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Breed Overview
Height:
23–28 inches
Weight:
110–160 lbs.
Lifespan:
11–12 years
Colors:
Brindle, gray, fawn, red, brown
Suitable for:
Guarding property, as a family dog
Temperament:
Affectionate, loyal, intelligent, easy to train
The Cane Corso Boerboel Mix is a natural-born leader in the dog world. But it didn’t acquire those leadership traits by chance, given it’s the product of two incredibly powerful mastiff breeds—that is the Boerboel and the Cane Corso.
These two dogs were bred in different parts of the world to serve as guard dogs and help hunters track down big game. They were so proficient at their job that some breeders felt the need to mix both genes.
We wouldn’t say the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix is a “superior” breed to its parents, but it has all the best traits of the parent breeds, and then some.
Cane Corso Boerboel Mix Puppies
You’ll likely struggle to find a reputable breeder who’s in the business of commercially producing this breed. You might find a sales listing after running a quick Google search online, but be sure to do your due diligence with the breeder first.
You can try and approach an experienced Cane Corso or Boerboel breeder, and ask them if they would be willing to try to produce the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix. Even if they aren’t up to the task, they may be able to refer you to someone else.
In case you’re wondering why breeders don’t like producing hybrids all too often, it’s because crossbreeding puts the breed at risk of losing some of its key traits.
Temperament and Intelligence of the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix
The temperament and personality of different crossbreeds are the two factors that potential buyers like to look into before signing any dotted line on a sale contract.
When it comes to the breed’s temperament and personality, they’ll always look calm, exude confidence, and display signs of intelligence. Of course, these are traits that are largely drawn from the Boerboel breed. You’ll also notice that they are more watchful than the typical dog and affectionate to a high degree. Those are the two things that we love most about the Cane Corso parent.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 
The Cane Corso Boerboel Mix can easily be described as a “Velcro” dog. That’s to say, it will always want to be as close as possible to you or anyone else that makes it feel like family.
Not because it yearns for cuddles, but because it’s loyal and enjoys its owners’ company. Then again, sometimes it may be a lot more independent in nature, a sign that the Boerboel genes are in the driver’s seat.
This breed does exceptionally well as a watchdog, as they tend to be very wary of unfamiliar faces, strange pets, or anything that’s just roaming around the vicinity. The breed is usually great with kids, but only if you train it to be gentle around them. For the training to be effective, they have to be introduced at a very young age.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
Even though the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix possesses an uncanny ability to read its owner’s moods, and the intelligence to understand the commands, it can be stubborn at times. It’s generally an obedient dog, but this stubbornness may be an issue around other pets.
For this reason, smaller pets around one of these dogs can be a problem. These dogs do have a fairly high prey drive and will need a lot of training, dedication, and socialization to get along with cats and other small pets.
Things to Know Before Owning a Cane Corso Boerboel Mix
Food & Diet Requirements
Puppy Diet
The pups have nutritional needs that are way different from their parent’s needs because they have to be fed food that facilitates both growth and development while sustaining their active daily lifestyle.
For example, bone development requires calcium as well as phosphorus minerals. And these are compounds that can easily be acquired from meat. Unfortunately, even though the amount of phosphorus present in meat is more than enough to meet their daily nutritional value, the calcium mineral is insufficient. If you feed your Cane Corso Boerboel Mix a meat-only diet, there is a very good chance that they’ll develop a severe bone condition later on down the road. It’s also important to add that calcium plays a vital role in the development of the nervous system.
Another nutritional element that’s crucial to their growth process is protein. It should account for a larger percentage of their diet, as it’s supposed to help them build a robust muscular system as they grow older.
Their bodies will also need vegetables and fruits, to extract micronutrients such as vitamins D and C. Those two are effective at aiding digestion while facilitating the absorption of minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Adult Diet
A large portion of the adult Cane Corso Boerboel Mix’s diet should be meat. Serve them some organ meat as well, instead of just muscle meat. The latter is still nutritious, but organ meat has a higher nutritional value on a pound-for-pound scale. Organ meats are known to be very rich in fat-soluble vitamins, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and iron.
Don’t forget that it’s not a balanced diet without fruits or vegetables. The kind that offers micronutrients that are meant to help improve their general health and well-being, in addition to fortifying their immune system.
By the way, fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants, which are supposed to manage the risk of developing a chronic oxidative stress-related illness—for example, cancer.
Exercise
The Cane Corso Boerboel Mix loves having a job to do. You must keep it occupied, or it will start displaying aggressive and disruptive behavior.
We already know that handling a high-energy breed is no walk in the park, as they normally require consistent physical and mental stimulation—even a long walk or jog for a couple of miles. They will appreciate any form of exercise that’s designed to ensure that their muscles remain toned and well-stimulated. Exercising will also help keep obesity at bay because they tend to have a high appetite in comparison to other breeds.
Tugging and chasing games are usually recommended to Cane Corso Boerboel Mix owners, who are hoping to help their dogs maintain a healthy weight. The level of intensity that typically comes with such games will help them burn off all the excess calories.
Training
Lucky for us, the two parent breeds are not only versatile in their own rights, but also boast great intellectual powers. These traits go hand in hand with trainability, as a highly trainable dog has to be willing and able to adapt to various situations while obeying commands. The only issue that you might be forced to deal with is the problem of their innate sense of independence. And clearly, they get it from the Boerboel side of the family.
If you are hanging out in public areas with your Cane Corso Boerboel Mix, you have to be 100% sure that they are manageable. You have to teach them to strictly obey the “wait” and “stay” commands at all times, or you might find yourself in a difficult situation. Luckily, this breed normally develops an incredible recall and is ready to abide by the rules if the training method incorporates positive reinforcements.
It’s important to incorporate some separation anxiety drills into your training program. And you have to introduce them as early as possible, as these drills are designed to prevent destructive behaviors.
Grooming
The physical traits of the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix puppies will purely hinge on the genes from the parent breeds. They usually present features that are very similar to those displayed by the Cane Corso and the Boerboel, but as each one of them grows older, their attributes will be more inclined towards one of the parents.
Nonetheless, this breed usually comes with a short coat that’s smooth and glossy. You only have to brush the coat a couple of times a week to get rid of dead hair, while at the same time ensuring that their naturally produced body oils are evenly distributed.
Offering them baths more than once a month is not a good idea, as this could eradicate the protective oil layers that are meant to shield the skin against harsh environmental elements. Without those oils, they gradually develop skin problems such as itching.
Dental hygiene is of prime importance, so you have to brush those teeth every day if possible. Make sure the toothpaste that you’ll be using doesn’t have xylitol. It’s a naturally occurring chemical compound that’s commonly used as a sugar substitute, or an ingredient in the production of various commercial products such as the toothpaste that we use in our homes. This substance is known to be toxic to dogs, as it can cause liver failure, hypoglycemia, or even death.
Health and Conditions
3 Little-Known Facts About the Cane Corso Boerboel Mix
1. The Cane Corso Is an Ancient Breed
The Cane Corso is also called the Italian Mastiff. However, contrary to popular belief, they weren’t initially bred in Italy. As history would have it, these dogs were initially bred to be war dogs by the ancient Greek community. The Romans took them to Italy after conquering the Greek islands.
2. Boerboels Are African Natives
South Africans were the first to breed Boerboels. To improve their physical abilities, they crossbred some Mastiff-type dogs with the European Bulldog. That was back in the 1600s when hunting big game was popular.
As the years passed, they were eventually trained to serve as farming dogs, before being introduced to us as family dogs. Some of you might not know that “boer” was borrowed from the Dutch language, and it literally translates to “farmer”.
3. The Cane Corso Name Originates from Latin, Meaning “Bodyguard Dog” or “Robust Dog”
The Cane Corso Boerboel Mix is no different and is known to be an excellent guard dog—if only for its formidable appearance!
Final Thoughts
The Cane Corso Boerboel Mix is not a small breed. It’s conspicuously huge and has an even larger personality. Training this dog properly is of paramount importance, especially if you’re hoping to transform it into an affectionate family dog. Seeing as both parents were bred to be hunters, that strong prey drive will always be hard-wired into its DNA.
Featured Image Credit: Left – Didkovska Ilona, Shutterstock | Right – Augustinus Martinus Noppé, Pexels
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