STANDARD – ETHIC FEATURES OF THE CANE CORSO
Position in the scientific classification: dog belonging to the Molossian group (according to Pierre Meganin’s classification) , concave short- haired breed (according to Paul Dechambre’s classification).
POSITION IN THE UTILITARIAN CLASSIFICATION: WATCH- PROTECTION- POLICE- AND RACE DOG.
ORIGIN: Italian, more exactly southern
GENERAL SPECIFYING FEATURES OF THE BREED: the general conformation is the one of a mesomorphic animal whose trunk is longer than the high to the withers, harmonious as regards to the form and disharmonious as regards to the profile.
Corporal index: approx. 80
Thoracic index: approx. 70
CONSTITUTIONAL TYPE: Musclular habitus (with an almost imperceptible tendency to the respiratory habitus). Normal constitution (or over slightly)
The high of the limp to the elbow is 5/10 of the high to the withers. Of medium- big size, strongly build but elegant with powerful and long muscles, very distinguished, he expresses trenght, agility and endurance.
Intelligent, active and even- minded , he is an unequalled watch and protection dog.
Docile and affectionate with the owner, loving with children and with the family, if necessary he become terrible and brave protector of people, house and property.
He is easy trainable.
Nowhere , in any way, the Cane Corso must remind of a Neapolitan Mastiff.
HEAD: Brachycephalic. Its total length reaches 3,6/10 of the height to the withers. The length of the muzzle is equal to 3,4 / 10 of the total length of the head. The bizygomatic width, which is egual to the length of the skull , is more than half the total length of the head , reaching its 6,6 / 10. The cephatic index varies from 64 to 66.
The upper longitudinal axes of the skull and of the muzzle are convergent and the backward extension of the uppear line of the nasal pipe always out- stretches under the external occipital protuberanace.
The perimeter of the head, measured at the check bones, is more than twice the total length of the head even in the females.
The head is moderately sculptured with zygomatic arches stretched outwards. The skin is firm and sticking to the tissues underneath, it is smooth and quite stretched.
NOSE: It is on the same line as the nose pipe. Seen from the side it mustn’t stick out the front vertical margin of the lips but be, witch its front, on the same vertical line as the front of the muzzle.
Its sides, upper and frontal, seen from the side, form a right angle.
It has to be voluminous, rather flat on top, with wide nostrils, opened and mobile, wet and cool. The nasal wings are quite thin. The pigmentation is black.
