Cane Corso Italiano
FCI:
Cane Corso Italiano - Group II - Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs.
General Appearance:
It is a courageous, confident, balanced, intelligent, calm and good-natured dog, excellent defensive dog and utterly loyal, vigilant and incorruptible guardian of the owner, its family and property, including livestock. It does not know what fear is - it is well aware of its power, but never abuses. Attack only if it is attacked itself or someone who is closed to it. But those who attack this dog, they soon find that was big mistake. With defensive aggression it is always swift.
It must be able to live in close contact with the people it cannot be permanently locked in an outdoor kennel. With older children it gets well, small children would be with dog, but never without adult supervision of a responsible person because it can hurt the dog and fail to respect dog´s personality. To strangers it is initially very sceptical, its distrust of them it is a priori and almost innate. Usually gradually it decides itself who will be friends in the future. It is never choleric or gratuitously offensive to other dogs but it tends to act dominantly, e.g. when walking required extreme caution. With small domestic animals including cats it is well tolerated, provided that it is accustomed at an early age, it is necessary socialization.
Body:
It is a medium to large dog of imposing appearance, robust, strong, sturdy and elegant. Outline of the body is distinct, formed by bulging muscle relief. Physical format should be rectangular body length slightly exceeds of height at withers. Male is from 64 to 68 cm and female is from 60 to 64 cm, weight of body is from 45 to 50 kg for males and 40-45 kg for females.
The head is broad, typical Dogue types. Its length represents 36% of height of withers. When viewed from the side, the top lines of the skull in an imaginary extension of a slightly convergent with the muzzle. The skull should be broad bizygotmatic width measured at the widest point of the zygomatic arches is equal to its length or slightly beyond. Domed forehead to the occipital part flattens considerably. Longitudinal furrow front is visible, front slope (stop) must be steep. Muzzle should be considerably shorter than the skull. The length is the length of the skull is approximately as 1: 2 is strong, angular, and almost as broad as long front straight. The side lines are parallel when viewed from above.
Muzzle must be viewed from the side straight, black nose and big, with wide open nostrils, set at the level of the muzzle.
The upper lip should be moderately deep, suspended. Cover the mandible, so the bottom line of the muzzle, when viewed from the side formed by its edge. The jaws are very large, thick, the bottom is curved upward. The desirable light undershot jaw, even bite is permissible but undesirable.
Eyes should be medium-sized, egg-shaped, slightly protruding. Straight eyelids are tight fitting to the eyeballs. The colour of the iris is as dark as possible, depending on coat colour. The expression should be lively and attentive.
The earlobes are triangular, hanging and broad at the base, set high above the zygomatic arch. Often cropped in the shape of an equilateral triangle (only in countries where the operation is not prohibited by law on protection of animals).
The neck is strong, muscular and equal in length to the head. Body has to be robust and powerful, but not dumpy its length should be slightly larger than height at withers. Withers are distinctively higher than the croup. The back should be straight, muscular and strong loin is short and solid, rump is long and wide, slightly sloping.
The tail should be set quite high, at root very strong. Docked at the fourth vertebra (only in countries where the operation is not prohibited by law on protection of animals). In action carried high, but never curled or erect.
The chest should be capacious, wide enough, long and deep. It is reaching to the elbows. The forelegs are long, oblique, powerfully muscled shoulders, shoulder bones strong, straight and very strong forearms, wrists and flexible pasterns and "cat" paw. The hindquarters are long and wide thigh when viewed from the side to the back arched, strong and very muscular leg, the hock moderately angulated, strong, sinewy paws insteps and less closed than forefeet. Step is elongated, spacious. The preferred type of movement is the trot.
Skin should be fairly strong and fairly flush with the skeletal muscle and skin. The coat is short, shiny and very dense, with a thinner undercoat. Colouring may be black, lead, slate or light grey, fawn (yellowish), red (hue red deer), deep yellow, striped (dark stripes on different bright yellow or gray). For yellow and striped individuals can be black or grey mask which is limited to muzzle and does not extend beyond the line of sight. Small white spots on the front chest, on the tips of the feet and on the nasal spine are permissible.
