The BCCS

 

Your lifestyle should ideally be an active/stable one, Corsos love stability and consistency and if the dog will be going into a family unit its important that every member of the family are on board with the decision of a new puppy. Its imperative that each member of the family should take the same approach in raising the pup.

Firstly, you must take time to consider the implications of this breed, they can be noisy, easily bored therefore need their brains being kept active, very playful, highly energetic and have a natural protectiveness you have to direct.

It’s not all bad though, if you spend lots of time with your dog, take a really consistently firm route and lay down the ground rules at the start of your relationship then you will have a dog that really is second to none. Whatever you put into your puppy will be repaid tenfold when he grows into a loving, loyal family protector.

As a young pup its important to have a lot of patience and take a nice, calm approach; try not to get frustrated but take a leadership role and give your dog clear boundaries.

This is the most crucial stage in his young life, what he learns now will stay with him forever. Patience and perseverance are the keys; do not lose sight of the fact that he is a baby, but do not let him get away with anything you are not happy with. Remember if you let a behavior go once, then your letting the behavior go period.

An indoor crate is a good idea, you will be able to enforce the rest times your puppy needs in order for him to grow soundly. For example, a 12 week old pup should be spending 4 hours each day in his crate. You will find that during the day he will escape to his own space for a little snooze. Although not all people like the idea of a crate, it can be kinder to both of you and your puppy in the long run, the most important thing is that when you leave your home your puppy is safe and secure in his crate and can not do himself injury by getting into mischief or eatings things he should leave well alone.

A crate is also a great aid in housetraining, a puppy will not wee in his own bed, so the minute he wakes up, take him out of his crate and into the garden and with lots of praise for relieving himself in the right place; he will get the idea in no time.

It is also imperative to feed your Corso pup in his crate, this will build up a positive association with your pup and his crate and allow him his own private space for eating without the fear of toddlers putting hands in his food or the cat jumping on his head. Before every meal its a very good idea to get your pup first to sit before his food and then work that up to a sit and wait, your pup only eating his meal at your ok command.

Loads of toys will save your furniture when teething time comes, also will help to stop your new baby getting bored. A bored Cane Corso looking for mischief usually manages to find it, and it can be expensive. Ask your butcher for good bones, these will keep him occupied for hours and also help to keep his teeth clean.

If you have bought your puppy from a reputable breeder, they should only be a phone call away in times of emergencies (real or imagined) and you may find a good breeder can save you a fortune in vets bills just by putting your mind at rest.

SOCIALIZATION - I cannot stress this enough from 10-20 weeks your puppy must be socialised within an inch of his life, he should go to puppy classes to meet other dogs and gain positive experiences, he should come into town where you can sit outside a coffee shop and he can take in all the sights and sounds, or perhaps stand outside Tesco for half an hour on a Saturday. All my puppies love to come to B&Q we put them in the trolley and as yet have never been asked to leave the store!

You must take him everywhere, be careful not to walk him to far and he must meet as many new people and situations as you can muster.

Whatever you ultimately want to do with your dog, above all else, enjoy his puppyhood. Your tiny puppy will not stay this size for long and before you know it he will be all grown up. Do not waste this precious time by worrying and fretting. Always remember, he looks to you for guidance, if you fetch him up in a loving, gentle caring way, he will grow into a loving gentle adult. What may be very funny when he is tiny may not be acceptable when he is an adult, it is unfair on him to allow him to jump up when he is small, then stop him when he is older. Do not give mixed signals as he will wonder what he has done wrong.

Good luck with your puppy, remember your breeder should hold your hand every step of the way, if in any doubt contact join the FOCC,  who will be only too happy to offer advice, or just enjoy a good chat about the breed.