Buying a Cane Corso

find a reputable breeder
Reputable breeders conduct appropriate health testing (hips, elbows, DSRA at a minimum), understand lines and temperament, select breeding dogs carefully, prioritise welfare over profit, provide lifelong support, and adhere to a recognised Code of Ethics such as the BCCS Code of Ethics. Many maintain waiting lists and rely on referrals rather than advertising on commercial sites, so it is important to take your time, ask questions, check documentation, and meet the dogs to ensure you are choosing a responsible breeder.

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Our Breeder Recognition Scheme can be found here.

 

​reputable vs backyard breeders
Not all purebred puppies are equal, and a pedigree certificate alone does not guarantee quality. Reputable breeders research the breed in depth, understand genetics, temperament, and structure, conduct all necessary health tests, and plan litters with welfare as the priority rather than profit. They provide lifelong support, use contracts that safeguard the dog’s future, follow a recognised Code of Ethics, and raise puppies in clean, well-socialised environments, with transparent fees that reflect responsible breeding. In contrast, backyard breeders often prioritise profit or convenience, lack essential knowledge, skip health testing, produce poorly socialised puppies, provide little to no ongoing support, and may even offer fake or unverified paperwork. Often these puppies are priced similarly to ethically bred dogs, but they frequently result in significant health and behavioural problems later on. There are also puppy farmers - breeders who regularly produce a high number of puppies for profit.

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questions to ask a breeder
Reputable breeders welcome questions.

 

Useful ones include:

How long have you been involved with the breed?
Why did you choose this particular mating?
What are your breeding goals?
Are you keeping a puppy from the litter?
What health tests have both parents had? May I see certificates?
What are the temperaments of the sire and dam?
What age is the dam, and how many litters has she had?
How are the puppies being socialised?
What aftercare do you provide?
Will the puppy be sold under a contract?
With which organisation will the puppy be registered?
Will the puppy be vaccinated, wormed, and microchipped?
Do you provide a puppy pack?

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A good breeder should also ask YOU many questions to ensure their puppy is going to a suitable home.

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checking pedigrees & paperwork
A reputable breeder will provide legitimate registration and be able to verify the pedigree through recognised organisations such as:

FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale)
ICCF (International Cane Corso Federation)
BCCS (British Cane Corso Society)
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Some dogs may also hold AKC, UKC, or country-of-origin pedigrees if imported.

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Be cautious:
Some websites allow anyone to print a fake pedigree. When in doubt, ask the BCCS for guidance.

A responsible breeder will also require a contract that includes a return-to-breeder clause, ensuring dogs do not end up in rescue or unsuitable homes.

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health testing
Responsible Cane Corso breeders conduct breed-appropriate health screenings. Essential tests include:

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Core screening recommended by BCCS
Hip and elbow scoring: ask to see both parents’ results from a recognised scheme, such as BVA/RKC or an appropriate overseas equivalent, and discuss what they mean.
DSRA DNA testing: Dental-Skeletal-Retinal Anomaly is an inherited recessive condition. Testing identifies clear, carrier and affected status so breeders can plan matings to avoid affected puppies; a healthy carrier is not the same as an affected dog.
These are BCCS recommendations for responsible breeding, not a statement that every test is legally mandatory. Check the published requirements for the relevant breeder-scheme tier.
Additional screening, including heart and eye examinations, should be discussed with a vet in light of the dogs and their family history. A broad DNA panel does not replace clinical screening.
A responsible breeder will share results and explain their breeding decisions.

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evaluating the parent dogs​
Ask to see photos, videos, or meet the parents (the dam should always be present).

Breeders should be able to explain what the mating aims to produce:

Show Prospects – evidence of conformation results
Working or Sport Dogs – training footage or certifications
Companion Dogs – calm, stable, predictable temperaments
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The temperament of the parents is just as important as health testing. Be aware that there's lots of misinformation out there. Be wary of taking someone's word for gospel without seeing proof of temperament or having met a number of dogs of the breed to understand appropriate temperament for yourself. Lots of people out there will sell anxious dogs as "very protective". Don't fall for this!

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puppy raising​
Are they conducting any puppy raising protocols supported by research, socialising the puppies to household noises, beginning potty training and able to show you a clean, sanitary and enriching environment for the puppies? They should be able to show you this.​ A good and reputable breeder has a plan for raising a litter - they do not just let puppies be born in to a box and keep them on newspaper without handling and socialisation until they leave. Please talk to the breeder about how they raise the puppies, what they do, and why they do it.

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When you visit:

• Puppies should look healthy, alert, and well cared for

• No signs of illness (runny eyes, diarrhoea, parasites, bad odour)

• Puppies should be confident, curious, and playful

• The dam should be present, friendly, and in good condition

• The environment should be clean and well maintained

• All dogs in the home should appear healthy and stable

• Ask to see photos of the sire if not present

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red flags to avoid
Be cautious of breeders who:

Describe puppies as “protective” (often code for reactive or poorly socialised)
Prioritise coat colour over health and temperament, and sell off-standard colours such as merle
Promote “champion bloodlines” as a sole selling point 
Make dubious claims about breed origin or being the “only true type”
Offer littermates or pressure sales
Cannot show you the dam or provide evidence of health tests
Sell via mass-advertising platforms with little transparency
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These are strong indicators of poor practices.

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rescue

When looking for a puppy, it’s well worth considering a rescue organisation. Rescue centres are full of puppies and young dogs in need of loving homes, often due to changes in their previous owners’ circumstances rather than any fault of their own. Reputable rescue organisations prioritise animal welfare, carry out health checks, vaccinations, and behavioural assessments, and work carefully to match each puppy with the right home. Choosing to adopt not only gives a puppy a second chance but also helps reduce the demand for irresponsible breeding.

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A recommended rescue organisation can be found here.

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