Side by side

Put a few breeds side by side before you make up your mind.

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Breed	Cane Corso	Presa Canario
Origin	Italy	The breed developed in the Canary Islands, particularly Gran Canaria and Tenerife, from mastiff and bulldog types brought by Spanish settlers, crossed with local working dogs. It was used to catch and hold cattle, guard property and, regrettably, fight. The breed nearly vanished in the mid twentieth century and was rebuilt by Spanish enthusiasts from the 1970s, gaining formal recognition in Spain and later internationally. Its working past shapes everything about the modern dog: power, confidence and seriousness.
Group	Working	Working
Size	Giant	Giant
Coat	Short, stiff, dense double coat	Short, coarse and close-lying; brindle in all shades, fawn or sandy, often with a dark mask and always with a serious expression.
Weight	40 to 50 kg	38 to 60 kg
Height	58 to 70 cm	56 to 66 cm
Lifespan	9 to 12 yrs	9 to 12 yrs
Exercise need	7/10	5/10
Affection	6/10	6/10
Grooming needs	2/10	2/10
Barking	3/10	4/10
Good with children	5/10	5/10
Good with other dogs	4/10	3/10
Trainability	7/10	6/10
Prey drive	6/10	7/10
Copes alone	4/10	4/10
Drool	4/10	5/10
Shedding	4/10	4/10
Flat fit	1/10	2/10
Running cost	€190 / month	€246 / month

Cane Corso verdict

A powerful Italian guardian breed that demands an experienced, committed owner and a genuine job to do.

Get one if

· Experienced owners with a history of confident, consistent dog training
· Households with a securely fenced garden and no close shared boundaries
· People able to commit significant time to early socialisation classes and ongoing training

Think again if

· First time dog owners
· Households wanting a relaxed, low supervision family pet
· Homes with frequent visitors or close neighbours unfamiliar with large guardian breeds

The Canary Islands catch dog: powerful, discerning and strictly for experts

Get one if

Think again if