Cane Corso Lifespan | How Long Do Cane Corso Live

Cane Corsos usually live for approximately 10 to 12 years. When you compare the Cane Corso lifespan to other breeds, it is a relatively small amount of time.

Generally, larger breeds, such as the Cane Corso, have shorter life spans than smaller breeds, like the Chihuahua. The reason for this is the larger breed’s inclination toward faster aging and the development of health issues.

Cane Corsos have a rich history that leads back to the ancient Romans. They are trainable and smart. But their most distinctive feature is their affinity to protect those they love. Their name is fitting because it loosely translates to “bodyguard-dog” in Latin.

Cane Corsos are large dogs that grow to be more than 100 lbs and have a muscular build with a short coat. They are an Italian Mastiff breed. Their alert expressions and large heads may be intimidating to many, but they are fiercely loyal dogs to those they love and thrive in loving homes.

The Cane Corso Italian breed was originally used as a companion dog or guard dog. They were also often used to protect livestock, herd cattle, and even hunt large game.

The Cane Corso breed is smart and trainable and considered of noble bearing. They are assertive and confident dogs whose lineage dates back to ancient Roman times.

Cane Corso Life Expectancy

As mentioned, Cane Corsos usually live for around 10 to 12 years, but it is not that simple to calculate the lifespan of a dog breed since, within one breed, there may be features that may lengthen or shorten their lifespan.

The researchers at ZOO Tábor sought to study Cane Corsos and collected data from 232 dogs for study.

In their effort to understand the Cane Corso, they took this information from Cane Corso owners and kennels across 25 countries and published their findings in the Open Veterinary Journal.

The researchers found the average Cane Corso lifespan in their study was 9.29 years. They conducted a study to help prolong the average lifespan of Cane Corso males and females.

How long does a female Cane Corso live? While there isn’t much difference between the male and female Cane Corso, some have found the median lifespan of a male Cane Corso Italiano dog is 9.25 years, and a female Cane Corso Italiano dog is 9.33 years, which is slightly longer than males.

Can a Cane Corso live for 15 years? Many factors determine the overall lifespan of a Cane Corso. As a dog owner, there are a few things that you could do to lengthen your Cane Corsos life. This includes, but is not limited to, diet, exercise, grooming, a visit to the vet, and overall happiness. With proper care, some have seen Cane Corsos live for 15 years.

Relationship Between Cane Corso Lifespan And Its Coat Color

Cane Corso Coat Color	Median Age
Gray	9
Black	9
Fawn	9.01
Gray Brindle	9.84
Brindle	10.13
Black Brindle	10.30
Other	8.09
All Colors	9.33

A study conducted by a researcher in the Czech Republic in 2017 showed that there might be some correlation between the hair color of a Cane Corso and the average lifespan.

The lifespan of Cane Corso dogs according to their coat color was said to be: Grey: 9.00, Black: 9.00, Fawn: 9.01, Grey Brindle: 9.84, Brindle: 10.13, Black Brindle: 10.30 years.

The research showed that Cane Corsos, who had a coat color of black brindle, were most likely to have the longest lifespan on average.

The study also showed that gray and solid black had the shortest life spans on average. There was also no significant difference between male and female Cane Corsos.

The scientist who conducted the study hypothesized that the correlation between a Cane Corso’s Colts color and overall longevity has something to do with a particular gene that the holds.

Providing that this hypothesis is correct, we can speculate that the lifespan of a Cane Corso is not only dependent on lifestyle and habits such as nutrition and exercise. It also is determined by the genetics of the Cane Corso.

How Can I Extend The Life Of My Cane Corso

Feed Him a Healthy Diet

Make sure that you feed your Cane Corso a high-quality diet. You can buy commercially manufactured food but be careful of the one you choose. Look for a commercially manufactured dog food high in meat based protein and lists protein as the first ingredient.

There should also be healthy fats in the ingredients as well as fiber for good digestion. When preparing your dog food at home for your Cane Corso, you must keep a few things in mind.

Understand that Cane Corsos are a large dog breed and require ample protein within their diets. Carbohydrates are acceptable as long they are full of fiber but don’t overdo it.

You can look into a raw wet food diet or cook the food that your Cane Corso will eat. One of the disadvantages of wet food is that, unlike kibble, it does not help to clean your dog’s teeth.

You may not view this as very important, but it is because oral hygiene in dogs is linked to many other diseases.

Look at your dog’s age when deciding what his ration of food should be because the amount of food that you give a senior Cane Corso should be different from the amount of food that you give a puppy or a middle-aged Cane Corso.

Make sure you always have clean and fresh water available so your dog can drink whenever he wants.

Exercise & Training

If you are considering getting a Cane Corso but don’t have much time to invest in pets, you should seriously reconsider because Cane Corsos need proper exercise every day to maintain dog health.

You can hire a dog walker if you do not have the time, but your Cane Corso needs brisk walks or runs at least twice daily. They are lean but muscular and love to exercise with their humans. They need to maintain their muscle tone.

Aside from brisk walks and runs, you can also take your Cane Corso along for bicycle rides and hikes. They will love this because they are happiest when they are out in nature with those they love giving them tasks to complete.

Since they are eager to please, you should invest the time into proper training. They are intelligent dogs who can take training well.

Training your Cane Corso and giving them tasks to complete is a good way to keep them mentally stimulated. Physical activity will also allow them to display their agility and ability to excel in sports.

If they have been trained properly and have received socialization at an early age, they will be able to show off their obedience while engaged in various activities.

Visit The Vet Regularly

Another way that you can ensure that your Cane Corso is in optimal health is to visit your veterinarian regularly.

Doing this will ensure that health issues are caught early and can be handled before they fester and are untreatable.

Also, when you visit your veterinarian, you can get proper advice about how to better care for your Cane Corso. Your vet can tell you about the best age to have different procedures performed on your Cane Corso, such as spaying and neutering.

He would also be able to tell you if your Cane Corso is the correct weight and what you should do if he is not. Additionally, you should liaise with your veterinarian about the best supplements for your dog.

Overweight Cane Corso Lives Shorter Lives

There is an abundance of research showing that there is a relationship between animal size and how long he lives. A study conducted in 2010 on approximately 16,000 dogs across 150 breeds shows that the average life span was 11 years and 3 months.

However, smaller breeds live for a much longer period. They live for approximately 13 to 16 years. On the other hand, large or giant breeds live for approximately 3 to 8 years.

Because Cane Corsos are more athletic, they have a slight advantage when it comes to life span. Regardless of color, Cane Corsos usually live a bit longer than other breeds that fall within the large category.

They do better than Bullmastiffs, St Bernards, and the Dogue de Bordeaux breed. Researchers continue to study Cane Corsos to find out why they have this slight Advantage apart from their athleticism.

Do Mixed Cane Corso Live Longer Than Purebred Ones?

According to research on dogs of all breeds and sizes, there seems to be a relationship between longevity and mixed breeds. Mixed breed dogs tend to have a longer lifespan within the size groups, including toy, small, medium, large, and giant.

One study discovered that mixed-breed dogs tend to have an average life span of about 14.45 years, compared to pure-breed dogs of a smaller size with 14.14 years.

The study also showed that smaller dogs tend to have a longer lifespan than larger dogs. However, some breeds lived longer than others within the large and giant breed categories.

The same goes for smaller-sized breeds. However, medium-sized dogs have an average lifespan of 13.86 years, while large breeds average around 9 years. This shows that size does indeed affect lifespan.

It is important to know that this does not only refer to your dog’s size but overall weight because overweight dogs tend to have a shorter life span overall.

Does Neutering & Spaying Affect Cane Corso Lifespan

According to studies, there is actually an advantage when it comes to longevity for dogs of all breeds that are spayed or neutered. This is especially true for female dogs.

Female dogs who are spayed typically live for around 14.35 years compared to sexually intact dogs living 13.77 years.

There was a much smaller difference between spayed dogs compared to males of all breeds and sizes.

Neutered male dogs have an average lifespan of 14.15, and sexually intact males have an average lifespan of 13.77. When dogs lived for over 15 years, spaying or neutering had no difference.

Cane Corso Common Health Issues That Can Affect Their Lifespan

Even though Cane Corsos are usually healthy dogs, they should still be screened by the breeders for usual diseases that tend to affect all dogs but large dog breeds in particular. Cane Corsos should be screened for idiopathic epilepsy, hip dysplasia, eyelid abnormalities, and Demodex mange.

As a dog owner, you should look for the signs of these diseases and do everything possible to screen and try to avoid them. This will give him a fighting chance at a healthy life. You should also check his ears regularly for ear infections and keep up with grooming and brushing his teeth and fur.

Demodectic Mange: This is one of the more common skin allergies affecting approximately 37% of Cane Corsos. Other skin allergies they may experience in their lifetime include deep pyoderma, elbow hygroma, skin fold dermatitis, and chin folliculitis.
Hip Dysplasia: Canine hip dysplasia starts when the dog ages and can result in hip joint instability. Some symptoms include limping, a reluctance to jump, shifting weight to the forelimbs, loss of muscle mass on rear limbs, and hip pain.
Eyelid Abnormalities: The Cane Corso breed often suffers from eye problems, the most common being cherry eye or glandular hypertrophy, entropion, and ectropion.
Bloat or Gastric Torsion: Since the Cane Corso is a deep-chested and large dog breed, they are more susceptible to bloat. In a dog, this can turn into a life-threatening health problem. To avoid this, feed your Cane Corso breed two meals daily and encourage slow eating. They should also avoid any vigorous exercise for at least two hours following their meal.
Demodex Mange: This is a parasitic skin disease caused by a parasitic mite that lives in the dog’s hair follicles. It can be treated with oral medication.
Epilepsy: Epilepsy is genetic or inherited by the dog’s parents and is known as primary epilepsy or idiopathic epilepsy. There is also secondary epilepsy that is caused by toxins or infections.

The following are a few areas that you can look at to increase the lifespan of your Cane Corso:

Exercise And Training

When your Cane Corso has adequate exercise, his lifespan is considerably increased. Training will help with brain stimulation and lead to a happier, healthier dog, and he will be aware of threats around him.

Quality Of The Diet

Diets alone can single-handedly increase or decrease your Cane Corsos lifespan. Studies show that raw healthy foods may be better for your dog as opposed to commercially manufactured foods, although there are many good ones on the market. Do your research and find out what is the best option for you and your dog.

Healthcare

Regular visits to the veterinarian can improve your dog’s health considerably and lengthen his life span because you can spot potential problems early on.

Family History

When you are armed with the knowledge of your Cane Corso’s history, you will be better able to treat problems early. Since many health issues are hereditary, you can create a comprehensive plan for your Cane Corso’s health by learning of diseases within his family tree.

Interesting Breed Facts

Here are some interesting breed facts Cane Corso dog owners may want to know.

Cane Corso comes from the Latin words for bodyguard dog or robust dog
The Cane Corso is a very large dog, standing about 28” at the shoulder and can be more than 110 pounds
In addition to its large size, the Cane Corso dog breed also has a large head and muscled body
In ancient Greece, they were warrior dogs. They were then brought to Italy and bred with Italian dogs when the Romans conquered the Greek Islands
Cane Corsos are very loving and affectionate with those in their family
Cane Corsos can tune into the mood of the dog owner
Dog training is so important, and working with an experienced trainer who knows the Cane Corso breed is even better

Final Words

Cane Corsos have a double-layered but short coat. It tends to vary in length depending on the climate they are in. They do shed throughout the year, especially before and after winter.

You should make sure that you brush them weekly with a medium bristle brush. Removing the dead hair will help reduce the cleanup you must do from the shedding. To groom them properly, you should trim their nails and brush their teeth.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cane Corso Life Expectancy

What is the longest-living Cane Corso?

The Cane Corsos that were found to be the ones that lived the longest were the ones that were black brindle in color. They had an average lifespan of 10.30 years. The dogs of other colors had shorter life spans, with the lowest being 8.09 years.

Is the Cane Corso an indoor or outdoor dog?

To maintain your Cane Corso’s muscle tone, you should engage them in exercise every day. Because of this, you will need to devote the time or hire someone to do it for you. The Cane Corso dog prefers to be outside in nature. They can survive in an apartment as long as they get adequate time outside.

Does a cane corso live longer than Dogo Argentino?

Dogo Argentino dogs have a longer life span than Cane Corsos; the major reason is that they are a bit leaner. Both dogs make excellent guardians, but they have different looks. They are both muscular with large heads. Dogo Argentinos have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years.

At what age do Cane Corsos calm down?

A big dog like the Cane Corso does take some time before it starts calming down because it takes them longer to mature. A Cane Corso will typically begin fully maturing between 2.5 and 3 years physically, and their energy levels may also settle down gradually around this time.