Cane Corso Doberman Mix: The Ultimate Guardian
To this day, the Cane Corso Doberman mix is still quite rare. But this hybrid of European descent (Italy & Germany) can offer the best of the Mastiff and Pinscher world.
There are many examples of Cane Corso mixes which have polarising traits, however the Corso Dobie bucks this trend and has a lot of overlapping characteristics.
For example, the two breeds are world famous for their guard dog & watch dog tendencies, perhaps the combination of the breeds behind this hybrid is too much for many people? But what if you wanted to create the ultimate guard dog?
Well… the Cane Corso Doberman mix might well be the perfect dog for you.
In this guide on the Cane Corso Doberman mix, we’ll cover the key characteristics of this rare hybrid.
Let’s jump in.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix Traits & Characteristics Overview:
| Cane Corso | Doberman |
|---|---|
| Origin: Italy | Origin: Germany |
| Adult height: 23 – 27 Inches | Adult height: 24 – 28 Inches |
| Adult weight: 90 – 110 Pounds | Adult weight: 60 – 100 Pounds |
| Energy levels: Medium – High | Energy levels: High |
| Health: Average – High | Health: Average – High |
| Lifespan: 9 – 12 Years | Lifespan: 10 – 12 Years |
| Temperament: Protective, Intelligent, Stubborn, Affectionate | Temperament: Intelligent, Loyal, Affectionate, Watchful |
| Grooming maintenance: Low – Medium | Grooming maintenance: Low – Medium |
| Training needs: High | Training needs: High |
| Socialisation needs: High | Socialisation needs: High |
| Price of puppy: $1,200 – $3,500 | Price of puppy: $1,000 – $2,500 |
Comparing the two origin breeds, we can see that there is a lot of crossover in areas such as height, energy levels, lifespan, temperament and their training and socialisation needs. A hybrid of these two breeds should certainly create a more accentuated version of a guardian dog.
Brief History of Cane Corso:
Speaking specifically to its guardian dog background, the Cane Corso is of Italian descent, tracing its lineage all the way back to Roman times where it may have been used as a dog of war and as a livestock guardian and hunting companion.
Its worker dog & protector background means that the Cane Corso has kept its traditionally high energy levels, along with its muscular build and notorious bite force.
Ultimately, it loves to assist family members with jobs around the house & garden and is motivated by a sense of duty and pleasing its owner. This has led to excellent intelligence, but also the need for consistent mental stimulation, alongside a physical demand for more exercise when compared to other Mastiff breeds.
Brief History of the Doberman Pinscher:
The Doberman was bred in Germany by Karl Friedrich Louis Doberman. He needed a guard dog that was strong, fierce, intelligent, watchful and loyal to protect himself from bandits and thieves in the times of the Franco-Prussian war.
Over time, the Doberman was bred with other breeds to improve its physical characteristics of strength and stamina. However, many breeders wanted to lower its aggression levels so that it could also make a better companion.
According to the AKC (American Kennel Club), they believe that over the years, breeds such as Old Shorthaired Shepherd, Rottweiler, Black and Tan Terrier, and German Pinscher all influenced the modern Dobermans genetics. However, some experts also claim that the German Shepherd, Beauceron & Weimaraner were perhaps involved.
These days, Dobermans are still used as protector/guardians as well as by the Police for protection. However, they are also now commonly owned as family dogs.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix – Appearance
As mentioned above, there are many similarities between the two breeds and this certainly comes across in the appearance of the Cane Corso Doberman mix. That said, enthusiasts will be able to spot the differences a mile off.
Traditionally, both breeds would likely have cropped ears and docked tails, although this is perhaps more common on the Cane Corso, depending where you are in the world. However, each breed is naturally born with floppy ears and many owners of the hybrid choose to leave them that way.
Around the face, the Cane Corso typically has a wider face and looser skin around the eyes, accompanied with large jowls. The Doberman on the other hand has a tighter face and a more pointed snout.
A mix of the two breeds leads to some interesting facial features, for example some will inherit the larger jowls of the Cane Corso which may lead to an element of drooling that you wouldn’t normally experience with a purebred Doberman.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix – Size
The size of the Corsi Doberman hybrid will either be lean and tall, or stocky and bulky (muscular). This will of course depend on the parents, along with their gender with males typically being bigger in both height and weight.
One thing is for sure, with all that size comes a lot of power and a need for great nutrition to fuel their growth and maintain their strength.
If you’re interested in this mix, then you need to be sure that you’re well equipped to handle its power when walking or playing. This isn’t for the faint hearted.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix – Coat
When it comes to coat care, the Cane Corso Doberman mix is perhaps a bit higher maintenance than you would expect for a short haired coat.
Dobermans and Cane Corsos usually require low to moderate grooming maintenance. These dogs have a tendency to shed all year round, but especially during shedding season. You’ll want to make brushing a weekly occurrence, and adjust accordingly. Make sure you invest in the right shedding tools. Additionally, depending on how much time your mix spends outside, you may want to increase the bathing frequency too. Remember they’re quite active, this likely results in a lot of outdoors playing and rolling in mud and dirt.
As the coat is short-haired, you may also want to invest in a dog coat for the winter time. Ultimately this depends on where you live and how low the temperature goes.
Staying on top of the house cleaning and vacuuming is also recommended as these short hairs get everywhere, although they can be quite difficult to see.
When it comes to coat colours, the Cane Corso Doberman mix really throws out some spectacular, unique patterns. As you’d expect, they can resemble either of the parents but when looking across the whole spectrum, you can expect combinations of:
- Fawn
- Black
- Black & Tan
- Chocolate Brindle
- Blue & Grey
- Red
Fundamentally, it’s the Cane Corso side that brings a lot of variety in colours to this hybrid. Most interestingly, you may even get rare occurrences of white, depending on the parents genetics on the Cane Corso side.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix – Temperament & Personality
There is a lot of personality crossover between a Cane Corso’s temperament and Dobermans. Both are loyal, dominant and intelligent. You could say they are a “one person owner” as they naturally bond with the leader of the pack or head of the family.
There’s no doubt that the mix is intimidating to many other people, and one can just imagine the looks you would get whilst out on a walk with this hybrid. But despite appearances, the breed is still affectionate to its owner and also more sensitive than you would first think, a trait known in many Mastiff breeds.
The dog may come across as cold to strangers and even look to dominate other family members if it is not well trained and socialised from birth. Prey drive is very high in this mix as it has a tendency to stalk and chase smaller animals. It’s not impossible for this hybrid to be a loving and well behaved family pet, but a lot of socialisation is required and even then it still may slip up from time to time.
Additionally, due to their size and power, the Corso Dobies may hurt other pets and dogs even when playing. That’s why you need to be very careful when training and socialising them.
Nurturing them in an environment of negative reinforcement and aggression will likely result in chaos and an increase in risk to other people and animals. The breed’s intelligence and dominance means that it is very confident in its ability and will take an alpha role if your leadership skills are not up to task. This must be avoided at all costs.
Considering the above, potential owners must take a serious amount of responsibility when raising this hybrid dog. High levels of training, socialisation and a loving environment are all critical. Temperaments of hybrids are often a lottery, which makes them risky for many potential owners.
Guard Dog & Watchdog Tendencies
There is absolutely no doubt that the Cane Corso Doberman mix would make a superior guard dog. It’s in their very nature, bred into them for hundreds of years.
It’s common to see Dobermans used for high level security, police protection as well as general guard dogs. The breed is a stereotype of protection for a reason.
The Cane Corso, although less popular, has long been admired for its guardian-like tendencies. In every-day life, the Corsi spend a lot of their time securing their parameters and assessing danger by looking out of windows across the house. It is important to their mental wellbeing to be protective of their pack.
When combining the two, you are literally creating the ultimate guard dog. It is strong, powerful, intelligent, protective all accompanied with an almighty bite.
Does the Cane Corso Doberman Mix get along with other animals?
Although it’s certainly possible for the Cane Corso Doberman mix to get along with other animals, the fact that they have a very high prey drive makes them a big risk when it comes to attacking other animals.
Each breed has a dominant personality, which when paired with a high prey drive this can spell disaster. It’s possible that with expert training and constant socialisation that this hybrid may be able to tame these instincts, but the risk is too high for many, which may well likely be the reason that this hybrid isn’t more popular.
For this very reason, it likely doesn’t make a great family dog either as the threat to smaller kids is also too risky.
Training & Socialising the Cane Corso Doberman Mix
Much of the previous section spoke to the risk factors associated with the hybrid’s temperament and personality. But with consistent, high level training and socialisation, is it possible to turn things around and reduce that risk?
These dogs are dominant, intelligent and independent. If they don’t see you as the alpha then they will assume the role themselves, this is the worst outcome possible.
As a leader, you need to be assertive, strong, calm and clear. Training must be done daily, especially as this hybrid moves from puppy into adolescence.
Remember, each breed requires a high level of mental stimulation alongside its physical exercise. So mix things up with sniff games and puzzles. Keep in mind that positive reinforcement must be adopted and negative reinforcement must be avoided at all times.
We must be clear when we say, we do not recommend this hybrid for new dog owners. You should be experienced with larger, powerful breeds when taking this mix on.
When it comes to socialisation, daily interactions with other humans, dogs and pets is a great way to try and minimise the hunter, protector tendencies of the Corso Dobie. This must start from a very early age, ideally your breeder is initiating this early on (around 4-6 weeks).
A poorly socialised hybrid will see everything as a threat which means it immediately becomes a danger to all strangers and other animals. Failing in this regard may lead to unfortunate incidents of aggression which will likely have severe consequences such as legal ramifications.
Exercising the Cane Corso Doberman Mix
The Corso Dobie is high energy and full of stamina, which is a trademark of both breeds but especially the Doberman.
This means you will need to be consistent with exercise if you’re going to wear down its energy levels and stop it from becoming destructive.
What is the right amount of exercise for the mix? We estimate around 1.5 – 2 hours of daily exercise should be enough to keep them happy. You can mix this up with a couple of walks throughout the day, as well as play time around the garden such as tug-o-war, playing fetch. We’d also suggest supplementing this with some low intensity activities such as sniff puzzles.
One thing to be wary of is the amount of Mastiff genes inherited. The Cane Corso, although harder than most Mastiffs, is prone to the same joint issues, which can be exacerbated if exercise is too rigorous.
Cane Corso Doberman Mix – Health Issues
The two breeds are generally quite healthy dogs that enjoy an active life. They are less prone to disease than many other dogs. However, due to their large nature, they can still suffer from a number of common issues found in their origin breeds.
On top of this, choosing the right breeder is critical. Due to this hybrid’s rarity, it might be the case that there aren’t yet too many standards or regulations, which may lead to poorer genetics.
Once you have chosen a reputable breeder, it’s a good idea to ask them questions about the health of the puppy’s parents and lineage if possible. Additionally, you can look to invest in a doggy dna test kit, which can give you the common health issues associated with the breed, tests normally take up to two weeks for results.
At a glance, the Cane Corso Doberman mix might be susceptible to the following illnesses and diseases.
1
Hip Dysplasia
This is a well known issue amongst larger, heavier breeds and is where the hip bones don’t correctly form during puppyhood, which later causes alignment and mobility issues as the thigh bone can’t move correctly in its track, like it’s supposed to. Unfortunately, this condition worsens over time, but can be spotted early by a qualified vet.
2
Cherry Eye
Cherry eye is where a dog’s inner eyelid becomes swollen and red. It intrudes a dog’s vision, but can also worsen if scratched, sometimes leading to infections.
3
Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV)
Often called bloat, GDV is very common for broader chested dogs of the Mastiff origin. It happens from eating too much, too fast. In very severe cases, this can lead to Gastric Torsion which is where the stomach folds in on itself which if not treated immediately, can result in death.
4
Albinism
The Albinism often comes from the Doberman side as white Dobermans are highly sought after and rare. The albino gene can lead to a whole host of health problems and a shorter lifespan.
5
Wobblers Syndrome
Wobblers Syndrome is a spinal disease that affects the spinal cord of Dobermans. This happens when the spinal canal fails to develop properly, later causing severe compression which can lead to paralysis.
6
Von Willebrand’s Disease
Von Willebrand’s disease is the inability to form adequate blood clotting. The condition shows up in some Dobermans, and results in excess blood loss for minor cuts and scrapes. It requires life-long medication.
7
Cardiomyopathy
This is a form of heart disease that can be found in many large dog breeds. It is where the dogs heart muscles are weakened, leading to a lack of function. It also causes a dilation within the heart’s chambers, which leads to an enlarged heart. The disease can have a big impact on their day to day lives and ability to exercise.
8
Entropion
This is a health issue that commonly appears in the Cane Corso. It is where the folds around the eyes grow abnormally, leading to inward growth. Overtime, these can become very painful, lead to infections and in rare occasions lead to major surgery and unfortunately eye removal in severe cases.
9
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
This is another eye related issue, although this time it is the eye itself rather than the skin around the eyes. PRA is the gradual deterioration of the retina. It typically starts with blindness at night time, but can often develop into sight loss during the daytime too.
10
Hypothyroidism
Another disease inherited from the Cane Corso side, hypothyroidism is where the dog’s thyroid glands stop producing adequate thyroxine hormone. When this is present, the dog shows signs of excessive weight gain, loss of fur, and a depletion of energy levels.
11
Colour Mutant Alopecia
Colour Mutant Alopecia is an issue inherited from the Doberman side. It causes the dog to have patches of brittle hair that fall out easily, resulting in hairless patches all over the body. This should be checked closely to ensure it’s not the result of a mange infestation, which is something a vet will be able to accurately diagnose.
12
Narcolepsy
This is a neurological disorder that needs further research. Narcolepsy occurs when the brain struggles to regulate circadian rhythms. This is largely a chemical imbalance, and results in your dog waking up and suddenly falling asleep at odd times throughout the day and night.
What is the lifespan of the Cane Corso Doberman Mix?
It’s safe to assume that the Cane Corso Doberman mix can live up to around 10 – 12 years. This is because each of the parent breeds both have a life expectancy of 10 – 12 years, with Dobermans more likely to reach up to 13 years of age.
This may seem fairly low when compared to many other dog breeds, however, it’s fairly common for large dog breeds to live shorter lifespans as they age faster and are more prone to health conditions.
That said, with a good lifestyle of exercise, great nutrition and a loving environment, you can maximise the longevity (health span) of your Cane Corso Doberman mix.
What is the food & diet of the Cane Corso Doberman Mix?
The hybrid is typically a fairly muscular dog, this means it requires a high protein diet to help grow and maintain its physique.
Although specific diets are up to the owner, we recommend an elimination of dog foods that contain excessive preservatives, additives and grain. This essentially means, limit the junk food you feed your dog. Doing so can work wonders for their coat, skin, joints, inflammation and overall health.
Some experts are advocates for raw feeding which has become very popular amongst dog owners, especially for the Cane Corso diet. Alternatively, there are many new pet food brands that now offer human-grade, cooked & fresh dog food on a subscription basis. Both options are great for delivering a nutrient dense diet to your pooch.
Obviously things like budget can dictate what you’re able to do, if that’s the case then you can look to stock up on cheaper cuts of meat and vegetables and batch prepare your own dog food. This will likely be healthier than many off the shelf alternatives, and certainly more tasty.
How much are Cane Corso Doberman mix puppies?
You can expect to buy a Cane Corso Doberman puppy for around $500 – $600. This is a lot less than what you would pay for one of the purebred parents. However, it must be said that many breeders do not bother mixing the two breeds which is why they’re so rare.
However, if you are a big time admirer of either breed, then why not look at other options of Cane Corso mixes and Doberman mixes? You may be able to find a dog that meets all the requirements of the guardian breed, but also has a softer, more social side. Perhaps a Cane Corso Labrador mix or the Cane Corso Great Dane mix are suitable options?
Cane Corso Doberman Mix Adoption
Due to their unpredictable temperament, strength and power, it’s likely that some Cane Corso Dobermans may find themselves in shelters. In many cases this is likely due to in-experienced ownership that aren’t able to handle them.
Many potential owners love the thought of a big, intimidating looking breed but aren’t well equipped to deal with them once they start to mature.
However, if you do have the experience and the patience to deal with this mix, as well as a big heart to go with it, then why not explore your local shelters to see if any are up for adoption.
Finally, is the Cane Corso Doberman Mix Right For You?
If you have the education, experience and leadership skills necessary to handle the unpredictable temperament alongside the size and power of this dog, then this may just be a good match for you.
It’s hard to deny that this mix would make for an exceptional guardian dog as the heritage of both parent breeds has a long history of being just that.
These are high energy, intelligent dogs that require a lot of exercise, training and socialisation. It’s a very large dog that needs a committed and serious owner. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend this dog as a good fit for a family dog. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, of course it’s possible. But you should understand the risks involved in making such a choice.