This was published in the ICCF The Cane
Corso Chronicle 2005 Issue 1
What seems like an
eternity ago I lost my beloved Bull Mastiff to cancer. I had
always had dogs and when she went our home was without soul. My
husband is from Minnesota and his dad was a lover of shepherd
mongrel style dogs and I love Mastiffs, so our tastes were
somewhat different in the doggy department. We knew we wanted a
dog in our house, but finding one was obviously going to be
difficult!
I would sit for hours,
searching the Internet for a breed that would be suitable for us
as a family and it was then, while looking for ‘non-slobbery
mastiffs’, that I discovered the Cane Corso. Little did I know
then what one evening of calling breeders around the world would
bring; after one evening’s research I found out complications in
the breed with regard to health, temperament and type. By then,
however, I was hooked on this breed, they were active,
intelligent and loyal; all the qualities both myself and my
husband were looking for.
After some fruitless
attempts at finding a puppy here in the UK, we decided to get
our dog from Europe. I had my eye on one particular breeder
and when I called her she was so helpful and more informative
than anyone I had already talked to that I knew I wanted to
visit her kennel.
I called the breeders on
a Thursday, and such was our enthusiasm that by the Saturday
afternoon, we were standing in a garden surrounded by 20 Corsos.
Jose, my breeder thought that I was a mad woman on the phone and
didn’t really believe I would travel the 7 hours just like that,
but my mind was set and I knew what I wanted. Our breeders
welcomed us into their home for the whole 2 days we were there
and we never felt rushed in making our decision to buy our
puppy. There were about 6 real contenders and we spent as much
time as possible assessing them and their personalities, in
order to get the perfect temperament for us. It was an amazing
process, and Eric and Jose are amazing people, by letting us
into their home, we all let each other into our hearts and we
have found friends for life.
We have had a long wait
for him but it has been so worth it as quarantine rules are
minimum 6 months so we opted for the Pet Passport scheme, this
still takes a while but it meant that he would not have to spend
a whole 6 months in a confined space.
Once we chose him and
named him we were faced with one of the hardest things I have
ever had to do, we left him. Unfortunately, this was an
emotional wrench to be repeated often. We travelled the
distance every 4-5 weeks and each time it was so wonderful to
see him but so hard to leave. What surprised me was that I
would do my training with him and then 4 weeks later, put the
lead on him and it was like it had never come off. Jose was
amazed how he had bonded to us and she always treated him like
our dog, from very early on, the attachment he had to us both
was very evident, even though he only saw us for a few days at a
time.
He would grow so much
between visits, in between and during this time I was also
planning a wedding so it was great being able to leave the
wedding hell behind and go see him. Those visits were even more
special to me and both my husband and I will always remember
those visits very fondly.
We even decided that as
we had allotted three weeks for our honeymoon, instead of going
to the Far East as planned, we would take Viggo to Italy. We
had the best 3 weeks of our lives. When we wanted ‘us’ time, it
was like he wasn’t even there, he would walk around with us and
then just sleep under ever restaurant table and everyone who met
him would fall in love too! When we focussed on him, he was our
friend and ‘baby’. Well, it was like he wasn’t there but there
was the spoiling and the cuddles and frequently he would climb
into the bed in the middle of the night and I would wake to find
a Corso on the pillow beside me…. Apart from that, it was like
he was never there
J
Viggo came home at 10
months. Also sharing our home are Cheval (the 12 week Boston
Terrier) and 5 cats, Viggo’s behaviour with them has been
impeccable. He also had a very active 6 year old boy to get to
know and with all these hurdles and new challenges he has been
obedient, watchful and very respectful of our home and
ourselves.
We live in a small
village in Essex, it’s a sleepy Market Town
and we both love it here. He is a head turner and even though
he is big and strong looking, everyone loves him and thinks he
is just so sweet! Especially the elderly, because he doesn’t
bounce off the walls and is calm and controlled, they just can’t
get enough of him. At the playground they all run out of class
and stoke him at first he would back away but now he just stands
there and revels in the attention they give him, always with one
eye on me as he knows how I watch him like a hawk, and I think
he does the same for me!
The Boston Terrier was
bought as a friend for Viggo, as he had been bought up in
kennels, surrounded by other dogs so I thought a companion would
be nice for him. My Boston breeder was originally very wary
about having a big dog as a friend for her beloved Boston. She
really need not have worried, they are the best of friends and
in all their hours of supervised playing Cheval has never winced
in pain. I have had some scares however - some days when Viggo
yawns Cheval sticks his small head completely inside his mouth
and I do have the most horrid visions!
When I embarked on my
journey with my Corso, I had no idea the passion and fire this
breed would ignite in me. I am a avid believer in Hip Scoring,
breeding for health and standard, and the original Italian Corso.
Along with some other like minded people we have set up a
website called the Friends of Cane Corso, and interest in our
site is growing really fast. I am in the process of starting up
a health database and may even start a registry, as we have no
registration for the breed here in the UK. The problem is, as I
am not a breeder, it’s been hard to get taken seriously. I am
very determined to do the best thing and think that anyone that
loves dogs and has a passion for dogs really is missing out if
they do not have the opportunity to meet or own a Corso. I want
to spread the positive message about this breed all over the
UK. I plan on returning to Italy this year to visit breeders
and hopefully select a perfect example of the breed to start my
breeding program here in the UK. Viggo’s hips will be scored
soon but if the scores are not very good, I will not breed from
him. He will always be our first Corso and hold that special
place in my heart as it is him that spurs me onto do hopefully
so much more for this magnificent breed.
I find that my Corso is
very attached to our family and being around us, he is crate
trained and maximum spends around 1-2 hours in his crate during
the day. I do this to ward off separation anxiety as I really
worry about him becoming too attached to us. He follows us
everywhere and is just happy to be about. I do find him ultra
sensitive, he picks up on moods so well so if I have shouted at
my six year old I have to make a mental note to go give him a
cuddle otherwise his face is just so sad. As he is only 10
months I try to moderate his exercise but off the lead he is
like a rocket. He jumps every hole, ditch or ravine instead of
walking round and will run round and round like a maniac. Then
the lead swiftly goes on, as I am a bit of a worrywart with him.
You can read all you
like about a breed being willing to please and just take it with
a pinch of salt, but my Corso is just so willing to please its
crazy. I tried to stack him the other day. Now you must
understand I am so bad at this I could make a world class dog
look like a monkey. I got frustrated with myself and in turn
him he just sat on the floor and offered me his paw, as he knows
that always makes me smile. If I am thinking or sitting at the
computer in a trance he will snake onto my lap, well, with his
front paws anyway, the rest of him is too big, and just look
into my eyes. When we cuddle on the floor, he puts his legs
around me and gives me almost a human cuddle, I would love to
know what he is thinking. Never have I wished more that dogs
could talk, I’m sure he would have plenty to say.
I stubbed my toe the
other day and really was ouching and he come over and licked it,
and put his head in my lap and just licked my hand. We take him
out to friends houses when we visit and after the initial
introduction, will just find a spot, normally under the dinner
table and just lay there all evening. One of my friends’
husband is extremely wary of large dogs, but is now considering
owning a Corso as he just fell in love instantly. Viggo has
other Corso characteristics as well. Someone came to the house
the other day and he would not let them in. Actually, he made
so much noise of the non-barking kind that the guy did not want
to come in. Eventually he did and explained that he had been
bitten as a child and was still scared of dogs. As you all must
know, a person feeling fear is easily sensed by a Corso, so I
made the guy come in and introduced them very carefully and they
were both fine.
At dog training, even
though he is just starting out, Viggo is the star of the class.
All the instructors just adore him. When people have such a
positive reaction to the Corso, it spurs me on so much more to
carry on my chosen path. I plan on doing every possible
obedience qualification with him, so that he becomes an example
for the breed. To the horror of most of my friends, when I
mention bitework they go very English on me and gasp in horror.
I have no idea if he will like it or even do it, but I am taking
him soon to be assessed and will take it from there.
My Corso makes my life
enriched and fulfilling, he is my friend, my protector and my
baby. We are all very blessed to have such a loyal guardian and
hopefully this breed will go on to being one of the most
recognised and regulated in the world.
