How to Adopt a Cane Corso in New York

The cane corso is a massive dog. Also known as the Italian mastiff, the cane corso is a large, muscular, and loyal working dog that has been around for a long time. In fact, they’ve earned the name cane corso over time due to the breed’s affinity for being a guard dog. That said, cane corsos were likely used as watchdogs, farmhands, and even soldiers.

These are all important personality traits to know about a cane corso before you plan on adopting one. It gives you some insight into what you can expect from these dogs and may even help you better understand their unique needs. While cane corsos aren’t challenging to care for if you know what you’re doing, getting to that point can take some time. Thankfully, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Furthermore, the adoption process in New York isn’t simple either. Every county has unique rules and prices, so you should spend some time learning about each one. You’ll also need to have a home that can accommodate a cane corso and references to back you up. Luckily, we’re here to help with that, too. Read on to learn more about how to adopt a cane corso in New York.

What Are Cane Corsos Like?

First and foremost, the cane corso is a massive dog. These dogs can weigh upwards of 100 pounds, and not a fat 100 pounds either. They’re known for their muscular bodies, which is why they’re commonly used as guard dogs. Aside from their size, the cane corso tends to have a black or brown coat that sometimes has a pattern on it. Their faces are a little wrinkly, but they have pointy ears.

When it comes to their personalities, you’ll find that cane corsos are great dogs. They’re stable, intelligent, loyal, and reserved. This makes them ideal if you need a watchdog or a dog to guard your property.

Over the years, they’ve been trained to help on farms, assist with police work, and much more. The result is a dog that’s easy to train for these tasks, but also a dog that needs structure for training to be successful. For these reasons, make sure you have the time to dedicate to them, or these dogs can have a vastly different personality.

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What Is a Cane Corso’s Temperament? Cane corsos were bred to be massive working dogs and watchdogs. They used to watch over animals, protect properties, and much more. The result of this is that cane corsos are deeply loyal to their families. In fact, when they trust you, they’ll even be affectionate and playful with you. That said, cane corsos can be standoffish with strangers. While it’s rare that they’ll get aggressive, give them some time to open up to strangers and even your family if they’re a new addition at an older age. Fortunately, training and socialization can reduce these problems.

How Active Are Cane Corsos? Cane corsos are high-energy dogs that need to spend a lot of time playing and learning. After all, they were bred as working dogs, so it’s no surprise that you need to spend a lot of time with them or give them something to do; if you have anything. Expect to walk, run, or play with them for at least one or two hours daily. Cane corsos also need mental stimulation. If these dogs lack mental stimulation, then they can become bored and destructive, so make sure you train them, offer them puzzle toys, or teach them a job for at least an hour daily. Dog Training with Dog Academy

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What Size Are Cane Corsos?

When we say that cane corsos are big dogs, we’re not kidding. Cane corsos weigh around 100 to 120 pounds when fully grown. Along with this massive weight, cane corsos reach up to 25 to 28 inches at the shoulder.

What Are a Cane Corso’s Grooming Needs?

You’ll find that cane corsos aren’t difficult to groom. Due to their short and dense coats, the maintenance when it comes to grooming them is minimal. You need to brush them a few times a week to remove loose hairs, sure, but that’s about it. However, you should brush them more frequently during shedding seasons like the fall and spring.

Bathing should only be done when you notice that their coats are dirty. We also recommended cleaning their ears to prevent infection and trimming their nails every four to six weeks. However, the frequency of their nail trimming may be more or less, depending on how often they wear them down.

What Are Common Cane Corso Health Issues?

Cane corsos are one of the healthier dog breeds that you can adopt in New York. However, they do have an increased risk of some health conditions like hip dysplasia, bloating, and idiopathic epilepsy. You may also find that cane corsos can develop cataracts later in life.

Heart conditions are also common later in life, especially if cane corsos slow down or become less active. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on obesity and other weight-related health issues like joint pain and arthritis.

What Is a Cane Corso’s Lifespan?

Cane corsos have a lifespan that’s about in line with other large dog breeds. Expect them to live for nine to 12 years. You can improve their survival odds with regular trips to the vet, a proper diet, and plenty of exercise.

Are Cane Corsos Good With Other Animals or Kids?

Cane corsos can be good with kids and other animals. That said, they’re big dogs, so you need to keep an eye on them if you plan to have them around young children. While they won’t go after them intentionally, any rough play sessions can be risky due to their size.

When it comes to other animals, many of the same issues persist. For example, cane corsos may play too roughly with smaller animals and accidentally harm them. However, all of these behaviors can be handled with socialization and training from a young age.

Are Cane Corsos Good for First-Time Dog Parents?

Cane corsos are not the best choice if it’s your first dog rodeo. This is because they’re massive dogs that require a lot of attention and consistent training. What’s more, they need strong leadership and firm training, so you need to be able to handle them properly, or problems may develop. Unfortunately, first-time dog parents who aren’t able to provide structure for them may result in behavioral problems down the line.

How Do You Adopt a Cane Corso in New York?

Adopting a cane corso in New York starts with finding one. To do this, you can use one of our online adoption tools, or you can search for local cane corso rescues. Many shelters may also have cane corsos, but this is more of a guessing game, as the number of dogs and breeds will vary from shelter to shelter. For this reason, we recommend starting with a dedicated cane corso rescue for the best results.

Once you’ve found a cane corso you want to adopt, the real fun begins. We recommend meeting them once or twice to get an idea of what their behavior is like. Since every dog is different, this is a good time to determine if a cane corso meshes well with your personality and family. Then, you can place a deposit and fill out the necessary adoption paperwork.

Once you fill out the paperwork, you’ll have to go through a few more steps before you can bring the dog home. For example, you’ll have to allow the rescue or shelter to speak with references. From there, the shelter may also request a home visit to ensure that your living situation is adequate for a cane corso. In other words, they’ll want to check that you’re not living in a cramped apartment and have the yard space necessary to care for the dog. Only after you’re approved can you bring the cane corso home with you.

That said, even after you bring them home, you may have to take them for mandatory surgeries or vaccinations depending on their age.

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Cane Corso in New York?

When it’s time to adopt a cane corso in New York, the price will vary based on the shelter or rescue you choose. That said, you can expect to pay around $100 to $600 to adopt a cane corso in New York. The adoption fee tends to cover essential surgeries, neutering/spaying, and initial vaccinations.

Once you pay the fee, you’ll still have to get toys, food, and treats. Therefore, expect to spend at least $1,000 to $1,500 during the first year you have your cane corso in New York.

How Should I Train a Cane Corso?

Cane corsos aren’t hard dogs to train, but you do need to be aware of your methods. For example, it’s best to establish a foundation through obedience training before you decide to teach them more advanced concepts. Going out of order can result in behavioral problems down the line that make more advanced training programs almost impossible to complete.

That said, cane corsos are smart and eager to please their human companions, so you’ll find that they’re ready and willing to learn commands and behaviors. Still, they’re also independent dogs, so make sure you keep your sessions short and positive. We want to emphasize the positive part because cane corsos respond the most to positive reinforcement training. This means that you should reward them for good behaviors and avoid being angry or aggressive with them if something goes wrong; the latter will make behavior problems even worse.

Find the Right Cane Corso in New York for You

Cane corsos are one of the biggest dog breeds you can adopt. While these dogs are loyal, affectionate, and loving, they’re also imposing and often used as guard dogs. For this reason, it’s important to understand their temperament before you consider adopting them, especially in a densely populated area like any of the five boroughs.

Once you know that a cane corso is right for you, do what you can to prepare for the adoption process before you end up too deep without any answers to their questions. In other words, have your space ready for a cane-corso-sized introduction and have your references ready to go. As long as you prepare, you shouldn’t have any issues with the adoption process along the way.