The requirements of the standard must be strictly observed in
order to prevent talking of blunders that, for example, the
experts find during selection of mastiffs: excessive growth in
breeding the dogs with large horrendous head resulted in weakening
of body musculature, structural abnormality of limbs, and
formation of feeble long dorsum.
General appearance
Breed Cane Corso must
produce an impression of a mighty athletic and elegant animal. Its
body is massive with well-developed musculature and strong
skeleton. When breeding the Cane
Corso breeders try to hold to certain body proportions of
the animals that are standard ones. Ratio of the height of the dog
at the withers to the trunk height (slanting height)–lengthiness
index-is to be 110. Ratio of the height (up to the elbow joint) to
the height at the withers–index of long legs-is to be 50.
Head
Cane Corso has
typical molosser head; superciliary arches are well-defined. The
length of the head corresponds 36% of the animal’s height at the
withers. The brainpan must be wide, at that its width in the
cheek-bones must equal to the length of the skull (or be more).
Bulge of forehead at the front must gradually thicken towards
parietal part and nape. Inferior frontal sulcus is well-marked.
There is a deep bridge between the forehead and the muzzle.
Cranial part is twice as long as muzzle.
The length of the muzzle is 1/3 of the length of the head. If the
dog has short-cut muzzle then this may lead to disorder of cardiac
performance and breathing, for another thing, dental formula
changes. Cane Corso must
have massive, lightly upturned square muzzle with blunt cut.
Besides, the length and the width of the muzzle must be equal, but
its side parts must be parallel with each other. It must not be
down because it is a deficiency.
If the lines of the forehead and the muzzle are parallel or the
muzzle is too upturned, if it has a cuneal shape then it is a big
default. Points are single parts that are very important during
evaluation of the dog’s exterior and working abilities.The
standard requires that the jaws of the dog should be large,
massive and arched, but the bite is firm undershot.
Notwithstanding that direct occlusion is allowed, rush for it may
lead to very fast brygmus.
However, not a bite is the determinant while evaluating of juniors
and puppies, but profile of the muzzle, because the bite will be
formed a little later. The juniors very often have scissor jaw
relationships and in proportion to the dog’s growth this bite
turns into proper close occlusion. In this connection you
can concern yourself with guard training or fetch commands. In
this case you may not worry that your dog will acquire magnus"undershot".