Have you been dreaming of getting a Cane Corso? These dogs are majestic and powerful. Before adopting any dog, it is smart to research how well the breed gets along with others.
In this guide, we will discuss the temperament and personality of the Cane Corso and how well they get along with other animals.
Cane Corsos are intelligent and self-assured with independent personalities and the ability to learn a range of tasks and behaviors. Cane Corsos are not necessarily aggressive towards other dogs.
However, to easily assimilate with other dogs, they will require socialization from puppyhood. Keep in mind that each dog has a unique personality and temperament.
If you are considering adopting an adult Cane Corso, be sure to introduce it to your other dogs, pets, and family members beforehand.
Raising A Cane Corso Puppy with Other Pets
Cane Corsos are powerful dogs with innate guarding instincts. Many Cane Corsos have been known to do well with other dogs and sometimes even cats.
However, in these instances, the Cane Corso was usually raised with the other dogs from puppyhood.
Just about any dog can get along with almost any other animal as long as they are socialized together from a young age.
Even cheetahs and Labrador Retrievers can be best of friends, provided that they are raised together from a young age.
If you are adopting a Cane Corso puppy, it can be conditioned to get along with essentially any other pet. Socialization can overcome just about any barrier.
The thing is, once that short puppyhood socialization window closes, things get a lot more complicated.
How Can You Tell Whether A Cane Corso Will Get Along With Other Dogs?
Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to find out whether a full-grown Cane Corso will get along well with other dogs apart from them meeting each other.
Each dog is unique and will have its own personality traits, temperament, and tendencies.
However, there are a few ways that you can tell if your Cane Corso will likely get along well with other pets.
Watch for Body Language Warning Signs
Dogs that have aggression towards other dogs will exhibit certain physical warning signs. Signs often go unnoticed by humans, they are loud and clear in dog language.
If you are considering adopting a Cane Corso from the animal shelter and want to find out whether it has dog aggression problems, you can easily take it out for a walk and watch for these signs.
As you walk the Cane Corso past other dogs, look for the physical signs of dog aggression like maintaining eye contact, lunging, posturing, and raised hackles.
Dogs that are aggressive toward others may also show signs like pricked alert ears and exposed teeth.
If you see these behaviors when exposing a Cane Corso to another dog, there is a good chance dog aggression issues exist. If this happens, calmly remove the dog from the situation and redirect their attention elsewhere.
Nature or Nurture: Where Does Dog Aggression Come From?
Where does dog aggression come from, anyway? Why are some dog breeds more social than others? Can dogs be trained for socialization or are these social skills born into a dog?
This is the classic question of nature versus nurture. Whether a dog will be aggressive towards other dogs usually has to do with both how they were raised and how they were bred.
Socialization, Breed, and Temperament are Huge Factors
It is a known fact that puppies who have been raised with other animals and well-socialized have fewer aggression issues.
However, with some dogs, no matter how much nurturing occurs, aggression will always be an issue.
That is why zookeepers chose to raise their cheetah cubs with Labrador Retrievers instead of with German Shepherds.
Some dogs simply have friendlier dispositions. As a Sporting Group dog, Labrador Retrievers are naturally more social and have lower rates of aggression.
However, Cane Corsos are not Sporting Group dogs. Cane Corsos come from the Working Group, specifically, the Guarding Mastiff group.
As such, Cane Corsos are more likely to be suspicious of strangers and skeptical of other dogs.
Since these dogs were once used to protect livestock from wolves, they are naturally going to be on guard when approached by other animals.
Impacts from Life Experiences and External Factors
On top of that, a dog’s unique life experiences, hormone levels, and mood can impact how well they do with other dogs. The way that you introduce two dogs may also set the tone for future interactions.
Stressed owners introducing anxious dogs in a territorial setting is a surefire way to set up even the friendliest dog breeds for failure.
How to Give Your Cane Corso the Best Chance at Getting Along with Other Pets
So how can you give your Cane Corso the best possible chance of getting along with your other pets?
Since Cane Corsos are naturally skeptical of other animals, early and consistent socialization is the key to helping them get along well with other dogs, cats, and small animals. Many other environmental factors must be considered as well.
Begin Socializing Your Cane Corso Puppy Early
To give your Cane Corso the best chance at socializing with other animals, you should start introducing them to an array of new experiences as early as possible.
Beginning at eight weeks of age, your Cane Corso puppy should be exposed to various new experiences. This will help them develop a well-rounded personality and stable temperament.
Additionally, after your Cane Corso has been fully vaccinated against parvo and other common dog diseases, it is smart to socialize them with other dogs.
At this stage, socialization should be carried out with the utmost care. Bad experiences with other dogs can resonate throughout the life of your Cane Corso.
Consider the Size and Gender of the Other Dogs You Own
Whether your Cane Corso will get along with other animals will depend on many factors. For one thing, how large are your other dogs?
Small dogs and cats may be in danger from a Cane Corso that has not been socialized with smaller animals.
In addition to this, larger dogs may seem threatening to the Cane Corso. So, although large and medium-sized dogs are not in immediate danger from a Cane Corso, aggression issues may arise.
After all, Cane Corsos were bred to guard families, livestock, and homes. These dogs are territorial and fiercely loyal.
They will immediately take issue with anything that they deem as a threat to their owners or families.
Moreover, some Cane Corsos tend to be more aggressive towards dogs of the same gender.
A female Cane Corso will be more aggressive towards another female dog. A male Cane Corso will be more aggressive toward another male dog.
In fact, in the instances where Cane Corsos do well with other dogs, they’re usually of the opposite gender.
This has to do with an array of factors including natural instincts, scent glands, and hormones.
Tips for Introducing A Cane Corso to Another Dog
Although each dog is different and will have its own unique temperament traits, when introducing a Cane Corso to another dog, owners should proceed with caution.
If you are lucky, your Cane Corso will get along perfectly well with other dogs. However, whenever you introduce two new dogs to each other, care and consideration should be taken.
With this in mind, here are some tips for introducing an adult Cane Corso to another dog. Remember to always make new dog introductions a positive experience.
Tip 1: Find A Neutral Space To Make Introductions
When introducing two new dogs to each other, make sure to always supervise them in a neutral space. That way, neither of the dogs will be territorial toward the other.
Tip 2: Watch Body Language
Watch for the body language cues that we listed above. Behaviors like growling, baring teeth, pricking up the ears, and posturing, are all warning signs. Although it may seem boring, ideally, both dogs will ignore each other and focus on you instead.
Tip 3: Walk The Dogs Adjacently
In some instances, it is wise to walk dogs adjacent to each other. When the dogs are focused on their owners instead of on each other, it can bring down tensions.
Tip 4: Introduce Toys and Play Slowly
Even though it can be tempting to encourage two new dogs to begin playing with each other immediately, remember that play-time mimics fighting. So, don’t introduce toys or play right away. Instead, focus on proving to both dogs that the other dog is not a threat.
Tip 5: Call a Professional
Finally, it may be wise to consult a professional dog trainer before trying to introduce your Cane Corso to another dog.
An experienced dog trainer with a good reputation can be trusted to help you make introductions between your dogs in the best way possible.
Since each situation and dog is unique, an experienced professional may be the best way to avoid issues or even injuries.
