The origins and history of the cane corso go back to the time of the Roman Empire, when its ancestor, the canis pugnax, was taken to the most epic wars of the Roman conquest, being positioned in the front line of battle accompanying the legions, and, therefore, they also made iron and leather armor for these dogs, so that neither arrows nor swords could reach them.
The history of the Cane Corso Italiano or Italian Mastiff.
In addition to being an integral part of the Roman legions, it was also a dog used for hunting large animals such as bears and wild boars. Thanks to this task, it was implemented the cutting of the ears and the tail, to avoid that the prey with which it fought could not bite any part of its body, having exposed the minimum possible parts and thus avoid some damage, a custom that evidently, was going from generation to generation.
Since the 70’s, in the recovery of the breed, there are many anecdotes that tell that this dog was used to guard farmhouses and heavy machinery that was in the fields during the boom of the Italian industrial era in Puglia. The cane corso was a very important part of life in the countryside for the peasants, since the dog also took on the task of shepherding to manage the flock, even guarding the house of the peasants with whom he lived.
The cane corso was almost extinct, and thanks to people like Pablo Breber, we can still enjoy this wonderful breed.
The origins
In 1979, Estefano Gandolfi, a connoisseur of Pablo Breber’s writings, had the idea of starting a movement for the recovery of the cane corso breed, with the support of Giancarlo and Luciano Malabasi, who had a German Shepherd kennel, but who left a place so that the few specimens they found could be taken there to reproduce. From that moment on, this wonderful project began, where litters were born, and the breed was no longer in danger of extinction.
In time, Mr. Vito Indivieri, a trader who had a wide reach throughout Italy, joined this great project.
Today the Malabasi brothers have a Cane Corso kennel called Antico Cerberus, as well as Mr. Vito, who also has a kennel called Dyrium.
Cane corso breed
And thanks to the collaboration, passion, and commitment of these people, who traveled all over the country recovering the breed, with only a few litters, we began to see wonderful specimens of Cane Corso and in 1985 and after much work and dedication to bring the breed forward with committed people, the Cane Corso is recognized as a new official breed.