Cane Corso: The New Status Symbol in the Dog World

Social Media · January 6

As the UK implements a ban on XL bullies, a new breed is rising to prominence among those seeking powerful, intimidating dogs: the cane corso. This Italian mastiff, weighing up to 50kg (110 lbs), has been described as “like an XL bully on steroids” and is rapidly gaining popularity due to its formidable presence and legal status in the country.

The cane corso, a descendant of the Molossian war dogs of ancient Rome, has traditionally served as a guard dog. Unlike the restricted XL bullies, which require exemption certificates and must be muzzled in public, the cane corso faces no such limitations, making it an attractive option for those desiring a status dog without the legal constraints. However, its growing popularity raises concerns among experts.

Rob Alleyne, a canine behavior specialist who runs the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, has noticed a significant increase in cane corso sightings. “The XL bully ban is driving people towards other large breeds that can be just as dangerous if not trained properly,” Alleyne explained. He warned, “The cane corso is like an XL bully on steroids. It’s a killing machine, and they’ve become much more popular now. [The ban] has just pushed people towards an even worse dog that doesn’t need to be registered, and God help us if they become too popular.”

Alleyne compared the current trend to the pitbull terrier ban, which led to the rise of the XL bully, noting a similar pattern with the cane corso. "When they banned the pitbull terrier, what did we get? We got a dog far more dangerous than the pitbull terrier. Then if we ban the cane corso, people will just go out and get something else."

Despite not being recognized by the Kennel Club and often excluded from pet insurance coverage, the demand for cane corso puppies is soaring. Prices on the Pets4Homes website range from £600 to £1,600, with more than 200 posts advertising litters. Fully grown cane corsos can even be found for as little as £75.

Recent incidents have further highlighted the potential dangers of the breed. Jack Fincham, a reality TV star, faced charges after his cane corso, Elvis, bit a man. In another tragic case, Gary Stevens from Derby was jailed for four and a half years after his cane corso, Ace, killed his brother. Police were forced to shoot Ace after tasering proved ineffective.

The rise in cane corso ownership has not gone unnoticed by professional dog walkers. Faith Throssell observed, “I’ve literally not seen [an XL bully] for months, certainly not since the summer. People have got more interested in other big dogs. I’ve seen a few more cane corsos.” Another dog walker in Croydon mentioned a pensioner client who recently acquired a cane corso-rottweiler cross, highlighting the shift in public preference following the XL bully ban.

Experts like Alleyne emphasize that the real issue lies in the training and socialization of these powerful breeds. “One of the failings of the current dangerous dogs legislation is that it identifies specific breeds as ‘dangerous’, implying that all other breeds are inherently ‘safe’,” he said. “The fact is that the behavior of a dog is shaped by the way that it is bred, raised, socialized, and trained.”

As the cane corso gains traction as the new status symbol, the debate continues over how best to manage the ownership of large, potentially dangerous dogs.

Based on a report by The Times 2024-01-07

pacovl46 · January 6

This dog breed is no joke. They have an extreme territorial and protective instinct. If you don't know what you're doing then don't get this breed.

Chomper Higgot · January 6

Nasty dogs for nasty people.

Maulings and deaths among same nasty people will be along shortly.

JonnyF · January 7

Just goes to show why breed specific legislation is such a ridiculous policy.

Go ahead, ban them. Next will be the Presa Canario or the Dogue de Bordeaux. Maybe the Catahoula Bulldog or the Alano Espanol? There are plenty to choose from.

All the attacks (due to bad owners/training) will be blamed on the ubiquitous "Pitbull" by the ill informed clowns of course.

RuamRudy · January 7

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Just goes to show why breed specific legislation is such a ridiculous policy.

Go ahead, ban them. Next will be the Presa Canario or the Dogue de Bordeaux. Maybe the Catahoula Bulldog or the Alano Espanol? There are plenty to choose from.

All the attacks (due to bad owners/training) will be blamed on the ubiquitous "Pitbull" by the ill informed clowns of course.

So what are your proposals?

JonnyF · January 7

4 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

So what are your proposals?

Stop chasing their tails with the flawed policy of breed specific legislation and properly enforce the laws that are already in place.

Perhaps an awareness campaign. Instead of Premier League footballers being railroaded into wearing rainbow armbands and shoelaces they could have a responsible dog ownership campaign at Premier league grounds?

Responsible dog ownership month? Big Dogs Matter?

Let's promote the diversity, inclusion and equity of all dog owners and breeds...

RuamRudy · January 7

6 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Stop chasing their tails with the flawed policy of breed specific legislation and properly enforce the laws that are already in place.

Perhaps an awareness campaign. Instead of Premier League footballers being railroaded into wearing rainbow armbands and shoelaces they could have a responsible dog ownership campaign at Premier league grounds?

Responsible dog ownership month? Big Dogs Matter?

Let's promote the diversity, inclusion and equity of all dog owners and breeds...

How sour and dull life must be if you see everything within the prism of right-wing umbrage.

Why not just say that you have no other ideas? It would have been easier on your blood pressure and on your keyboard.

Yagoda · January 7

3 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

How sour and dull life must be if you see everything within the prism of right-wing umbrage.

Why not just say that you have no other ideas? It would have been easier on your blood pressure and on your keyboard.

Hes not right wing, hes normal

jippytum · January 7

They say a dog's personality is akin to that of the owner. Says a lot about owners of vicious breeds of dogs.

Chomper Higgot · January 7

28 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Stop chasing their tails with the flawed policy of breed specific legislation and properly enforce the laws that are already in place.

Perhaps an awareness campaign. Instead of Premier League footballers being railroaded into wearing rainbow armbands and shoelaces they could have a responsible dog ownership campaign at Premier league grounds?

Responsible dog ownership month? Big Dogs Matter?

Let's promote the diversity, inclusion and equity of all dog owners and breeds...

I have a sneaky suspicion that the nasty people who keep these nasty dogs are already very aware of the danger they pose.

What triggered ‘Rainbow armbands’ I wonder?

bendejo · January 7

That heart-on-the-sleeve Liberal Jon Stewart runs a "be nice to pitbulls" organization.

JonnyF · January 7

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I have a sneaky suspicion that the nasty people who keep these nasty dogs are already very aware of the danger they pose.

"Nasty dogs"? 😆 Awwww, are you more of a Labradoodle type of person? That must make you much nicer than all those "Nasty people" 😄.

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What triggered ‘Rainbow armbands’ I wonder?

Just an example of a recent campaign. I would have chosen one that wasn't dripping with Wokeness but I honestly can't think of any. 😄

Such a campaign could be useful when it comes to educating people and their misconceptions/stereotypes and illogical fears about "nasty dogs", based on ignorance and blind consumption of a Red Top media frenzy.

JonnyF · January 7

40 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

How sour and dull life must be if you see everything within the prism of right-wing umbrage.

Why not just say that you have no other ideas? It would have been easier on your blood pressure and on your keyboard.

I gave you my ideas.

Did you not like the idea of enforcing laws and educating people?

JonnyF · January 7

36 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Hes not right wing, hes normal

Actually I am both.

The two things tend to be mutually inclusive.

A bit like being left wing and envious/vindictive. 😄

Lacessit · January 7

IMO when a dog of this type kills or injures someone, the owner should be sentenced as if they did the act themself.

JonnyF · January 7

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

IMO when a dog of this type kills or injures someone, the owner should be sentenced as if they did the act themself.

What about when a dog of another type kills or injures someone?

Are you suggesting a 2 tier justice system based on the breed of dog?

RuamRudy · January 7

10 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I gave you my ideas.

Did you not like the idea of enforcing laws and educating people?

To which laws are you referring? This one?

It is illegal for a dog to be dangerously out of control in public or private spaces. This includes injuring someone, making someone fear injury, or attacking someone’s animal. Owners can face an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison, or both, and may be banned from owning a dog in the future.

That is a reactive law that requires the animal to be out of control before it can be acted upon.

Would you not agree that it is better to remove the possibility of a potentially volatile animal from doing harm rather than addressing the end result of it doing harm? That is the reason that certain breeds are banned - these represent a level of danger that most dog breeds do not present.

Yagoda · January 7

One could require a certain level of insurance to apply to all dogs.

As well as leash laws with big fines.

In many places in the USA, you can shoot dogs running loose.

A dog like this, IMHO, is not a "toy". To me, its a tool that can be a toy, but its always going to be a genetic tool to accomplish an instinctive task. I think a lot of folks who own dogs like this have problems in evaluating their own penis size and I firmly believe in the adage bad owner, bad dog. Im sure there are a lot of dedicated breeders of these dogs and it would be incumbent on them to screen the buyers.

JonnyF · January 7

25 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

To which laws are you referring? This one?

It is illegal for a dog to be dangerously out of control in public or private spaces. This includes injuring someone, making someone fear injury, or attacking someone’s animal. Owners can face an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison, or both, and may be banned from owning a dog in the future.

That is a reactive law that requires the animal to be out of control before it can be acted upon.

Would you not agree that it is better to remove the possibility of a potentially volatile animal from doing harm rather than addressing the end result of it doing harm? That is the reason that certain breeds are banned - these represent a level of danger that most dog breeds do not present.

Laws tend to be reactive.

You can't punish someone before they have done something wrong (unless it's a plot to harm, which is in itself doing something wrong). Sounds pretty sinister to me...

How can you remove the possibilty of an animal harming someone? Labradors kill people. Small dogs maim children. Cattle/horses escape and cause fatal car accidents. It's dangerous out there.

You wouldn't ban EV trucks because of the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans.

What would you propose? Euthanizing dogs over a certain height/weight out of existence? Just the breeds you don't like? Dogs that "look mean"? Dogs owned by "certain demographics"?

No, I stand by my opinion. Educate, and enforce existing laws.

RuamRudy · January 7

12 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

One could require a certain level of insurance to apply to all dogs.

As well as leash laws with big fines.

In many places in the USA, you can shoot dogs running loose.

A dog like this, IMHO, is not a "toy". To me, its a tool that can be a toy, but its always going to be a genetic tool to accomplish an instinctive task. I think a lot of folks who own dogs like this have problems in evaluating their own penis size and I firmly believe in the adage bad owner, bad dog. Im sure there are a lot of dedicated breeders of these dogs and it would be incumbent on them to screen the buyers.

I can't really see what sort of task these types of dogs could be used for - they are owned solely for show, to project an image that the owner wants others to have of him/her.

Yagoda · January 7

1 minute ago, RuamRudy said:

I can't really see what sort of task these types of dogs could be used for - they are owned solely for show, to project an image that the owner wants others to have of him/her.

They are fabulous livestock dogs and fabulous guard dogs in the right circumstances. They are also extremely expensive outside their habitat.

As such, the breed needs to be preserved. Im sure many problems arise from poor breeder practices. Plus their breed standard calls for aggressiveness.

When the idiot with chains and spiked hair screams "take that you zombie" with every shot from his AK, to dont solve potential problems by banning guns..

JonnyF · January 7

11 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

I can't really see what sort of task these types of dogs could be used for

You've obviously never owned a farm.

connda · January 7

Slobber-dogs. Yuk.

connda · January 7

31 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

They are fabulous livestock dogs and fabulous guard dogs in the right circumstances. They are also extremely expensive outside their habitat.

As such, the breed needs to be preserved. Im sure many problems arise from poor breeder practices. Plus their breed standard calls for aggressiveness.

When the idiot with chains and spiked hair screams "take that you zombie" with every shot from his AK, to dont solve potential problems by banning guns..

Purebreds are inbred and therefore inherently rife with genetic health issues. I'd rather have my Heinz-57 "Thai dogs" any day of the week.

Yagoda · January 7

14 minutes ago, connda said:

Purebreds are inbred and therefore inherently rife with genetic health issues. I'd rather have my Heinz-57 "Thai dogs" any day of the week.

Thats both true and not true

JonnyF · January 7

6 minutes ago, connda said:

Purebreds are inbred and therefore inherently rife with genetic health issues. I'd rather have my Heinz-57 "Thai dogs" any day of the week.

Some truth to the health issue part.

I have 6 "Thai dogs" and an American PitBull Terrier on our farm. I have far more behavioural issues from the Thai dogs than I do the "PitBull".

The PitBull is also a far superior vermin killer to the Thai dogs. Snakes, Tookay, JinJok, Mice, Pigeons. He takes them all out for fun. He's also a superior deterrent for some of the "less than stellar" individuals that every Thai village seems to have one or two of.

RuamRudy · January 7

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Laws tend to be reactive.

Not even remotely close to being correct; proactive laws can prevent you from doing something which might have undesirable consequences, such as the ban on owning an automatic weapon or laws requiring companies to provide their employees with appropriate PPE to do their job.

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

How can you remove the possibilty of an animal harming someone?

In the same way that you are not allowed to walk about with a lion or tiger in public - prevent the animal from being in public.

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Labradors kill people. Small dogs maim children. Cattle/horses escape and cause fatal car accidents. It's dangerous out there.

This is the list from Wikipedia of dog attacks in the uk since 2020 (I have ordered by breed):

Date	Victim's age	Victim's gender	Dog type (Number)
02-Apr-21	85	Female	American Bulldog
03-Oct-22	65	Female	American Bulldog
22-Jul-24	33	Female	American Bulldog
08-Nov-21	10	Male	American Bully XL
22-Dec-21	55	Male	American Bully XL
21-Mar-22	1	Female	American Bully XL
23-May-22	62	Male	American Bully XL
10-Aug-22	34	Male	American Bully XL
12-Jan-23	28	Female	American Bully XL
19-May-23	37	Male	American Bully XL
14-Sep-23	52	Male	American Bully XL
04-Oct-23	54	Male	American Bully XL
03-Feb-24	68	Female	American Bully XL
20-May-24	50s	Female	American Bully XL
20-Aug-24	53	Male	American Bully XL
21-Aug-24	32	Male	American Bully XL
01-Nov-24	10	Female	American Bully XL
07-Dec-24	41	Female	American Bully XL
15-Jun-22	43	Female	American Bully XL or Italian Mastiff
20-Dec-22	83	Female	American Bully XL x Cane Corso cross
04-Dec-24	42	Male	American Pit Bull Terrier
16-Jun-24	7 months	Female	Belgian Shepherd of the variety Malinois
10-Jan-22	68	Male	British Bulldog (3)
30-Jul-24	34	Female	Bullmastiff
15-May-22	3	Male	Cane Corso
22-Apr-23	51	Male	Cane Corso cross
13-Sep-20	12 days	Male	Chow Chow x German Shepherd cross
06-Mar-22	3 months	Female	Husky
25-Nov-23	77	Male	Multiple, including his friend's Bernese Mountain Dog
28-Mar-22	2	Male	Rottweiler (1 to 3)
03-Sep-23	40	Female	Rottweiler (2)
05-Feb-21	21	Female	Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross (1)
29-Jan-20	35	Male	Staffordshire Bull Terrier x Mastiff cross (1)
31-Jan-23	4	Female	Unknown [179]
02-Jun-23	75	Female	Unreported, but not a banned breed[188]

Not many labradors there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

What would you propose? Euthanizing dogs over a certain height/weight out of existence? Just the breeds you don't like? Dogs that "look mean"? Dogs owned by "certain demographics"?

I think it is clear what I propose - a ban on owning dogs which are proven, through experience, to be a threat to society.

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

No, I stand by my opinion. Educate, and enforce existing laws.

So I ask again, which laws are already in place but not being enforced, which has led to the alarming rise in dog attacks?

JonnyF · January 7

10 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

I think it is clear what I propose - a ban on owning dogs which are proven, through experience, to be a threat to society.

Hardly a threat to society. Hyperbolic much? 😄

Presumably you would apply the same logic to, let's say, Ooh I don't know - religions that are proven through experience and statistics to be a genuine threat to civilized society via deadly terrorist attacks?

Or will you suspend your use of statistics and continue to be an apologist for that?

RuamRudy · January 7

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

Hardly a threat to society. Hyperbolic much? 😄

Presumably you would apply the same logic to, let's say, Ooh I don't know - religions that are proven through experience and statistics to be a genuine threat to civilized society via deadly terrorist attacks?

Or will you suspend your use of statistics and continue to be an apologist for that?

Rather than constantly harking back to your inner monologue, let's stick to the topic in hand, shall we?

Which existing laws should be enforced which will prevent further dog attacks on humans?

JonnyF · January 7

14 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Rather than constantly harking back to your inner monologue, let's stick to the topic in hand, shall we?

Yes, wouldn't want to point out your double standards now would we?

14 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Which existing laws should be enforced which will prevent further dog attacks on humans?

You can never prevent it. Dogs of all breeds and sizes have been attacking humans in public for centuries. But in terms of reducing it, the one about keeping dogs under control in public would be a start. Because clearly, this is not happening. I've had personal experience in the UK of dogs in parks attacking my dog (which was on a lead) and the owner then complaining when his dog suffered a wound.

Maybe the police could actually get out and do some real world policing instead of focusing on veterans posting memes on social media?

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