Stiff back legs on 7 month old Cane Corso

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

In all honestly I would have his back end checked, his gait appears off and I would want to know while he is young if there is something wrong that way I would know how to properly manage it. Better safe than sorry in the long run just to be sure. As for the standard being outdate- no, just no! The standard was written by those with knowledge into the breed. There are actually 3-4 (depending on how you feel about some of the clubs with their own standard) for the breed. The US AKC standard is the only one without height/weight limitations and we are seeing some huge dogs coming out because of the "bigger is better" thought process and it is damaging out breed. They are meant to be one of the most agile of mastiff breeds and as you continue to breed dogs that are too large for standard you start to loose the functionality of what they were original bred for. In Canada our standard has the weight/height restrictions and while you can get larger dogs from correct ones, those looking to ensure the prosperity of the breed don't go seeking to breed them. Breeding 135lb female to 170lb male, I hope they were fabulous examples of the breed with something the breed could just not do without and not just because they were huge we have enough incorrect dogs being bred for profit that rescues are taking a serious hit.

 

[season]

In all honestly I would have his back end checked, his gait appears off and I would want to know while he is young if there is something wrong that way I would know how to properly manage it. Better safe than sorry in the long run just to be sure. As for the standard being outdate- no, just no! The standard was written by those with knowledge into the breed. There are actually 3-4 (depending on how you feel about some of the clubs with their own standard) for the breed. The US AKC standard is the only one without height/weight limitations and we are seeing some huge dogs coming out because of the "bigger is better" thought process and it is damaging out breed. They are meant to be one of the most agile of mastiff breeds and as you continue to breed dogs that are too large for standard you start to loose the functionality of what they were original bred for. In Canada our standard has the weight/height restrictions and while you can get larger dogs from correct ones, those looking to ensure the prosperity of the breed don't go seeking to breed them. Breeding 135lb female to 170lb male, I hope they were fabulous examples of the breed with something the breed could just not do without and not just because they were huge we have enough incorrect dogs being bred for profit that rescues are taking a serious hit.

Amen x2!!!!!!

It's sad seeing all these CC's (and other breeds) being mass produced to potential owners who think it's correct and then spend time, money and energy trying to manage problems that reputable breeders don't put out. I feel bad for the dogs.


Carpe Diem

 

[CujoTheCorso]

Both parents of my Puppy are AKC and CKC Registered. As is my pup!!


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[CujoTheCorso]

I know the breeder personally. Also know the grand parents of the pup. No health problems, no hip, joint problems. Very healthy dogs. Grandpa is 175 lbs and is 11 years old and still going strong and healthy. They are registered breeders. Their first pups came from Italy. Which is where the breeder is originally from. My pup actually was the smallest of the litter, but is now the biggest. His litter mates are considerably smaller and most likely will fit the "breed standard".


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[season]

I know the breeder personally. Also know the grand parents of the pup. No health problems, no hip, joint problems. Very healthy dogs. Grandpa is 175 lbs and is 11 years old and still going strong and healthy. They are registered breeders. Their first pups came from Italy. Which is where the breeder is originally from. My pup actually was the smallest of the litter, but is now the biggest. His litter mates are considerably smaller and most likely will fit the "breed standard".


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That's good to hear.


Carpe Diem

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Couple of things, registration is just that, registration. It means that the dogs bred were purebred they however do not ensure that the dogs are correct to a standard before being bred, that is up to the breeder. As for CKC registration, you can't have CKC registration, you can however have a CKC Misc number which is not the same thing. The breed is a listed breed and can not be registered legally with the CKC until Agri-Canada allows it which is why you have AKC registration instead. Seeing the dogs and hearing someone saying they do not have health problems is not the same as having health screens. Health screens are done by vets that are certified specialists and allow us to be comfortable breeding for stuff that we can't see under the surface. I am not saying that your pup isn't healthy or their parents aren't but if they are health screened then you can't be certain of anything. CC are one of the most stoic breeds there are and I have seen dogs with terrible hips never show a sign of issue until arthritis as they age makes it more apparent. While there are no guarantees that breeding clear dogs will always get you clear puppies at least you know where you are starting from. It makes no difference where the pups parents are from, Italian, Russian, French, or Canadian they can all have oddities in a litter but like I said it lies with the breeder to breed what is correct for the standard.

 

[Hector]

OP, the dog's gait looks very bad. It reminds me of a blood hound I know that has double hip dysplasia at a young age that was never treated. She is 10 now and your dog's walk reminds me of her walk. It doesn't mean that your dog has that, but that gait is not normal.

 

[CujoTheCorso]

Couple of things, registration is just that, registration. It means that the dogs bred were purebred they however do not ensure that the dogs are correct to a standard before being bred, that is up to the breeder. As for CKC registration, you can't have CKC registration, you can however have a CKC Misc number which is not the same thing. The breed is a listed breed and can not be registered legally with the CKC until Agri-Canada allows it which is why you have AKC registration instead. Seeing the dogs and hearing someone saying they do not have health problems is not the same as having health screens. Health screens are done by vets that are certified specialists and allow us to be comfortable breeding for stuff that we can't see under the surface. I am not saying that your pup isn't healthy or their parents aren't but if they are health screened then you can't be certain of anything. CC are one of the most stoic breeds there are and I have seen dogs with terrible hips never show a sign of issue until arthritis as they age makes it more apparent. While there are no guarantees that breeding clear dogs will always get you clear puppies at least you know where you are starting from. It makes no difference where the pups parents are from, Italian, Russian, French, or Canadian they can all have oddities in a litter but like I said it lies with the breeder to breed what is correct for the standard.

Makes sense. All good points. At the end of the day were just happy are dog is healthy and happy!! Cheers!


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[Hiraeth]

@Hiaeth, your comments have me concerned lol. Drago is 7 months today is 28" at the withers and weighs 109lbs. Is this bad? The posts made me nervous there is something wrong about him. He is AKC also.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

As others have said, AKC registration doesn't mean much other than his parents were AKC registered. Blind and deaf white Great Danes can be AKC registered, but that doesn't mean they should be bred. It's up to breeders to be responsible and do their homework to ensure they're producing healthy dogs.

Were Drago's parents titled? He could potentially just be an abnormality and be larger than the rest of his litter - it happens. As it is, he doesn't currently fit the AKC standard for CCs, as he's too tall and would be eliminated from competition. That doesn't mean he won't be a great dog. It probably does mean you should keep an eye out for health issues and be careful with stairs and other high impact exercise until his joints close.

 

[Hiraeth]

Makes sense. All good points. At the end of the day were just happy are dog is healthy and happy!! Cheers!Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

But he's not happy and healthy. He's cow-hocked. The second dog over in this diagram is a cow hocked dog. The first dog is "normal":

Here's a side view. Cow-hocked dogs are normally conformed like C, D or E here, E being the worst case scenario:

Because of the way his back end and legs are built, you can expect early onset arthritis at best. At worst, he's going to blow both of his cruciate ligaments. You should see an orthopedic specialist who will be able to give you exercises you can do with him to help build up the muscular support system around his very at-risk joints.

I know that it probably upsets you, or makes you angry, to read this, but this is exactly why dogs shouldn't be bred outside of the standard. Sometimes it blows my mind when people come here and argue that the standard is out of date and then post photos and videos of dogs who are obviously not well conformed and having issues at a young age. Your puppy is proof that the standard is there for a reason. And I'm not replying to you to be mean-hearted or cruel - I'm posting because I want to help people learn about buying healthy puppies, and more singularly, because I want your dog to live a long, happy, healthy life. The only way that's going to happen is if you seek veterinary treatment for his issues sooner rather than later.

 

[CujoTheCorso]

But he's not happy and healthy. He's cow-hocked. The second dog over in this diagram is a cow hocked dog. The first dog is "normal":

Here's a side view. Cow-hocked dogs are normally conformed like C, D or E here, E being the worst case scenario:

Because of the way his back end and legs are built, you can expect early onset arthritis at best. At worst, he's going to blow both of his cruciate ligaments. You should see an orthopedic specialist who will be able to give you exercises you can do with him to help build up the muscular support system around his very at-risk joints.

I know that it probably upsets you, or makes you angry, to read this, but this is exactly why dogs shouldn't be bred outside of the standard. Sometimes it blows my mind when people come here and argue that the standard is out of date and then post photos and videos of dogs who are obviously not well conformed and having issues at a young age. Your puppy is proof that the standard is there for a reason. And I'm not replying to you to be mean-hearted or cruel - I'm posting because I want to help people learn about buying healthy puppies, and more singularly, because I want your dog to live a long, happy, healthy life. The only way that's going to happen is if you seek veterinary treatment for his issues sooner rather than later.

Sorry your mistaking me for the OP.



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[CujoTheCorso]

My dog has no health issues whatsoever! Thanks for insight though!! lol


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[Hiraeth]

My dog has no health issues whatsoever! Thanks for insight though!! lol

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Sorry, I totally was! And now I can't go back to edit That was all definitely directed at the OP! Mental note: don't post before I'm done with my morning coffee.

 

[CujoTheCorso]

lol, no problem!!


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[Joao M]

In all honestly I would have his back end checked, his gait appears off and I would want to know while he is young if there is something wrong that way I would know how to properly manage it. Better safe than sorry in the long run just to be sure. As for the standard being outdate- no, just no! The standard was written by those with knowledge into the breed. There are actually 3-4 (depending on how you feel about some of the clubs with their own standard) for the breed. The US AKC standard is the only one without height/weight limitations and we are seeing some huge dogs coming out because of the "bigger is better" thought process and it is damaging out breed. They are meant to be one of the most agile of mastiff breeds and as you continue to breed dogs that are too large for standard you start to loose the functionality of what they were original bred for. In Canada our standard has the weight/height restrictions and while you can get larger dogs from correct ones, those looking to ensure the prosperity of the breed don't go seeking to breed them. Breeding 135lb female to 170lb male, I hope they were fabulous examples of the breed with something the breed could just not do without and not just because they were huge we have enough incorrect dogs being bred for profit that rescues are taking a serious hit.

According to what I have read, the reasons for this go back to the late 1980´s when the first CC were brought to the US.
The breed was being rebuilt in Italy (since the late 70´s) after almost disappearing during WW II and the dogs that were picked to be imported to the US were the biggest ones among the available. That created a "bigger line" (if you prefer that wording) that after inbreeding is the justification to have CC´s almost the size of neos in the US.
I believe that was also the reason why AKC didn´t have a maximum weight or height in the standard. How would all those American CC´s be classified ??
Later on in Italy (and throughout Europe) the "big CC´s" started not to be used for breeding purposes in major kennels for several reasons but also in order to clearly distinguish CC from Neos (working lines Neos, not nowadays show line). The FCI standard was based on the smaller CC´s
I don´t know what was the breed evolution in the US but I have the impression that those original lines kept being used and most likely that is why 30 years passed and you still see some CC´s in the US that are way bigger than the ones you (generally) see in Europe.
Again this is based on my readings; may, or not, be correct

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

There are all sorts of ideas about what actually happened with the breed being brought to the US. There are the rumors that Mike was given the best examples, there are rumors he got the cast offs that were not considered correct. As he was a neo and rottie breeder there were rumors that he didn't import Cane Corso at all, simply crossed his two breeds to get the American Corso. It just depends entirely on who you talk to and who's version you want to believe. AKC doesn't have a height/weight min or max because it didn't suit the breeders that were in charge of the standard to have one in place, they allow for a balanced dog based on proportion of height to weight... the problem is then you have to understand what a balanced dog is and if you look in the ring, you will see there are lots that have no clue. There are many dogs that would be lucky to get out of their own way let alone be the agile mastiff that should be able to work all day some of it is just overweight dogs that could take some weight off and be a more agile dog and others it is simply overdone dogs.

 

[Hiraeth]

But the AKC Cane Corso standard does have a height/weight maximum, or at least a strong preference... Unless the document uploaded to their website is wrong.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

It does have height measurements in but the weight is proportionate to height so you can have a huge dog that weighs far more than it should. While they have the measurements in the standard they are not a DQ for being over or undersized so they are not wicked which is why you will see several CH that are over the height, but we also face issues with dogs being square more than rectangular, too straight, too angulated, incorrect head type, wrong expression, bird of prey eyes, the list goes on. Our breed is kind of all over the place so when looking at the CH in front of any dog it needs to be taken with a grain of salt as to the total package of the dog.

 

[Willythephilly]

Thank you all for the answers! i have some new updates, i slowed him down for a few days and did not let him runn och only went on short walks and after a few days his limping on the right leg has stopped. Now about his gait, i took him to a vet a few months back (2 months) and the vet just said that he is still a young puppy and that he will probably get better with time and that some dogs structure are built like that, and if it doesn't cause him any pain it won't be a problem. He also stated that the problem might be caused because of his back legs being longer than the front legs.

 

[Hiraeth]

Thank you all for the answers! i have some new updates, i slowed him down for a few days and did not let him runn och only went on short walks and after a few days his limping on the right leg has stopped. Now about his gait, i took him to a vet a few months back (2 months) and the vet just said that he is still a young puppy and that he will probably get better with time and that some dogs structure are built like that, and if it doesn't cause him any pain it won't be a problem. He also stated that the problem might be caused because of his back legs being longer than the front legs.

I'm glad he seems to be walking a little bit better.

As a disclaimer, I am NOT a DVM. But I've been around dogs and horses my entire life. Cow hocked animals don't magically get better as they mature. Also, it sounds like your vet isn't super familiar with giant breeds. When a puppy's back legs are too long for the body and they are structurally sound, their hindquarters will be higher than their shoulders. The first photo is when Titan's hind end started appearing higher than his front, the second is at the height of his awkward growth period:

It's a really common thing for giant breeds to go through this awkward growth period, but it should never cow hock their legs or deform the angles of their leg joints. It is an orthopedic issue that needs to be addressed unless you want a very arthritic young dog. If your vet doesn't agree, I'd suggest finding another vet and getting a second opinion. Any vet who would see a gait like that and not think it cause for concern is either inexperienced or ignorant.