Post by DogGoneGood on Mar 25, 2009 14:23:25 GMT -5
Group: III - Working
Origin: Italy (Sicily)
Date of Origin: 1600s
Purpose: Cattle droving
Other Name(s): Sicilan Brancheiro, Cane di Macellaio
The Corso is a classic Mastiff, without the loose skin of geographically related Mastiff breeds such as the Neapolitan Mastiff. It is a robust dog, with the typical bone and joint problems of the giant breeds. The relatively tight skin around its mouth ensures that it drools less than do the looser lipped Mastiffs. This breed can be aggressive with strangers, and needs experienced handling and careful socialization. However, when fully trained, the Corso makes an amenable companion. Energetic and intelligent, it thrives on regular exercise.
General Appearance:
Medium to large sized dog. Robust and sturdy, nevertheless elegant. Lean, with powerful long muscles.
Life Expectancy:
9-11 years
Size:
Height:
Height at the withers, Males from 24 to 27 inches (62 to 68 cm) and Females from 23 to 25 inches (58 to 64 cm). Tolerance of inch (2 cm) more or less.
Weight:
Males from 92.6 to 110.2 lbs (42 to 50 kg) and Females 83.8 to 99.2 lbs (38 to 45 kg).
Important Proportions:
The length of the head reaches 36% of the height at withers. The dog is somewhat longer than high.
Tail:
Set on of the tail fairly high; very thick at the root. The tail is docked at the fourth vertebra. In action carried high, but never curled nor erect.
Head:
Large and typically molossoid. The upper longitudinal axes of the skull and muzzle converge slightly. Skull: wide; at the zygomatic arch its width is equal to or greater than its length. Convex in front, it becomes fairly flat behind the forehead as far as the occiput. The medio-fontal furrow is visible. Stop: marked. Nose: black and large with ample, open nostrils on the same line as the nasal bridge. Muzzle: noticeably shorter than the skull (ratio : skull 62%-64%, muzzle 36-38%), strong, extremely square, with a flat front face and parallel nearly as wide as long lateral urfaces.
The profile of the nasal bridge is rectilinear. Lips: the upper lips hang moderately and cover the mandible, so that the lower profile of the muzzle is determined by the lips. Jaw/Teeth: jaw very large, thick and curved. Lightly undershot. Level and scissors bite acceptable. Eyes: medium-sized, ovoid, looking directly forward, slightly protruding. Eyelids close fitting. Colour of the iris as dark as possible, depending from the colour of the coat. Expression keen and attentive. Ears: triangular, drooping, with a large set on high above the zygomtic arch. Almost always cropped in the shape of an equilateral triangle.
Neck:
Strong, fairly thin, muscular, as long as the head.
Forequarters:
Shoulder: long, oblique, very muscular. Upper arm: strong. Forearm: straight, very strong. Carpal joint and pasterns: elastic. Forefeet: cat feet.
Hindquarters:
Upper thigh: long, wide, posteriorly convex. Lower thigh: thin, strong. Hocks: moderately angulated. Metatarsals: thick and narrow. Hind feet: slightly less compact than the forefeet.
Body:
The body is somewhat longer than the height at the withers. Sturdily built, but not squat. Withers: pronounced, rising above the level of the croup. Back: rectilinear, very muscular and firm. Loins: short and solid. Croup: long, wide, slightly inclined. Chest: well developed in three dimensions, reaches to the elbow.
Coat and Colour:
Coat: short (not smooth), shiny, very thick with a light undercoat.
Colour: black, lead grey, slate, light fawn (yellowish), stag red, brindle; black mask is present in fawn coloured dogs.
Temperment:
Guardian of property, family and livestock; extremely agile and responsive. In the past, it has been used for herding cattle and hunting big game.
Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
• Accentuated parallelism or very marked converging of the axes
of the muzzle and the skull; converging side lines of the muzzle.
• Pronounced and disturbing undershot mouth.
• Nose: partial depigmentation.
• Tail: ring-tail, tail in vertical position.
• Size: over-or undersize.
• Movement: continuously ambling.
Disqualifications:
• Axes of the muzzle and the skull diverging.
• Overshot mouth.
• Bridge of nose resolutely hollow, ram's nose.
• Nose: total depigmentation.
• Eyes: partial and bilateral palpebral depigmentation, wall eye,
bilateral strabismus.
• Tail: tailless, short tail (artificial or congenital).
• Hair: semi-long, smooth, fringed.
• Colour: all colours not indicated in the standard; white patches
too large.
History:
The Cane Corso is the direct descendant of the ancient Roam molosser dogs. In the past, the breed was common throughout Italy, but is now found in the provinces of Foggia and Bari. His name derives from the Latin “cohors”, which means “protector, guardian of the farms, courtyards and enclosed property. The breed first appeared in the sixteenth century and was used for hunting and guard duties.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard - Cane Corso
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 353
Origin: Italy (Sicily)
Date of Origin: 1600s
Purpose: Cattle droving
Other Name(s): Sicilan Brancheiro, Cane di Macellaio
The Corso is a classic Mastiff, without the loose skin of geographically related Mastiff breeds such as the Neapolitan Mastiff. It is a robust dog, with the typical bone and joint problems of the giant breeds. The relatively tight skin around its mouth ensures that it drools less than do the looser lipped Mastiffs. This breed can be aggressive with strangers, and needs experienced handling and careful socialization. However, when fully trained, the Corso makes an amenable companion. Energetic and intelligent, it thrives on regular exercise.
General Appearance:
Medium to large sized dog. Robust and sturdy, nevertheless elegant. Lean, with powerful long muscles.
Life Expectancy:
9-11 years
Size:
Height:
Height at the withers, Males from 24 to 27 inches (62 to 68 cm) and Females from 23 to 25 inches (58 to 64 cm). Tolerance of inch (2 cm) more or less.
Weight:
Males from 92.6 to 110.2 lbs (42 to 50 kg) and Females 83.8 to 99.2 lbs (38 to 45 kg).
Important Proportions:
The length of the head reaches 36% of the height at withers. The dog is somewhat longer than high.
Tail:
Set on of the tail fairly high; very thick at the root. The tail is docked at the fourth vertebra. In action carried high, but never curled nor erect.
Head:
Large and typically molossoid. The upper longitudinal axes of the skull and muzzle converge slightly. Skull: wide; at the zygomatic arch its width is equal to or greater than its length. Convex in front, it becomes fairly flat behind the forehead as far as the occiput. The medio-fontal furrow is visible. Stop: marked. Nose: black and large with ample, open nostrils on the same line as the nasal bridge. Muzzle: noticeably shorter than the skull (ratio : skull 62%-64%, muzzle 36-38%), strong, extremely square, with a flat front face and parallel nearly as wide as long lateral urfaces.
The profile of the nasal bridge is rectilinear. Lips: the upper lips hang moderately and cover the mandible, so that the lower profile of the muzzle is determined by the lips. Jaw/Teeth: jaw very large, thick and curved. Lightly undershot. Level and scissors bite acceptable. Eyes: medium-sized, ovoid, looking directly forward, slightly protruding. Eyelids close fitting. Colour of the iris as dark as possible, depending from the colour of the coat. Expression keen and attentive. Ears: triangular, drooping, with a large set on high above the zygomtic arch. Almost always cropped in the shape of an equilateral triangle.
Neck:
Strong, fairly thin, muscular, as long as the head.
Forequarters:
Shoulder: long, oblique, very muscular. Upper arm: strong. Forearm: straight, very strong. Carpal joint and pasterns: elastic. Forefeet: cat feet.
Hindquarters:
Upper thigh: long, wide, posteriorly convex. Lower thigh: thin, strong. Hocks: moderately angulated. Metatarsals: thick and narrow. Hind feet: slightly less compact than the forefeet.
Body:
The body is somewhat longer than the height at the withers. Sturdily built, but not squat. Withers: pronounced, rising above the level of the croup. Back: rectilinear, very muscular and firm. Loins: short and solid. Croup: long, wide, slightly inclined. Chest: well developed in three dimensions, reaches to the elbow.
Coat and Colour:
Coat: short (not smooth), shiny, very thick with a light undercoat.
Colour: black, lead grey, slate, light fawn (yellowish), stag red, brindle; black mask is present in fawn coloured dogs.
Temperment:
Guardian of property, family and livestock; extremely agile and responsive. In the past, it has been used for herding cattle and hunting big game.
Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
• Accentuated parallelism or very marked converging of the axes
of the muzzle and the skull; converging side lines of the muzzle.
• Pronounced and disturbing undershot mouth.
• Nose: partial depigmentation.
• Tail: ring-tail, tail in vertical position.
• Size: over-or undersize.
• Movement: continuously ambling.
Disqualifications:
• Axes of the muzzle and the skull diverging.
• Overshot mouth.
• Bridge of nose resolutely hollow, ram's nose.
• Nose: total depigmentation.
• Eyes: partial and bilateral palpebral depigmentation, wall eye,
bilateral strabismus.
• Tail: tailless, short tail (artificial or congenital).
• Hair: semi-long, smooth, fringed.
• Colour: all colours not indicated in the standard; white patches
too large.
History:
The Cane Corso is the direct descendant of the ancient Roam molosser dogs. In the past, the breed was common throughout Italy, but is now found in the provinces of Foggia and Bari. His name derives from the Latin “cohors”, which means “protector, guardian of the farms, courtyards and enclosed property. The breed first appeared in the sixteenth century and was used for hunting and guard duties.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard - Cane Corso
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 353
