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Are Cane Corsos Good Guard Dogs?

Are Cane Corsos Good Guard Dogs

Are you looking for a dog that will protect your family, property, and belongings?

If so, there are a lot of great breeds to consider. Of the many guarding and protection breeds, the Cane Corso is one of the most impressive.

However, owning a large and formidable dog requires advanced training experience. Here’s what you should know!

Are Cane Corsos Good Guard Dogs?

For personal protection applications like guarding, Cane Corsos are one of the best dog breeds to consider. The Cane Corso has been used for various personal and property protection applications since ancient times.

Originally bred by the Romans, this large and imposing Mastiff-like dog possesses a keen sense of awareness and unwavering loyalty.

Devoted and relentless, the Cane Corso is a great guard dog if trained properly. However, this is not a dog for novice owners. Knowledge and experience are essential.

What to Know Before Getting a Cane Corso for Guarding Purposes

Owning a powerful dog can be an amazing and fulfilling experience. In this modern world, dogs are often adopted for companionship.

However, some dogs can do more than keep their owners company. These working dogs are bred for a range of purposes and can do many jobs well.

Namely, many working guard dogs were bred specifically to guard people, property, and livestock.

Understanding why a dog breed was created can help you prepare yourself for ownership and avoid a range of training and behavioral issues.

If you have been looking for a dog that will guard and protect your property, the Cane Corso is a fantastic option to look into.

With this in mind, before adopting a powerful dog like the Cane Corso, there are a few things to know. After all, working dog ownership is a serious commitment that should not be taken lightly.

Know What You are Committing To

Sometimes called Italian Mastiffs, Cane Corsos are powerful, intelligent, energetic, and independent.

These dogs require an experienced hand in training and owners capable of and consistent leadership.

This is not a dog for the faint of heart. However, with patience, skill, and determination, this dog can become an incredibly capable guardian and protection animal.

Be Prepared to Invest in This Dog

Keep in mind that with many personal protection animals and guard dogs, years of training are needed to achieve the desired results.

For instance, German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois dogs are carefully reared and trained from puppyhood.

With up to a decade of training in each individual dog, the cost of owning one of these personal protection animals can be upwards of $10,000.

As such, training and conditioning a Cane Corso is a serious investment. From the age of 12 weeks old, this dog will need to be handled properly and given competent guidance. This is for the safety of the owner as well as the safety of the dog.

With so much power and muscle, this large breed has to be taught the difference between strangers, friends, and enemies.

Cane Corso owners who expect their dogs to be useful protection animals will need more than just confidence. This dog must be trained carefully and skillfully from day one.

Therefore, if you want your Cane Corso to be a competent guard dog, you will likely need to invest in a lengthy training program.

Unless you are a skilled guard dog trainer yourself, a source of outside experience will probably be necessary.

What Makes Cane Corsos Good Guard and Protection Dogs?

So why are Cane Corsos so good at protecting and guarding people and property? Well, a lot of it has to do with their size, physical capabilities, breeding, and instincts.

Cane Corsos have a rich and fascinating history of guarding and protection. Originally, the Cane Corso is thought to have descended from the livestock protection dogs of ancient Rome.

For hundreds of years, these dogs were used for personal protection and property guardianship. As civilization advanced, Cane Corsos became increasingly rare.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that this breed was revived and became popular in the United States of America. Large, capable, and intelligent, this working breed became a top candidate for guarding purposes once again.

These dogs can make a strong distinction between strangers and the people that they know. As such, these dogs must be trained and socialized properly from an early age.

These dogs are extremely courageous and have great endurance. They will work independently with adept protective skills.

Also, Cane Corsos prefer to stick next to their owners whenever possible. So, be prepared for a dog that wants to go with you everywhere.

Traits of the Cane Corso Dog Breed

The Cane Corso is a Mastiff descendant. Weighing anywhere from 90 to 120 pounds, this dog weighs around 100 pounds on average.

This dog is two feet and one inch tall on average and comes in a range of coat colors. However, the most common coat color of the Cane Corso is black.

Cane Corsos are highly trainable and intelligent. However, each dog will be unique and have its own distinctive personality traits.

  • Weighs 100 lbs on average
  • Intelligent and highly trainable
  • Loyal and devoted
  • Skeptical of strangers
  • Relatively healthy
  • Comes in a range of coat colors
  • Self-assured and balanced personality

Upsides of This Breed

There are many advantages to owning a Cane Corso. This dog is generally healthier than its larger Mastiff relatives. Also, the Cane Corso is quicker and more agile than many of its other Mastiff relatives.

Moreover, Cane Corsos are relatively easy to groom, loyal to their families, and tenacious. This is an even-tempered and self-assured dog that can easily distinguish between friends and strangers.

Downsides of This Breed

Cane Corsos are prone to certain health issues including heart issues, hip dysplasia, and bloat. The loose skin around the wide jaws of the Cane Corso can also lead to drooling and excess air intake.

This can make them gassy. Although Cane Corsos do not drool as much as some breeds like the Tibetan Mastiff, you can expect this dog to slobber from time to time.

Why are Some Dog Breeds Protective?

Not all dog breeds are as protective as the Cane Corso. In fact, some dog breeds are open to the presence of strangers and always want to make new friends.

However, Cane Corsos are a Working Group breed well-suited to guarding. Aloof and skeptical, they are naturally suspicious of people they do not know. This makes them well-suited to guarding.

Different Dog Breed Groups

Most Working Group dog breeds were created to assist people with tasks like hunting, wrangling cattle, or guarding property. Almost all breeds will fall into one of seven Breed Group categories.

The seven AKC dog breed groups are the Working Group, Sporting Group, Terrier Group, Toy Group, Herding Group, Non-Sporting Group, and Hound Group.

What to Know Before Buying a Guard Dog Breed

With so many different guard dog breeds to choose from, finding a pup that will be compatible with your lifestyle is wise.

Dog owners should be ready to provide their canine companions with activities that will keep them happy and healthy based on what they were bred to do.

Additionally, it is wise to look for a dog breed with energy levels that match your own.

If you are not a highly active individual, you should avoid adopting a dog that needs above-average levels of daily physical activity and mental stimulation.

For example, if you are going to be at work for 10 hours a day, adopting a Cane Corso, Belgian Malinois, or German Shepherd might not be the best idea.

Also, there is a difference between guard dogs that are trained to watch your property and personal protection animals. With this in mind, let’s talk about some of the best guard dogs and personal protection breeds.

Which Dog Breeds are Best at Guarding?

The Cane Corso is a Mastiff breed. Mastiffs are some of the best guard dogs around! However, here are some other great guard dog breeds that are well suited to protection applications.

The ten best guard dog breeds:

  1. Bullmastiff
  2. Doberman Pinscher
  3. Rottweiler
  4. Komondor
  5. Puli
  6. Giant Schnauzer
  7. German Shepherd
  8. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  9. Kuvasz
  10. Pitbull (Staffordshire Terrier)

Adopting a Cane Corso Puppy: Which is Better for Guarding, a Male or a Female?

So are you ready to purchase a Cane Corso puppy? You will want to decide whether you would prefer a male or a female Cane Corso.

Generally, female Cane Corsos are better for guarding people because they like to stay right by your side. However, a male Cane Corso is likely to be larger in size and better for property guarding.

Remember to only adopt a Cane Corso puppy from a breeder with experience and a good reputation.