Are you considering buying a Cane Corso puppy? Yay! We’re excited for you. The next question you may be asking is, how to find a Cane Corso breeder? Of course, you’re not looking for just any breeder. Instead, you should be looking for a reputable breeder. Trust us, it makes all the difference in the health and temperament of the dog.
If you’re already looking for a Cane Corso, we don’t have to tell you how wonderful this breed is. However, if you’re just exploring the idea of buying a Cane Corso, you may have a lot of questions about the breed. If so, we encourage you to check out our article All About The Breed Cane Corso.
Why Should I Buy From A Reputable Cane Corso Breeder?
The celebrity fascination with the breed has created an explosion of interest in these beautiful dogs. Sadly, when any breed increases in popularity so do dubious back-yard breeders who are only in it for the money. When people start breeding dogs for money they no longer care about the breed stock or the health of the dogs they breed. According to the Humane Society, there are more than 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S alone!
Matter of fact, the Humane Society publishes their Horrible Hundred each year in an effort to raise awareness of unsafe, unhealthy, and frankly awful breeding practices. The individuals breeding dogs in these conditions are NOT trustworthy breeders. They are people looking to make a quick buck, more often than not, on the internet from unsuspecting buyers.
How To Find A Cane Corso Breeder?
What Not To Do:
Don’t Google Cane Corse Puppies For Sale
Most people begin searching for a Cane Corso breeder by going to the internet and simply Googling Cane Corso Puppies For Sale. However, be aware this can return you millions of responses from big-name websites that are listing thousands of puppies and often are placed there by puppy mill breeders. This is not the way to start searching for reputable Cane Corso breeders.
Don’t Go To Craigslist
One of the worst-known places to find a dog is Craigslist, even though the site clearly states they do not support the sale of animals, the pets are often listed with a ‘rehoming’ fee. This free site may be great to find a used car it’s a terrible place to find a pet. Sadly, because the site is free and has very little oversite it’s a safe haven for bad breeders.
Do Not Buy From A Pet Store
Again, it seems like an innocent place to buy a dog but pet stores are often unaware of the conditions the puppies were raised in prior to arriving at a pet store.
Now, we want to be clear that not all puppy sites, Craiglist posts, and pet stores are filled with bad puppy mill owners. However, it’s very hard to find out which ones are good and which ones aren’t. We can say that every reputable Cane Corso breeder we show with, interact with, or are part of our small community – NONE of them use these services to sell their puppies. NONE.
What To Do:
Go To Show
If possible head to an AKC show to watch the breed in action. You can start your search at the Cane Corso Association of America (CCAA)website. They are the official American Kennel Club (AKC) Parent Breed Club for the Cane Corso in the United States of America. There you will find events specific to the breed. We also recommend searching for events near you on AKC’s website. AKC doesn’t equal ethical breeder. In other words, just because a person registers on the AKC site, AKC cannot guarantee they are an ethical breeder. However, our experience has taught us back yard puppy mill breeders don’t want to spend the money or time showing their dog breed of choice. So, if the dog is being shown, they are most likely coming from a caring breeder.
Google Search for Cane Corso Breeders In Your State
Now, this clearly doesn’t guarantee you’ll land on a trustworthy breeder. However, most unethical breeders don’t go through the trouble of having a website like ours. They typically breed and list the puppies directly on puppy adoption websites, sell them at local pet stores, or take them to flea markets. Searching specifically for Cane Corso Breeders in Indiana for example will give the website and locations of the breeder.
Review Breeder Websites
When you are looking for a Cane Corse breeder, check out their website. On their site, you will want to look for the breeding stock. Look closely at the photos to inspect for the health of the breed. You’re looking for the color of the breed, eyes, and overall coat. Essentially, ask yourself “do these dogs look what I expect a healthy Cane Corso to look like?” If you’re unsure of the breed standards check our previous blog, All About The Breed Cane Corso.
Of course, there’s no way to guarantee you will not interact with a puppy mill but we are saying you will dramatically reduce your chances of buying an unhealthy dog from a bad breeder. How to find a Cane Corso breeder begins with doing your research and taking your time. And… ask a lot of questions of the breeder.
What Questions To Ask A Cane Corso Breeder
After you’ve narrowed it down to a few breeders, it’s time to reach out and ask them a few questions. Here’s a list of questions you will want to ask a Cane Corso breeder BEFORE buying a puppy or a dog from them.
- Where are you located?
- Do you show your dogs? If so, where did you show most recently?
- What kind of activities do your dogs participate in at the AKC shows? (even if you are not planning to show your new Cane Corso, you want to ensure the breeder is actively doing something with the breed and NOT just breeding dogs to have more dogs. They should be carefully and selectively breeding and then having their dogs active in performance shows.)
- Tell me how you got started breeding Cane Corso dogs? (you are looking for true love of the breed and not just breeding for money.)
- Can I visit your location to see the puppies? (an ethical breeder will allow you to come to their home to see their operation.)
- Can you tell me about the breed standards? (an educated Cane Corso breeder will know the standard colors, average height, weight, and more.)
- Can you tell me what treatment the puppies have received so far? (you want to ensure they’ve been inoculated, dewormed,and rear dewclaws removed)
What Questions An Ethical Responsible Breeder Should Be Asking You
The process of buying a puppy should be a 2-way street. You should be asking questions and the breeder should be asking you questions too. Here are some of the questions the breeder should be asking.
- What experience have you had with dominant breeds like a Cane Corso? (these dogs are not for everyone, they require training and take a certain kind of person to own them)
- Tell me about your home and where it’s located. (they should be checking to see if you own your home and if you have a fenced-in yard and adequate space)
- Have you selected a trainer to help you with obedience training? (they want to make sure you’ve thought about how you train a dominant breed)
- Do you plan to breed this dog in the future? (most reputable breeders do not sell their dogs to be bred)
- Do you have children or other pets in the home? (responsible breeders want to know the environment the puppy will be going on to and ensure they get a chance to get to know you)
Finding Your Cane Corso
Finding your Cane Corso puppy should not be a fast, quick, and easy transaction. It should take time and research to find the right breeder for you and your family. Buying a puppy is a BIG decision and should not be taken lightly.
We hope this article helped, how to find a Cane Corso breeder an easier process for you!
If you have any questions about selecting a breeder please contact us, we want to help.
About the Author
Amy Lady is a dog groomer, show handler, and owner of Valley Of The Corso kennel located in Indiana. She has been a dog-lover since she was a toddler and has been known to own a few too many dogs. However, her commitment to dogs goes beyond the Cane Corso breed, as she has taken nearly a dozen stray dogs, adopted dogs from shelters, and taken care of other people’s dogs for nearly 20 years.
