Plate 020 · Mediterranean
Cane Corso
卡斯罗犬
“A southern Italian farm guardian saved from extinction in the 1970s.”
- Origin
- Italy
- Southern Italy (Apulia)
- Region of origin
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Traditional rural type; revived from the 1970s
- Today
- Guardian · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
Then → Now
Historical depiction not yet verified.
NowHughryanjh · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons
History
01 · Origin
Southern Italy (Apulia)
A large Italian farm guardian that the AKC traces to Roman-era molossers.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Guarded farms and livestock, drove cattle and helped hunters with large game such as wild boar.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
As rural life changed in the 20th century the type nearly disappeared. Enthusiasts in the 1970s searched southern Italy for surviving dogs and rebuilt the breed, which the FCI accepted provisionally in 1996 and fully in 2007, and the AKC recognized in 2010.
04 · Today
Guardian · Companion
A powerful guardian and companion for experienced owners.
Personality
- Confident
- Protective
- Loyal
- Intelligent
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: this atlas’s editorial summary on a 1–5 scale, for rough comparison between breeds here — not a measurement or a standardised assessment.
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 9–12 years
- Coat
- Short, stiff, dense coat
Field note
According to the AKC, the name roughly translates from the Latin as 'bodyguard dog'.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Working Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI
- Popular in
- United States
AKC registrations: ranked 11 among breeds in 2025.
Sources2 references
- Cane Corso — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cane-corso/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-07 · Registry status and AKC group; AKC recognition 2010 per AKC "Breeds by Year Recognized". Used as a registry reference only.
- Cane Corso (encyclopedia overview) — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_Corso
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-07 · Secondary overview; cross-check claims against primary breed-club sources.
Image credits
Hughryanjh · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
