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Animal register · DogIn the app

Cane Corso

Cane Corso Italiano, Italian Corso Dog

The Cane Corso is a medium to large Italian molosser, a robust and sturdy dog with some elegance that is slightly longer than tall. Its standard describes a short, shiny, very dense coat in black, shades of grey, fawn or red with a dark mask, dark wheat, or brindle; large white patches are not allowed. Under the current FCI standard the ears are left uncropped and the tail is natural — and in the UK cropping and docking are illegal — so PetPrep always shows the dog with natural ears and tail.

Its standard calls it a guardian of property, family and livestock, extremely agile and responsive. The PDSA says it is sociable and loving with its owners, needs around two hours of exercise a day and things to do, because it hates being bored, and is better suited to experienced owners because of its size. It does not recommend the breed for homes with small children, who could be knocked over; it suits adult-only homes or families with older children. A weekly brush is enough, but it sheds and is known to drool. The PDSA gives its average lifespan as under ten years.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Cane Corso — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — PDSA S199
Adult weight
males 45–50 kg, females 40–45 kg — FCI S197
Daily exercise
about 2 hours a day — PDSA S199
Brushing
once a week — PDSA S199
Shedding
sheds — PDSA S199
Lifespan
less than 10 years — PDSA S199

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • an active familyS199

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS199
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS199
  • powerful dog — needs an experienced ownerS199
  • needs mental challengesS199
  • shorter lifespanS199S201
  • shedsS199
  • drools — keep a cloth at handS199

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: about 2 hours a day — PDSA S199

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — PDSA S199
  • Brushing: once a week — PDSA S199
  • Shedding: sheds — PDSA S199

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: less than 10 years — PDSA S199

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 18–24 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — PDSA S199
  • Height at the withers: males 64–68 cm, females 60–64 cm — FCI S197
  • Adult weight: males 45–50 kg, females 40–45 kg — FCI S197

Training

  • FCI standard no. 343, group 2 (pinscher and schnauzer types, molossoid breeds and Swiss mountain and cattle dogs); origin: Italy. — FCI S198

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Cane Corso need?

According to our sources, the Cane Corso needs this much exercise: about 2 hours a day — PDSA S199.

How long does a Cane Corso live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Cane Corso is: less than 10 years — PDSA S199.

How big does a Cane Corso get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Cane Corso, according to our sources: Size: large — PDSA S199; Adult weight: males 45–50 kg, females 40–45 kg — FCI S197.

How much grooming does a Cane Corso need?

Coat and grooming of the Cane Corso, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — PDSA S199; Shedding: sheds — PDSA S199; Coat: short — PDSA S199.

Who is the Cane Corso a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Cane Corso as a good fit for: an active family — PDSA S199. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — PDSA S199; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA S199; powerful dog — needs an experienced owner — PDSA S199; needs mental challenges — PDSA S199; shorter lifespan — PDSA, Open Veterinary Journal 7(2):170–173 S199S201; sheds — PDSA S199; drools — keep a cloth at hand — PDSA S199.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 84 (7 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 84 (7 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA, Open Veterinary Journal 7(2):170–173 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S199S201

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — PDSA S199
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S199
  • Eyelid problems can occur in the breed: eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) or outwards (ectropion), and cherry eye, where the third eyelid pops out. — PDSA S199

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — PDSA S199
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — PDSA S199

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S197FCI — FCI-Standard N° 343 — Cane Corso Italiano (EN PDF; date of publication of the official valid standard 25.09.2023)https://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/343g02-en.pdf
  11. S198FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Cane Corso Italiano (343)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/CANE-CORSO-343.html
  12. S199PDSA — Cane Corso breed informationhttps://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/cane-corso
  13. S201Open Veterinary Journal 7(2):170–173 (2017) — Korec E., Chalupa O., Hančl M., Korcová J., Bydžovská M. Longevity of Cane Corso Italiano dog breed and its relationship with hair colour. doi:10.4314/ovj.v7i2.15https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/?mno=259381
  14. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  15. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  16. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  17. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  18. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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