Corso NW

01/02/2023

Faith says Happy New Year from her forever home!!

12/31/2022

Well 🤷🏼‍♀️

12/26/2022

These are the two babies we have left!

12/23/2022

🤦‍♀️

😂😂😂

12/23/2022

Awe excited boy 😂

12/23/2022

12/20/2022

12/19/2022

Hhmmm oddly familiar predicament 😜

12/13/2022

We have 3 female puppies left in our litter. We are in Oregon message me for details.

11/08/2022

Our son is home sick today and his caretaker aka Goliath is making sure he stays on the couch resting! 🤣

11/07/2022

Wanna get a workout? Attempt to take photos of a litter of puppies! 😅 🐶 6 females available, taking deposits for them now. They will be ready for their forever homes December 12-19th!

10/09/2022

Out for a little walk with big mama!

10/08/2022

Preparing for puppies!

10/04/2022

We are expecting puppies any day now! Taking deposits for them as they will be ready for their forever homes at 12 weeks.

03/25/2022

03/08/2022

So a few weeks ago the girls got into a plant a tore a box to shreds on the porch but seriously how can anyone be mad at those faces? 🐶💓

03/04/2022

EAR CROPPING - To crop or not?

Ear cropping, though a personal decision for many owners, is a truly fundamental aspect of Cane Corso tradition. We do not incorrectly refer to a dog with un-cropped ears as having 'natural' ears. In nature, there is no such thing as floppy ears that close off the ear canal like the man-made breeds of dogs we have created. It is not natural for dogs to have long floppy ears that hang over their ear canals closing them off to the air and light. Cropping restores a functional, upright ear.

With a working dog, cropped ears are more difficult for other animals to bite or people to grip. An un-cropped ear is easily wounded, and ear wounds will bleed heavily. If a working dog ends up being dragged down by his own ears, and/or blinded by its own blood from an ear wound, that dog is put at a serious disadvantage, its ability to perform may be compromised and the dog itself may be endangered. Cropping the ear and removing the “handles” to grip and tear virtually eliminates the possibility that a part of the dog’s own body could be used against itself to impair and/or to immobilize it.

If you have more than one Cane Corso, this will become an important factor in your consideration. The Cane Corso is a high drive dog and these guys are very rough-and-tumble. They love to play and they play hard. Big floppy ears will quickly become handles for another dog to bite, hang on to, drag around and hang off of. You may end up with several trips to the vet to have un-cropped ears stitched back up. Nicks, cuts and tears are very common when un-cropped Corsos play together.

Ear wounds are generally not serious or life threatening. They can be easily stitched up by a vet and infection prevented with antibiotics. Ear wounds will however scar, usually badly, after stitching. Oftentimes, blood flow thru the ear is compromised resulting in incorrect healing and partial loss of the ear, despite your vet's best efforts. The potential of this happening repeatedly must be considered up front. Also consider that ear wounds bleed profusely and when a dog gets a stinging ear cut and shakes his head you will end up with a lot of blood splattered and flung everywhere (walls, windows, furniture, floor, ceiling, yourself, etc).

Cropping your Cane Corso's ears not only prevents injuries, but will also result in a healthier life for your dog by helping to prevent ear infections, repeated trips to the vet and antibiotic treatments for your dog.

On a health level, dogs with un-cropped, floppy ears tend to be prone to ear infections and will spend more of their life on antibiotics as a result. These floppy ears are a variation of what is natural, created by man, as a direct result of our human influence and intervention with selective breeding and shaping of dogs to meet our preferences in type. Infections, mites, ticks and bacteria thrive in dark, moist, warm environments (such as is created in an ear canal covered by a floppy hanging ear). The way to prevent such problems is to provide a light, dry, clean environment in the ears as when the ear is cropped to an upright position.

Chronic ear infections are very painful for your dog and can lead to permanent hearing loss. Many dogs with chronic ear infections have an infection in the middle ear (or bulla). If this is not identified and treated, the ear infection remains hidden and frequently re-infects the outer ear canal, leading to continued pain and potential hearing loss.

Despite recent pushes to the contrary, by pencil pushers and animal rights activists, the fact remains that cropping a dog’s ears is NOT cruel when done with appropriate modern veterinary medicine. It actually restores the ear back to a natural state for the improved health and comfort of the dog.

Puppies are usually cropped between 8-12 weeks of age. While it is possible to crop older puppies/dogs, as the pup matures the weight of the hanging ear begins to break the cartilage down. As a result, when a pup is cropped at an older age it becomes more difficult to get the ear to stand upright.

​The ear crop process is very simple, done by a licensed veterinarian and much less invasive than a spay or neuter operation. The pups are sedated and anesthetized (unconscious) during the brief surgery. The ears are cropped, the edges are stitched and the pups are awake again 15 minutes later. Within a couple hours, they are alert, hungry and ready to go home. The next day, pups are back to their normal selves, eating and playing as if nothing had happened. Often the edges of the ear are coated with salve for about a week while healing and the stitches come out in 7-10 days. The process is that simple and not invasive.

Choosing The Right Vet for a Correct Cane Corso Ear Crop:
Choosing a vet to crop your Cane Corso pup's ears for you is a very important decision. While there are many vets that can and will crop ears, there are not many that know what a Cane Corso is or are familiar with what a correct Corso crop should be. We STRONGLY recommend that you make sure your vet has experience with Cane Corso crops and can show you at least 4-5 photos of adult Cane Corso dogs he has cropped. We have seen entirely too many dogs get bad crops from vets that claimed to know what they were doing.

Submitted by Laura Essenmacher

03/01/2022

Your Puppy’s First Year: Training By the Numbers
Obtained from VetStreet.

The best way to ensure that your puppy develops into a well-balanced adult dog is by teaching him some basic behaviors when he’s young. But how do you know where to start and when to introduce a new behavior or command? When it comes to puppy training, it can be easy to get confused and overwhelmed.

Fortunately, Vetstreet is here to help. We’ve compiled a guide to the essential behaviors you need to teach during your puppy’s first year, in chronological order. All of these behaviors can be taught during the main socialization period of 8 to 12 weeks when your puppy first comes home. But with the limited focus of a new puppy and the limited time of a new puppy parent, it’s helpful to focus on the essentials first and gradually add in new behaviors as your puppy grows.

8 to 12 Weeks
Teach him to be social. The most crucial element for ensuring a well-adjusted dog is to properly socialize your puppy during these early weeks. During this time, your puppy learns confidence and resiliency through exposure to new sights, sounds and sensations and through his interactions with the outside world. Introduce your puppy to new people and experiences during this time, buthold off on introductions to other dogs until your puppy has had the proper vaccinations and time to build up his immune system. Your veterinarian is the best person to tell you when your puppy is ready for social interactions with other dogs.

Teach him to like being touched. The more each part of your puppy’s body is handled, especially sensitive areas like the ears, mouth and paws, the more comfortable he will become with being touched. It’s also important to practice handling and holding your dog so that he will learn to tolerate being lifted and restrained. This will make visits to the veterinarian and groomer easier for everyone, and your dog will be more likely to cooperate for nail trims, toothbrushing and ear cleanings.

Teach him to like his crate. Training your puppy to use a crate will make house-training much easier. Crates are also excellent tools for keeping your puppy from chewing inappropriate items and can help him learn to relax when he is separated from people.

Teach him to spend time alone. Puppies need a lot of supervision, but they also need to learn to spend time alone. From an early age, give your puppy short periods of time alone in a crate or gated area to teach him to be comfortable and well behaved when people aren’t around.

Teach him his name. Before you can teach your dog to follow commands, he needs to recognize that you’re talking to him. Teaching your puppy his name is important for getting his attention when you want to ask him to do something, such as sitting or coming to you.

Teach him to sit.Learning to sit will help your puppy stay calm in stressful or exciting situations. Teach your dog to sit when he meets new people during his socialization sessions and put a stop to jumping up before it ever starts.

Teach him to walk on a loose leash. Puppies aren’t born knowing how to walk politely on a leash. Teach your puppy that pulling on the leash never lets him move forward and you’ll have a dog who walks peacefully at your side.

Teach him to like the vet. Find a veterinarian who is invested in having a “fear-free practice,” one that focuses on lowering your pet’s stress level while he’s in the office. When your puppy goes in for immunizations, make positive rewards, such as bits of lean deli meat, part of the visit. If possible, take your puppy to the vet’s office every so often just for a social visit — and a treat!

Teach him to share. Dogs naturally are inclined to guard cherished items, such as chew toys or food bowls, from potential threats, including people. To counter this instinct, teach your dog that when you come near his food bowl or take chews away from him, he will always get a better treat in return.

Teach him to play nicely. Puppy class is an essential place for socialization with other dogs; canines learn to understand the body language of other dogs and how to play properly with them. You can also organize play dates with other friendly puppies or playful adult dogs in safe areas, taking care to avoid high-traffic areas like the dog park.

Teach him to come when called. Teach your puppy to come when asked. This is the behavior pet owners have the most difficult time with, but it’s a potentially lifesaving command, meaning it’s essential to get it right from the beginning.

Teach him to chew the right things. Rather than punishing your dog for chewing on the wrong items, such as furniture, teach him what items he should chew instead. And then provide him with appropriate chew toys, both around the house and in his crate.

13 to 16 Weeks
Teach him not to bite. Bite inhibition training can start when your puppy first comes home but is especially important during this time frame when the puppy shows more rambunctious play. Teaching bite inhibition in puppyhood is believed to be associated with less severe injury should a bite ever occur.

Teach him to target. In addition to teaching your puppy verbal commands, teach him to follow a target. You can use targeting to move your dog on and off furniture, to get him in and out of the car and even to politely greet new people.

Teach him to drop it. Your puppy will pick up all sorts of things in his first year. Teaching your dog to let go of items in his mouth is very handy when he picks up something he shouldn’t have, whether it be a child’s toy or a chicken bone.

Teach him to like the bath. Teach your dog that baths and being groomed are not life-threatening events but can mean rewards during and after, which will mean less of a struggle to keep him in the bath or close by while being groomed.

16 Weeks to 1 Year
Teach him to lie down. Training your pet to lie down on a specific area, such as a mat, can help him relax. It is also helpful for getting him to greet politely at the door, not bark at the doorbell and not beg at the table.

Teach him to stay. Stay is a foundation behavior for helping your dog remain in place when needed. It can be an important safety precaution and also teaches a dog to exhibit impulse control.

Teach him to leave it. You’ve taught your puppy to drop it, but now go further and teach him not to pick things up in the first place. The leave it command teaches a dog to walk away from potentially dangerous items, whether it be a pill that’s accidentally dropped or a half-eaten candy bar on the sidewalk.

02/28/2022

Our handsome Goliath!

02/28/2022

Our beautiful Athena!

02/28/2022

Loyal, intellegent, protective and loving four legged family members coming to a home near you!! 🐶 🏡