As a good parent, you want to make sure that your decision to get a Cane Corso is the right choice for your family. In this article, we will talk about how Cane Corsos get along with babies, toddlers, and older kids.
Are Cane Corsos good with kids? Cane Corsos are great with kids, they are loyal and affectionate family dogs. They are gentle, cautious, and kind around children. If properly raised and socialized their protective nature will shine, and they will do great with babies, toddlers, and older kids.
In this article, I will break down everything you need to know, so you don’t learn things the hard way. For the sake of this article, I’m talking about what you can expect if your Cane Corso is socialized. There is also a section talking about socializing and training your Corso on the bottom.
Cane Corsos and Infants (Babies)
At the time of writing this article, my brother has a 4-month-old daughter, and I can tell you firsthand, that both of our Corsos are very cautious about how they approach her. Cane Corsos are highly intelligent dogs, and you can see that they are aware of their size and how fragile a baby is.
That is why they pay close attention to where the baby is, and they are trying to be as gentle, and kind as they can be.
Cane Corsos possess excellent protective instincts and have a strong sense of family (“pack”). Once they realize that the baby is there to stay you will see a lot of changes in your Corso’s behavior, such as:
- Lying on the doorstep of the baby’s room
- Walking slower and with more caution around the baby
- Sleeping near the baby
- Increased attention and awareness of the baby
- Licking the baby when she is upset
Cane Corsos are very protective towards the weakest members of the family, or in this case, the baby. However, there might be times where the baby can annoy the Cane Corso, he will then find a more quiet place in the house to rest.
There are cases when a Cane Corso shows jealousy towards the baby, but they never take it out on the baby, they will usually whine, and bark to let you know that they too want some of the attention that the baby is, rightfully so, getting right now.
Important: all that being said, you shouldn’t let a baby and a big dog like a Cane Corso alone and unsupervised, if he gets overexcited he can accidentally knock over or hit the baby with his paws, which could seriously injure your baby.
Cane Corsos and Toddlers
A toddler will be the biggest challenge to a Cane Corso. Toddlers are unpredictable and even if you try to set some boundaries about how they should treat the dog, they can’t really understand them.
Toddlers will jump on the dog, pinch, poke, pull their ears, those actions will eventually annoy even a super well socialized and trained Corso. Especially if they are sleeping and are suddenly startled by an overly enthusiastic toddler. This is why you should always supervise when your toddler is playing with the dog.
The toddler is now less fragile and has a ton of energy, which goes well with a Cane Corso that is a highly energetic dog. Your Corso will slowly become your kid’s best friend, as they bond through playing together. I honestly can’t tell who has more energy at this point, the toddler or the Corso, but be sure to remember to give them both enough rest time and hydration, because things are about to get hyperactive in the house.
Cane Corsos and Older Kids
As your kids are growing, becoming teenagers, you can start involving them in work with your Cane Corso. If they are big enough, they can take your Corso for walks, help out with feeding, grooming, and even help with training your Cane Corso.
This will tighten the bond between them and it will help build confidence between them. Apart from bonding with the dog, this kind of work will teach your kids responsibility, and the extra chores around the dog will give them good work habits.
The Corso will be more relaxed because he won’t expect unpredictable behavior as he did with a toddler. And your now older kid will have even more energy and interest in playing with the dog.
Growing up with a dog, especially a Cane Corso is a magnificent thing, make sure you create a ton of happy memories and cherish them forever because the sad fact is that we outlive our pets by a lot.
Cane Corso Puppies and Children
Children and Cane Corso puppies playing together will be the cutest thing you ever saw. But there are potential hazards for both the puppy and the child you need to be aware of
Both the puppy and the child at this age are unpredictable, and they don’t think for themselves yet. Puppies can harm the child with their claws and teeth, and the child can also hurt the puppy with their unexpected behavior.
You always need to supervise them, improper supervision can cause the puppy to develop later behavior problems, and the child can develop a fear of dogs. Here are some rules to successfully raise a Cane Corso puppy when you have a small child.
- Always supervise the puppy and child.
- Never let your child treat the puppy as a toy.
- Never let your child bite, pinch, or pull the puppy.
- Never let the puppy claw or bite your child.
- Teach them how to play gently.
- Never let them frighten each other. this can cause them to develop fear in the future.
Don’t let people tell you that it is impossible to raise a Cane Corso puppy when you have small children. It’s possible and quite beneficial for both the puppy and children.
Setting Up Boundaries
The best way to prevent mishaps is to teach your kids how to properly play with your Cane Corso. Teaching them not to pinch, startle or be extremely rough while playing will prevent aggressive correction of said behavior by the Corso. Here are some of the behaviors that you should teach them:
- No pulling, pinching, blowing in ears, or eyes
- Don’t ever try to scare (startle) a sleeping Cane Corso, or a Cane Corso that has his attention averted to something else at that moment.
- Don’t try to ride a Corsos back like a horse.
- Always give a Cane Corso space when he is eating.
- Don’t force him to do something if he doesn’t want to.
Include all your children when you are training your Cane Corso, they will simultaneously learn how to behave with each other. It is also super important for your kids to understand that a Cane Corso is not a toy, he is a member of the family.
Cane Corsos Temperament
Cane Corsos appearance and history give them an aggressive tone, but it is the complete opposite. Cane Corsos are known for being intelligent, affectionate, and protective.
Don’t get me wrong, no thief would wish to find themself in a yard of a Cane Corso, as they would definitely maul any ill-minded individual that broke into their family’s home.
Cane Corsos have the ability to be gentle, kind and caring, while also always being aware and watchful of intruders. They are loyal and playfully with their family, but are not so much interested in other people.
They are smart dogs who can easily be trained, invest some time when they are young to properly socialize and train them, and it will pay off when they are older.
Socializing and Training a Cane Corso
The first experiences in the litter with the mother and his relatives, as well as the first experiences with the owner and other family members have a significant impact on the future and personality of the dog.
The social life of a dog begins at the age of four weeks. From that time, the puppies begin to play and learn all about their pack, domination, and obedience. It is important to allow the puppy to play and get to know as many different things as possible. Otherwise, he may develop unusual behavioral habits and even become dangerous. If you do not allow the puppy to play and get to know his own abilities, the adult dog will surely be afraid of people, other animals, and noise.
The wider the range of new experiences you expose your puppy to, the better, below is a socialization checklist that you can save.
Summary
It’s important to socialize and train your Cane Corso on time, and it’s just as important to teach your kids how to respect and interact with a big dog like a Cane Corso.
At first sight, the Cane Corso is big, scary, and intimidating, but if properly socialized and trained they are extremely gentle and kind. Their protective nature and natural abilities make them great family dogs that are doing well with kids of all ages.
Remember to never leave an infant or a toddler unsupervised with a Cane Corso, because their sheer size could be a potential hazard, as they could accidentally knock over a child without even noticing.
If you are adopting an adult Cane Corso, that isn’t very safe, because you don’t know his nature, and if he has been properly socialized. You should find a reputable breeder that sells puppies and immediately start with socializing and training.
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