to have them protect you and your farm/house, it will be very detrimental to your dog’s emotional health and well being.

Cane Corso Pitbull Mix energy levels

You can count on your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix to have fairly high energy levels. This doesn’t mean they will be a busy dog like some small breeds are. It’s more that they need at least a couple of hours a day doing something active and fun, such as a walk in the park or on a forest trail, a swim in the river, or anything else that requires expending energy and also provides some mental stimulation.

If you provide that to your dog, they will be happy to relax and nap for a large part of the day. They don’t tend to be overly busy inside: they won’t destroy your furniture or shoes just because they are bored. But again, you need to make sure your Cane Corso Pitbull Mix gets enough exercise and fun time outside on a daily basis.

Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso – will you need to do a lot of grooming?

One great thing about owning a pup of Pitbull mixed with Cane Corso (apart from all the other reasons) is that you really won’t need to do a lot of grooming. This pup will have a short, sleek coat and will not require much brushing. You will only have to brush them more during shedding seasons: in spring and in the fall. They don’t tend to get particularly dirty, so you won’t need to give them frequent baths. At most, you will need to wipe your pup with a towel or a brush after, particularly muddy or wet walks.

Even though their coat is quite short, you will still need to check it for ticks during summertime. You will also need to trim their toe nails from time to time, as well as clean their eyes and ears if there is any visible dirt. Pus or any other discharge from the eyes may mean infection, in which case you will need to show your pup to the vet.