1st time corso

[NCDave]

I am not an owner yet but looking forward to it. We have had some rowdy neighbors move into the neighborhood recently and it's gotten bad enough that we have decided to get a guard dog to deter people from coming through our yard . I talked my wife into getting a corso because of their rep as excellent guard dogs and my love of big dogs, I used to own a wonderful bull mastif and still miss my Mollydog she was amazing.The only thing holding me back is finding a pup I can both afford and trust healthwise. I would love to find a rescue and am hopeful to get one young enough to train, does anyone here know of any reliable corso rescue places here in NC?The fence is going up in about a week and I really want to get started with our new pup , color me EXCITED

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Your best bet is to contact Cane Corso Rescue as they can help network and they are breed specific but there is also East Coast Gentle Giants Rescue that has various large breeds in at any given time looking for a home that might be able to find you an appropriate corso.

The one problem you might encounter is that rescues don't always have puppies or rarely have puppies as they are the easiest option to place. To be honest quality corso are not cheap on initial purchase price but the bargain corso are generally not cheap long term so you you have to pick your poison.

 

[Sheila Braund]

I am not an owner yet but looking forward to it. We have had some rowdy neighbors move into the neighborhood recently and it's gotten bad enough that we have decided to get a guard dog to deter people from coming through our yard . I talked my wife into getting a corso because of their rep as excellent guard dogs and my love of big dogs, I used to own a wonderful bull mastif and still miss my Mollydog she was amazing.The only thing holding me back is finding a pup I can both afford and trust healthwise. I would love to find a rescue and am hopeful to get one young enough to train, does anyone here know of any reliable corso rescue places here in NC?The fence is going up in about a week and I really want to get started with our new pup , color me EXCITED

Hi and welcome to the forum.... If you're wanting a pup because of training, you can train adult dogs as well. Most dogs just want to please their human family. I've trained " junk yard" dogs that didn't even know their names.... The oldest was 4 years old. Even had him trained not to eat until he heard the command word. I did that because someone poisoned him one day to attemp to rob my home....luckily my foster daughter came home early from school. I'm telling you this because if your neighbourhood is getting iffy you may also want your guard dog to only except food with a command word.

 

[NCDave]

Hi and welcome to the forum.... If you're wanting a pup because of training, you can train adult dogs as well. Most dogs just want to please their human family. I've trained " junk yard" dogs that didn't even know their names.... The oldest was 4 years old. Even had him trained not to eat until he heard the command word. I did that because someone poisoned him one day to attemp to rob my home....luckily my foster daughter came home early from school. I'm telling you this because if your neighbourhood is getting iffy you may also want your guard dog to only except food with a command word.

any advice I can get is appreciated, the neighborhood is mostly quiet, just 2 houses on the block are being rented to some rather noisy and possibly dangerous folk, one of the houses is empty now after the people were evicted but I want to be ready in case the renter hasn't learned anything from the police visits and complaints from neighbors.I had read that getting a corso properly socialized was best done before 4 months of age but am happy to consider an older rescue

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

To be fair, 80% (and that is probably being generous) of corso are likely not going to engage should there be an actual problem. We are at the point where they are overbred, and temperament is suffering big time so if you are looking for a dog that is likely to engage and intruder then I fear you are going to be disappointed should your dog/puppy have to prove itself. Most rely these days on the large bark and overly fearsome appearance of the breed to do most of the work and it likely will, but never put 100% confidence that you dog is going to be what saves you.

 

[Sheila Braund]

To be fair, 80% (and that is probably being generous) of corso are likely not going to engage should there be an actual problem. We are at the point where they are overbred, and temperament is suffering big time so if you are looking for a dog that is likely to engage and intruder then I fear you are going to be disappointed should your dog/puppy have to prove itself. Most rely these days on the large bark and overly fearsome appearance of the breed to do most of the work and it likely will, but never put 100% confidence that you dog is going to be what saves you.

I think that can be said about most breads - if your wanting 100% then your looking into police / guard training and even that isn't 100%
That being said when you do get into that kind of training thats a whole new can of worms which most families really don't want to go there. The responsibility and liability on the owner is 10X fold to put it lightly. The insurance alone would cost more then having home security monitored.

 

[Justin B.]

If you do wind up adopting one you should invest in some good personal protection and bite work classes and training just to make sure the dog can be somewhat sound or knows how to engage. The basics.

A lot of rescues will not place dogs that have a temperament that suits legit guard or personal protection work. Unless you just want a dog that will scare people off by look and bark alone. Black Shadow is 100% right.

Many Cane Corsos now are very watered down. Especially ones you may pick up from a rescue.

If your main focus is securing your family and property on a strict budget I might would go with a different breed option.

 

[Nik]

I am not an owner yet but looking forward to it. We have had some rowdy neighbors move into the neighborhood recently and it's gotten bad enough that we have decided to get a guard dog to deter people from coming through our yard . I talked my wife into getting a corso because of their rep as excellent guard dogs and my love of big dogs, I used to own a wonderful bull mastif and still miss my Mollydog she was amazing.The only thing holding me back is finding a pup I can both afford and trust healthwise. I would love to find a rescue and am hopeful to get one young enough to train, does anyone here know of any reliable corso rescue places here in NC?The fence is going up in about a week and I really want to get started with our new pup , color me EXCITED

Are you looking for the dog to only be a deterrent based on its appearance or are you actually looking for a dog that will back it up? If you are only looking for appearances any large dog will do so make your decision based on your life style, time, etc. It sounds like you already have mastiff experience and want a cc because you already have a love for mollasers.

I can tell you that my 1/2 DDB is far more protective of me and the house than my other dog that is a cc mix. Granted they are both mixes and every dog is going to have a different personality. That said I think the most aggressive dogs I have ever come across are chows and then more recently my dad's australian cattle dog. The cattle dog is extremely protective of my dad and his property and it is actually a giant challenge for him because even on walks it wants to attack anyone who comes near him. So keep in mind that a strong minded dog that is suited to guard work may come with a ton of training challenges you have to work through. I will also note that the cattle dog is energy to the extreme. She needs sooooo much exercise. I actually think that is a good thing for my dad because it has made him a lot more active than he used to be. But, her energy, drive and protectiveness is no joke. Definitely not a dog for someone who doesn't have a lot of time, energy, willingness and experience to work with a dog.

 

[marke]

my opinion is , if you need your dog to fight someone , you really need a gun more than a dog .............. a lone dog that will actually fight a man , at least any I ever knew , were not exactly my idea of a family pet ...... most everyone I knew bit someone they shouldn't have , a few their owners .........imo , it would actually be irresponsible if you had young kids .... the thought of having a dog that would fight people has been the downfall of every breed that has ever had a bsl slapped on them ........ as far as alerting you , or keeping someone out your yard , just about any dog would work , nobody want bit , even by a little dog .......

 

[NCDave]

Your best bet is to contact Cane Corso Rescue as they can help network and they are breed specific but there is also East Coast Gentle Giants Rescue that has various large breeds in at any given time looking for a home that might be able to find you an appropriate corso.

The one problem you might encounter is that rescues don't always have puppies or rarely have puppies as they are the easiest option to place. To be honest quality corso are not cheap on initial purchase price but the bargain corso are generally not cheap long term so you you have to pick your poison.

I hav

To be fair, 80% (and that is probably being generous) of corso are likely not going to engage should there be an actual problem. We are at the point where they are overbred, and temperament is suffering big time so if you are looking for a dog that is likely to engage and intruder then I fear you are going to be disappointed should your dog/puppy have to prove itself. Most rely these days on the large bark and overly fearsome appearance of the breed to do most of the work and it likely will, but never put 100% confidence that you dog is going to be what saves you.

my opinion is , if you need your dog to fight someone , you really need a gun more than a dog .............. a lone dog that will actually fight a man , at least any I ever knew , were not exactly my idea of a family pet ...... most everyone I knew bit someone they shouldn't have , a few their owners .........imo , it would actually be irresponsible if you had young kids .... the thought of having a dog that would fight people has been the downfall of every breed that has ever had a bsl slapped on them ........ as far as alerting you , or keeping someone out your yard , just about any dog would work , nobody want bit , even by a little dog .......

If you do wind up adopting one you should invest in some good personal protection and bite work classes and training just to make sure the dog can be somewhat sound or knows how to engage. The basics.

A lot of rescues will not place dogs that have a temperament that suits legit guard or personal protection work. Unless you just want a dog that will scare people off by look and bark alone. Black Shadow is 100% right.

Many Cane Corsos now are very watered down. Especially ones you may pick up from a rescue.

If your main focus is securing your family and property on a strict budget I might would go with a different breed option.

no I am not looking for an attack dog at all just want to offer a deterrent for people wandering through my yard at night. I figure the appearance and big bark will do the trick but also have some other things in mind such as flood lights with cameras and a siren

 

[NCDave]

Are you looking for the dog to only be a deterrent based on its appearance or are you actually looking for a dog that will back it up? If you are only looking for appearances any large dog will do so make your decision based on your life style, time, etc. It sounds like you already have mastiff experience and want a cc because you already have a love for mollasers.

I can tell you that my 1/2 DDB is far more protective of me and the house than my other dog that is a cc mix. Granted they are both mixes and every dog is going to have a different personality. That said I think the most aggressive dogs I have ever come across are chows and then more recently my dad's australian cattle dog. The cattle dog is extremely protective of my dad and his property and it is actually a giant challenge for him because even on walks it wants to attack anyone who comes near him. So keep in mind that a strong minded dog that is suited to guard work may come with a ton of training challenges you have to work through. I will also note that the cattle dog is energy to the extreme. She needs sooooo much exercise. I actually think that is a good thing for my dad because it has made him a lot more active than he used to be. But, her energy, drive and protectiveness is no joke. Definitely not a dog for someone who doesn't have a lot of time, energy, willingness and experience to work with a dog.

point well taken!!! I have been planning for lots of outings and exercise for us all as well as plenty of play time and even a chore or two. I want the dog to not get frustrated from lack of purpose and will make sure to put him/her through their paces

 

[April Nicole]

A CC is definitely a nice deterrent. I had a friend who was house hunting and refused to buy a house because the neighbor owned a CC. She was convinced the dog was going to maul her and her children to death. Poor CC's get a bad rap. I've met some that were the friendliest dogs, and very well behaved. But they sure do look mean!!

Another dog you could consider is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. I've owned 2. They are great family dogs, and very protective. They were a good deterrent also. And may not be as pricey as a CC. They do require a lot of exercise though..

As far as rescue, they are soooooo hard to actually be able to adopt a dog. I seriously thought they were going to ask me for a blood sample! Lol. We went through all of the procedure to rescue a Rhodesian. I had the proper home, fencing, experience. But its almost like they want to deny you. They are very thorough, which is good...

Last but not least, you may be able to check out the local shelter. That's where we found one of our Rhodesian's. He and his sister were given up as pups cause they were ridgeless. You might find a great dog there.

 

[Annette Coleman]

You should join the Cane Corso Preservation group on Facebook. Group members are experts about the dogs and which breeders to avoid because of their breeding practices that promote health problems. I can’t remember the name of the rescue , but one of the members runs a CC rescue. Josh Strand is well known for working lines that are protective of livestock. Sounds like you need a dog from a working line. A high quality Corso is worth the investment. Unfortunately too many CC breeders care more about the money than the dogs.

 

[Annette Coleman]

Are you in western NC? If so, you should call Lester at Gray Kennel and Security in Gray TN. He has 30 years experience with training dogs to do protection work and his rates are extremely reasonable. He has limited experience with Corsos, but could definitely help you find a high quality dog(probably not a Corso) that would meet your needs.

 

[Annette Coleman]

The name of the rescue I could not remember earlier is Must Love Corsos.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

There are a couple of great rescues that have corso but not usually puppies, Melanie just started Must Love Corsos but has been active in the breed for years. RESEARCH is what can help you find a quality breeder, while the FB groups can be informative they also come with more than their fair share of drama.

Working lines also aren't for the average household, and can do more damage in households that aren't prepared for them as they are typically more high energy and drive than a pet family can deal with. So I don't agree with that.

To be honest, most big black dogs that bark tend to be a deterrent, it is why most shelters have trouble adopting them. (You can google big black dog syndome) but if going with a corso, find a breeder you can work with. Explain your needs, be honest with the amount of time and energy you want to/can expend and see if there is a responsible breeder that feels they can provide that.

 

[Nik]

There are a couple of great rescues that have corso but not usually puppies, Melanie just started Must Love Corsos but has been active in the breed for years. RESEARCH is what can help you find a quality breeder, while the FB groups can be informative they also come with more than their fair share of drama.

Working lines also aren't for the average household, and can do more damage in households that aren't prepared for them as they are typically more high energy and drive than a pet family can deal with. So I don't agree with that.

To be honest, most big black dogs that bark tend to be a deterrent, it is why most shelters have trouble adopting them. (You can google big black dog syndome) but if going with a corso, find a breeder you can work with. Explain your needs, be honest with the amount of time and energy you want to/can expend and see if there is a responsible breeder that feels they can provide that.

This is so true about big black dogs. People are terrified of my Diesel and cross the street to avoid him. Whereas they see Kahlua and want to pet her. She is nearly as big as Diesel now but the coloring makes her less intimidating. The funny thing is Diesel would happily meet new people and let them pet him (so long as he knows we are safe) whereas Kahlua does not like new people and we constantly have to tell people "no she doesn't like strangers touching her". Meanwhile we have Diesel on the other side with his tail wagging hopefully and nobody ever wants to pet him.

 

[Annette Coleman]

Embedded within the “drama” of the Facebook page is information about disreputable breeders and problems with the breed that isn’t available elsewhere. I wish that I had known about Cane Corso Preservation BEFORE dealing with Laura Essenmacher at About Time and her crony Mike Druker at Pacifica. If I had, I wouldn’t have spent 3K on an inferior dog that won’t meet the needs that we carefully explained to her. Laura knew that the 5 month old would not be what we needed and sold her anyway claiming that she would. As far as I’m concerned anyone who is wanting to become involved in the breed needs to learn about the “drama” to avoid to epileptic lines, unethical breeders, and needs to learn the fact that AKC papers are not an indication of a quality dog, the term Breeder of Merit means nothing when looking for a quality dog and organizations such as AKC and CCAA do nothing to police the unethical behavior of breeders or distinguish poor quality dogs from healthy high quality dogs.

You are right that high drive dogs are not for everyone. However, the person starting this thread is looking for a guardian. The questions he needs to ask himself, and more importantly his trainer and if possible the breeder are
1. Does he need a deterrent or a trained protection dog?
2. What are the risks and liabilities of a trained protection dog? Do my needs justify the expense and risks?
3. What are the qualities I should look for in a dog that meets my needs?(age, sex, drive, energy level, prior socialization, etc). And does the dog I’m getting have these qualities?
4 What do I know about the health of the dog?

Mustlovecorsos has several dogs listed right now. I don’t know if he’s still available but a few weeks ago they had a 3 year old male from Scandafino. As I understand it, Tony Scandy tried to retrieve him from the pound but they wouldn’t let him.

Our first Corso was a rescue and she by far the best Corso we have owned— a much better quality animal than either of the two that we bought from a breeder.

 

[DennasMom]

A puppy isn't much of a deterrent... they're more of a magnet. LOL!!

But, maybe by having a cute puppy, you'll get to know the 'rowdy' neighbors better, and they'll decide to protect your place instead of target it?

It will take at least a year for a puppy to start being anything that would resemble a 'deterrent' - and I probably still wouldn't trust the dog outside if you're not home, even in a fully fenced yard. Especially a full breed dog - too easy to grab a pretty puppy for the black market (or to keep), or just to torture into a crazy nightmare.

I'd still go for a rescue puppy if you can, though. They are occasionally out there. Or, ask a breeder if they have any young "rejects" that need a new home (could be a dog was too "stranger-danger" for the show ring, or no aptitude for scent work, or allergic to a new baby, etc. and was returned to the breeder).

PetFinder-dot-com is a good way to see what rescues are in your area - and what dogs they have for adoption.
Maybe you'll find a mastiff mix available that fits your needs.

We didn't know we wanted an EM until we saw a St. Bernard/Mastiff mix on PetFinder - which were all gone before I could pick up the phone - but made me research the EM, and then we found an EM litter available from a local family.

I also agree on coloring making a difference - Denna's brindle is much, much scarier than the typical Fawn Sandlot dog.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

@Annette Coleman LOL! The breed is full of drama, but most pet people want to avoid it and the FB groups for the most part are littered with it. You tote the preservation page as the be-all to end-all, you do realize it is run by those board members of the ICCF so you won't see posts about the ICCF breeders and if there are bad things in regards to them, there is also no turn over in the BOD so it will remain those individuals until they decide to retire. I have friends and acquiescence in both camps and breeders I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole in both, want to know how I learned which ones to avoid... stopped talking and listened and watched the posts.

You constantly complain about "if you had known" so I am curious, what research did you do to find Laura and Mike as breeders? Did you ask on any of the forums? Did you google their kennel names and actual names? Did you ask for references of people that had purchased from them on forums, either to PM you or post it? Did you go on the breeder referral page? You are quick to blame the AKC and the CCAA but I am sorry you also bear some of the responsibility for doing adequate research.

Yet you seem to have learned nothing as you are endorsing another breed club, their breeders and their page without knowing if they are honest and responsible breeders themselves (hint: like the CCAA breeders in the ICCF, some are and some aren't). AKC nor ICCF papers are indicative of quality dogs, THE REGISTRIES DO NOT MONITOR BREEDING PRACTICES OF EACH BREEDER REGISTERING...THAT MEANS NEITHER DOES THE ICCF. I am not sure how much more that can be explained to you.

The OP also said he was looking for a deterrent, several posts before you responded.

"no I am not looking for an attack dog at all just want to offer a deterrent for people wandering through my yard at night. I figure the appearance and big bark will do the trick but also have some other things in mind such as flood lights with cameras and a siren"

Please stop making every post of those looking for a corso a witch hunt for the AKC or CCAA, or a ready endorsement of the ICCF and their breeders when you haven't done the research into them either.