Alexia Rodriguez – Potrero Cane Corsos and Lowchen, by Allan Reznik Where did you grow up? Do you come from a doggie family, and if not, how did the interest in breeding and showing purebred dogs begin? Alexia Rodriguez: I grew up in Catonsville, Maryland, in the 1980s and ‘90s. My mom was a single mother who had never owned dogs. Around age 11 or 12, I began to really want a dog. My mom made me go to the library and start reading about dog breeds. She had minimal, yet strict, parameters for any potential dog. It had to be small, and couldn’t be a barker. Alexia Rodriguez She was especially in ..read more

  Interview with Ayalla Ruvio, Breeder of the Black Pearl Cane Corso   Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? Ayalla Ruvio: We live in Williamston, Michigan. I am a marketing professor at Michigan State University. I’ve been in the dog world for over 30 years, and I am a breeder for over 15 years.   What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep? Ayalla Ruvio: Our kennel name is Black Pearl Cane Corso. We currently have six Corsos that live with us. Some of them are seniors at the remarkable age of 11.5 years old, but we also co-own mul ..read more

  Interview with Shauna DeMoss, Breeder of CastleGuard Cane Corsos   Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? Shauna DeMoss: I live in the beautiful mountains of rural western Colorado. Dogs and livestock have always been a part of life. Growing up on a working cattle ranch, the dogs were valued partners in a day’s work. Later, my veterinary technician employment exposed me to the broader canine world. In 1995, I chose the Cane Corso, my “breed for life.” For the last 27 years, I have strived to create and solidify a bloodline that future generations can ..read more

  The lack of consistency continues to be a major problem in the Cane Corso Dog Breed. We believe the lack of education and the misunderstanding of breed traits is a significate factor. Therefore, the Breed Education department of the CCAA has put together some points that may help judges and the fancy sort out problem areas.   Correct muzzle length: It’s not what you think! The standard calls for a 1:3 ratio, yes. But this measurement is often misinterpreted as the “Midpoint.” That is incorrect. The 1:3 is a boundary measurement put in place to guard against excessively short muzzl ..read more

It doesn’t take much observation to see a significant size variation in the Cane Corso. It’s all over the place. From ringside to the sporting course, and the working field to the family couch, it is clear that the breed lacks consistency in this area. Some dogs are heavy-boned, void of muscle definition, and cumbersome. At the same time, others are wispy sprites that a good stiff wind could sway. Along with the dogs’ variance in stature, the community has variance in opinions too. How big should a Corso be? This is one of the age-old debates, and to be fair, the different sizes can be vali ..read more

This series is a discussion about the natural tension that exists between how we view show dogs, field/working dogs and dual-purpose (show and work/field) dogs. The dog grouping last discussed was the all-around farm/watch/draft and rescue type dogs of the Working Group. This month, we will explore those questions for other functional groupings within the AKC Working Group. How does the evolved morphological form relate to past and/or current function? How and why is it that some breeds have developed different types for field/work and show? What are the actual or perceived similarities and d ..read more

We talked with some people from the Cane Corso community about the noble breed they love. From the July 2018 issue of ShowSight. Click to Subscribe.  Cane Corso agility photo courtesy of Rebecca & Anthony Simonski. MEET THE PANEL Massimo Inzoli I live in Sicily and I am general manager of a hotel located in the middle of the island. I was a child when I first entered the dog world. My first dogs were a Yorkshire Terrier and a German Shepherd; then we had Sheepdogs, Neapolitan Mastiffs and a Great Dane. I began exhibiting in the early 90s and then I started training in 2000 as a ..read more