The Cane Corso is a Mastiff-type breed that originated in Italy, having descended from Roman war dogs. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Cane Corsos were used as a farmhands, guardians and hunting dog for the big and dangerous game like wild boar.
The breed declined with industrialization and almost went extinct after World War 2. Only a few dogs were present in remote areas of southern Italy by the 1970s, however, by 1996 the breed was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. By then, some of the dogs had been brought to the United States.
After the International Cane Corso Federation (ICCF) was formed in the U.S. in 1993, more dogs were brought from Italy. The ICCF chose to seek recognition for the breed by the American Kennel Club in 2003 and changed its name to the Cane Corso Association of America. In 2010 the breed gained recognition by the American Kennel Club.
