Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix: Guide, Pictures, Care & More

There are many gentle giants in the dog world, and the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is perhaps one of the most soft-hearted companions around. Descended from two guard dog breeds, this hybrid dog might look intimidating and be cautiously wary of strangers, but they are loyal and adoring toward their family.

They’re not a popular breed, though, so it’s okay if you haven’t heard of them. Let us introduce you to the Cane Corso and Bullmastiff mix and show you why they’re so well-loved.

Breed Overview

The Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is a hybrid of the Cane Corso and the Bullmastiff. The two breeds are similar but have different origin stories.

With an ancestry reaching back to ancient Rome, the Cane Corso has a history of fighting in the Colosseum and various wars before they became livestock guardians. In comparison, the Bullmastiff is much younger and was developed by English aristocrats during the 19^th century. They helped protect deer and other game from poachers.

The hybrid puppies share many of the same traits favored in the two parent breeds, including their work ethic, loyalty, and fiercely protective nature.

Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix Characteristics

Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix Breed Puppies

Hybrid breeds like the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix aren’t nearly as old or popular as their pedigree parents, but you can still find breeders who specialize in developing them. That said, compared to many other hybrid breeds available, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix isn’t well-known, so it might take a bit of research to find a reliable breeder close to where you live.

All responsible breeders will screen their dogs for common health problems like epilepsy, hip and elbow dysplasia, and heart problems. They’ll also provide health histories for the puppies and their parents and only let you take them home once they’re ready to leave their mothers at 8–12 weeks old.

Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix puppies start small but don’t stay that way for long. They have a great deal of growing to do to get to their full adult size. While a large puppy diet can help control their growth rate, your dog will quickly get too big to be carried around everywhere. They often weigh around 60 pounds by the time they’re 6 months old!

Socialization and training should start from day one, and you should make sure your house is puppy-proof to avoid chewed-up shoes, books, or other valuables.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix

Calm, docile, and affectionate are traits that the Cane Corso and the Bullmastiff share that are passed down to their hybrid puppies. The two breeds were first developed to be guard dogs, and their quiet vigilance and intimidating size serve them well as family guardians today.

Highly energetic and loyal to their family, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix loves to be around you but is prone to acting aloof and distrusts strangers and other dogs. Socialization from a young age can help them control their wariness, but they’ll always be friendlier toward their family.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Overall, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is a gentle, loving companion. They’re energetic and adoring, with a temperament that’s well suited to active families. The one thing that you have to keep in mind, though, is their size. They might be docile dogs, but they are also huge and aren’t the most graceful of animals.

These dogs are stronger, bigger, and heavier than young children and can accidentally knock them over. Despite their clumsy nature, though, these dogs are gentle with kids of all ages.

While the Cane Corso Bullmastiff is best suited for families with older children, they can be around younger kids if you take the right precautions. Supervising playtime together and teaching the children how to properly approach and respect dogs of all sizes can help prevent accidents.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

Their watchful nature makes the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix naturally wary about strangers and other animals, but they aren’t an aggressive breed. Ensuring that your puppy is properly socialized from a young age will help determine how they interact with other dogs and people as they grow.

When they’re raised with other pets and are familiar with how to behave around them, these dogs are well-suited companions, even if they don’t go out of their way to make friends. Without the right socialization, though, they will be much warier and more protective of you when they’re around other dogs.

Things to Know When Owning a Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix

While you might benefit from the fiercely protective nature and adoring personalities of the Cane Corso and the Bullmastiff in their hybrid puppies, you also have to contend with their care needs. Forewarned is forearmed, so this section covers everything that you need to know.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Your Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is not a small dog, and their diet will reflect this. Proper nutrition starts when they’re a puppy, and you should focus on high-quality, nutritional formulas throughout their lifetime.

As they grow, give them food that is formulated for large breed puppies to help support their growth rate and ensure that they don’t grow too fast—this will help give their bones and muscles the extra time that they need to develop properly. Once your puppy is an adult, a high-protein diet with plenty of omega oils will help maintain their energy levels and keep their joints in good condition.

Exercise 🐕

Descended from two working dog breeds, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff needs plenty of exercise, both physical and mental, to keep them active. Although they adore their family members, they are not a breed that is suitable for a quiet, sedate lifestyle. They prefer having something to do besides lounging on the couch.

The parent breed that your mixed puppy takes after the most will determine how much exercise they need. The Cane Corso is the more active of the two breeds and needs a brisk walk or run at least twice a day. In comparison, the Bullmastiff requires less exercise, and some individuals can be much lazier than others.

If your Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix puppy seems restless or starts developing bad habits like destructive behavior, consider giving them more to do. Try puzzle toys, teach them a new trick, or go for a walk somewhere new.

Training 🎾

The Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix needs an owner with experience in dog ownership and training. They are big dogs and need to learn to control their energy and strength to ensure that they’re suitable companions as they grow.

Socialization and obedience training are essential. Taking part in puppy classes is a great way to introduce them to other people and dogs and learn about the best way to train them.

Bullmastiffs and the Cane Corso are both intelligent and eager to please, but they can also be stubborn and strong-willed. They need consistent guidance, positive reinforcement, and steady routines so they learn to trust your leadership. Training them yourself is also better than sending them off to a facility, even if you do decide to hire professional help. By training your Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix yourself, you’ll build a stronger bond with them.

Grooming ✂️

Neither the Cane Corso nor the Bullmastiff requires much grooming due to their short coats. Your Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix might inherit a thick double coat from their Cane Corso parent, but they’re still a relatively easy dog to maintain. You can use a medium bristle brush, a grooming mitt, or a hound glove.

They will shed throughout the year, particularly in the spring when they lose their winter coat. You might need to brush them daily during this time to help control their shedding, but once a week during the other seasons should be enough.

Don’t forget to give your dog a full grooming session regularly. They need their teeth cleaned, claws clipped, and ears checked to make sure they’re in tip-top shape.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Both the Bullmastiff and the Cane Corso can develop bloat, a potentially fatal condition where the stomach fills with gas, which puts their mixed puppies at risk of the condition too. Bullmastiffs are also prone to cancer.

Your Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix might not suffer from bloat, cancer, or any of the other conditions that often affect their parent breeds. Still, you should familiarize yourself with the signs of each and keep up with regular veterinary visits.

Male vs. Female

Once you’ve decided that a Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is right for you, the next decision is whether to choose a male or female. As with all dog breeds, the males are larger and heavier than the females, but otherwise, there isn’t much difference between them. A female Cane Corso Bullmastiff is no more suited to an apartment than a male would be.

Personality-wise, males are often more playful and affectionate, while females are easier to train. Both males and females will be protective and affectionate toward their family members and distant toward strangers. Whether you choose one or the other comes down to personal preference or which puppy takes a liking to you the most.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix

1. They Are Great Watch Dogs

The Cane Corso and the Bullmastiff might have started in separate countries for different purposes, but they have similar backgrounds. Both breeds were developed as guard dogs, with the Cane Corso moving on from fighting wars with their Roman handlers to guarding livestock, and the Bullmastiff being bred by the English gentry to protect game animals from poachers.

Their mixed-breed puppies retain the fiercely protective and watchful nature of their parents. If you’re looking for a guard dog for your family, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is a gentle yet intimidating giant that knows how to be an excellent guardian.

2. They Are Descended From Lion Fighters

The Bullmastiff has a rich history of their own, but the Cane Corso’s past is what turns heads. Before they became livestock guardians, this breed’s ancestry can be traced back to the ancient Romans, where they were bigger, stronger, and even more intimidating than they are now. They were bred to be war dogs and carried flaming buckets of oil through enemy lines on the battlefield.

The Cane Corso wasn’t just used on the battlefield, though; they also fought in the Colosseum. In the arena, they’d fight against the gladiators and the animals that the Romans kept for sport. Lions were common adversaries for these dogs to face!

3. The Cane Corso Bullmastiff Mix Is a Massive Softy

At first glance, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is not a dog that you want to mess with. They’re big (both in height and muscle) and intimidating and have a natural alertness that serves them well as guardians. These massive dogs have a giant secret, though, and their owners know it.

Despite their ferocious appearance, they have hearts filled with gold. To their family, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is gentle, affectionate, and adoring. While you definitely wouldn’t want to cross one when they’re protecting their own, most of the time, they are massive softies.

Final Thoughts

Descended from the Cane Corso and the Bullmastiff, the Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix looks fierce and unapproachable, but they are a gentle giant. They’re vigilant but docile and make a fine companion for families with older children or singles with an active lifestyle. The breed forms powerful bonds with their family and isn’t afraid to protect you from harm when they need to.

If you want a dog that makes friends with everyone, this hybrid isn’t the way to go. They’re well-behaved and calm when properly socialized but will always be wary around strangers and people outside the family. Although they’re loving and affectionate to you, they’ll be distant and often aloof toward your friends or people you meet on a walk.

Don’t let their temperament or their fierce appearance put you off, though. The Cane Corso Bullmastiff mix is a big dog with a massive heart. If you can’t decide whether you prefer the Cane Corso or the Bullmastiff, the hybrid of the two gives you the best of both worlds.

Featured Image Credit: Left – Didkovska Ilona, Shutterstock | Right – Saeed Khokhar, Pexels