Cane Corso temperament: excellent guard dogs

What can we say about Cane Corso temperament? One thing is for certain: this is a unique dog. If you want the best guard dog in the world – Cane Corso is your dog. If you want to raise a brave, devoted, obedient, intelligent, and gorgeous dog out of a funny fluff ball – Cane Corso should be your choice. It’s a dog that will love you and your family selflessly, and that you will love more than you can imagine.

It’s also a dog that can intimidate someone not familiar with the breed, but then win their heart over with its intelligence and sweet temperament. Not so long ago, this breed almost disappeared from the face of the Earth, but its lovely temperament and excellent working qualities made it resurface and win its place in the hearts of dog lovers all over the world.

Cane Corso temperament: If you want the best guard dog in the world – Cane Corso is your dog

Some people call it the Hound of Baskervilles, for its excellent guarding abilities and an intimidating appearance. Cane Corsos have an impressive reputation for stopping thieves and trespassers and even saving their owners’ lives. There is a legend about a particular thieve in France that intended to rob an elite jewelry shop. Somehow they were able to disarm the alarms and enter the building. They could not, however, disarm the Cane Corso that belonged to the owner of the shop. One loud bark and the sight of the dog was enough to stop the robbery and get the thief caught red-handed. Some even say the robber died on the spot, terrified to death. While no one knows if that’s the case, Cane Corso’s reputation as guard dogs is undoubted.

Cane Corsos have been traditionally used in hunting and also as herding dogs. They have spent centuries alongside people. Intelligent, attentive, devoted, and excellent protectors, one Cane Corso would be able to replace several dogs for a family and play multiple roles at once. They were guard dogs, protected property and families, as well as babysat children when the adults had to work. But today Cane Corsos are more often used as excellent guardian dogs and protectors.

They are also well suited for police work. They are intelligent and motivated dogs, highly people-oriented, and motivated to guard and protect. They want to keep every family member insight to always make sure everyone is safe. This is an instinct that has been cultivated in Cane Corsos for centuries. It is especially noticeable when your Cane Corso is on their territory: in your house, on your farm, etc. Cane Corsos know their territory and are highly motivated to protect it. Outside of their territory, Cane Corsos tend to be calm and relaxed and don’t display any aggression unless one of their family members is attacked. Still, they are extremely watchful and aware of everything in any situation.

If you are getting a Cane Corso with the goal of using it as a guard dog or protector of people or property, it would be a great idea to do proper training with your dog. Cane Corsos are talented and smart, and you can use that, in combination with their guarding instincts, to raise a wonderful dog that will be calm, polite, and safe for others but will also be a trusty guard for your home and property, or even your personal guard (if you happen to need one). Proper training can help teach your Cane Corso to protect your home or particular items on command.

Cane Corsos are easy dogs to train if you know what you are doing

Cane Corsos are easy dogs to train if you know what you are doing. Unlike many other mastiffs that tend to be somewhat phlegmatic and lazy, Cane Corsos tend to be more energetic and lively. They are quick to grasp whatever it is you want to teach them, and usually are eager to please. They can obey several people in the family regardless of age. However, they can also seem stubborn even with some of the more experienced dog trainers, if the latter don’t approach the training correctly.

Most importantly, the trainer has to be able to build an emotional connection to the dog. Multiple repetitions of something that the dog doesn’t want to do will only make them more stubborn, but if you do more of what actually excites the dog, you will be much more successful in training. Cane Corsos are particularly fond of fetching things; they are also great at finding things. They can learn quite a few words and are usually smart enough to understand the commands very clearly. This is why Cane Corsos shine in police work and other service-type work.

Cane Corso temperament: brave and outgoing

Cane Corsos are not inherently aggressive – you do not have to keep them in chains or confined in your yard

Cane Corsos are the champions of the dog world. They are bold, outgoing, but patient and calm at the same time. They are highly intelligent and tend to be very aware of their circumstances at all times. They get to know their owners and their families very well and learn to see when everything is OK and when there are issues that need “interference”.

Cane Corsos are not inherently aggressive – you do not have to keep them in chains or confined in your yard (Please don’t. No dog deserves that!). But they like to make sure that members of their family are always safe. They will greet your guests happily, but will keep a watchful eye on everyone at all times.

Cane Corso temperament: intimidating appearance, loving and kind at heart

A well-raised Cane Corso will be very attentive to their owner and loves to please their people

Cane Corso do have somewhat of an intimidating look. They are massive, powerful dogs with well-developed musculature and can look aggressive if you don’t know much about them. However, they are not inherently aggressive dogs. When it comes to their family members and people they know, Cane Corso are actually exceptional sweeties! Cane Corso temperament tends to be very agreeable – much more so than some “unintimidating” lapdogs.

They are calm, kind, and patient, even with kids. A well-raised Cane Corso will be very attentive to their owner and loves to please their people. If you train them well, your Cane Corso will love following your commands: they don’t tend to be stubborn or self-directed. Cane Corso are not hard to train either, they’ll be happy to obey to younger family members as well as adults. They don’t tend to want to dominate over their human family members (although a Cane Corso male may display dominant behavior towards other dogs). For the Cane Corso, the owner is always the leader of the pack.

Due to how agreeable their temperament is, Cane Corso are wonderful dogs to have around in any situation. They will be great guard dogs for your farm or homestead (or a forest cabin!). They will also do well in a suburban house or even apartment provided it’s large enough and that you spend enough time outside walking and playing with your dog. Cane Corso can be polite city dwellers that will happily follow you down a downtown street or run around all day on a farm, watching after your kids and your animals. 

Cane Corso temperament: Cane Corso are wonderful dogs to have around in any situation

This is a truly universal breed. You can safely take your Cane Corso out on walks in the populated and busy areas: a well-raised Cane Corso will not be aggressive to other dogs and will not start fights. Some individuals may tend to be more dominant than others, but it really depends on how well you raise and socialize your dog. Socialization is extremely important, especially for a large dog like Cane Corso. If you have a Cane Corso puppy and want to raise a polite, happy, sociable adult, make sure you get your pup acquainted with many different social situations, people, and animals.

This can be achieved by taking your pup out and regularly exposing them to other people, kids, dogs, and animals, so they get used to it. If you teach them to be friendly and polite from a young age, your puppy will grow up into a well-behaved, polite Cane Corso that will be a pleasure to have around.

Cane Corsos, despite their intimidating size, are usually very friendly to other house pets, be it other dogs, cats, birds, and any other critter. They are rarely aggressive or dominant (unless we are talking about particularly dominant, unneutered male Cane Corsos), and love sharing the house with other animals. Of course, no other animal will be more important for your Cane Corso than you, the owner.

Aggressive or unintelligent Corsos were not bred and thus are extremely rare in the population

All mastiff and molossus dogs are known for their endless devotion to their owners. Historically it was extremely important for Cane Corso to be highly attuned to their owners to be able to understand what’s required of them. Centuries of selection through breeding made sure these qualities are very strong in today’s Cane Corso. They are very attentive and understand their owners without words. They are also smart and can make intelligent decisions in any situation where their help is needed. 

Aggressive or unintelligent Corso were not bred and thus are extremely rare in the population. Cane Corso are extremely people-oriented and social animals, who understand the family hierarchy and take it very seriously. They will not fight their owner for leadership, but rather adapt to the daily life of any particular family and accept their role in it, trying to contribute as much as they can. A Cane Corso will never bully anyone, be it another pet or a younger child. This just isn’t in their genes. Even some of the more dominant individuals are generally very “pliable” and manageable, unlike some other breeds. It is very important for a Cane Corso to feel “needed” in the family, to feel like they have a part to play.

They always need to be near their humans at all times. Even when walking, a well-behaved (adult) Cane Corso tend to walk close by to their owner even off-leash, just to keep them insight. Emotional contact and tight connection with their owner is very important for a Cane Corso. This is why they don’t do well being chained outside or confined to an outside area on farms and homesteads – these are not good outdoor dogs. Separated from their family, a Cane Corso may develop psychological issues that may grow into behavioral issues. Both the dog and the owner will suffer from that.

So, if you are not ready to share your home and your every day with your dog and just want a guard dog for your farm – don’t get a Cane Corso. Don’t get any dog, in fact. Maybe an alarm system would work better. At least it doesn’t have any feelings.

Cane Corso get very attached to their owners and don’t do well when they need to be rehomed. It’s very hard for them to be separated from the family they know. Don’t get a Cane Corso if you aren’t 100% sure you are going to be their forever home. If you are the one adopting an older dog from another home, don’t be discouraged if the dog doesn’t warm up to you immediately. It will take time and patience to get them used to you and your home before it will feel entirely comfortable and will start loving you as the owner.

Cane Corso temperament: Cane Corso and children

If you have children, you may be wondering if it’s safe to have a larger dog in the house. With Cane Corso, you may be sure your kids are safe. Cane Corso, like many other large dogs, are very patient. Loud and active games will not bother your Cane Corso: they will not display aggression to their younger family members. Most they can do is just walk away if the games get to be too much.

Cane Corso can be wonderful babysitters as well as guardians for your little ones. Cane Corso intuitively understand that little humans need protection and that they have to be careful around children. A Cane Corso will never harm a child, not even accidentally. They have very strong “parenting” instincts towards all beings smaller and more vulnerable than themselves. Funnily, even male Cane Corso display these instincts and tend to want to guard and protect those smaller than themselves.

From puppy to the adult Cane Corso

Cane Corso are known for being “easy” dogs to raise, even in puppyhood. If you’ve raised a puppy, you know that any dog can be difficult in puppyhood, but big dogs, in particular, tend to stay immature and “puppyish” for longer than some smaller breeds. Cane Corsos are not like that. They don’t tend to have any psychological issues, which generally drive destructive behavior in dogs, both young and adult.

Cane Corsos can usually be left home alone and you won’t find your whole house chewed up when you return

Cane Corso are calm and confident, and, if treated well, are usually non-destructive and don’t have much separation anxiety, even at younger age. This is why Cane Corso can usually be left home alone and you won’t find your whole house chewed up when you return. Of course, their own toys will be chewed up, but that’s why we get them lots of toys :). Cane Corso, in fact, don’t tend to be very chewy, especially after their baby teeth are replaced with their adult teeth. They just don’t find comfort in chewing up your slippers or your furniture. They also tend to be calm and quiet even when they are alone, unlike some breeds that may cause mayhem barking or howling when left alone.

 The smart fighter

Despite the fact that Cane Corso are genetically programmed to guard and protect and are excellent fighters, they are not easily provoked. A Cane Corso will not attack an elderly gentleman just because he happens to be strolling around with a cane. They are very capable of distinguishing between a peaceful situation and a time when someone acts aggressively to the dog or their owner. Interesting to note is that Cane Corso maintain that protective intuition even if they are not exposed to very many situations when they have to respond to aggression.

A Cane Corso in a fight is a truly formidable enemy. This is a large dog with powerful jaws and a lot of strength. They are hard to intimidate and are excellent strategists when it comes to fighting. This is a dog that can fight off several attackers at once. They are not like bull terriers or Pitbulls in that  Cane Corso will not fight to the death. They approach it more intelligently, always trying to minimize their own losses while disarming and inactivating the aggressor. Having said that, Cane Corso have a very high pain threshold and can take a lot before they retreat in a fight.

With all that, Cane Corso are not easy to provoke and, if well-raised, will not attack anyone without a reason. Their role is to protect, not to be an aggressor themselves.