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

The Cane Corso and Pug mix is an almost entirely unheard-of mixed breed dog. Because it’s so rare, little is known about what exactly to expect from the pairing. While we cannot guarantee the size or personality of a Cane Corso Pug, we can make assumptions based on the parent breeds. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this interesting hybrid.

Breed Overview

The Cane Corso Pug is an interesting mixed breed because of the vast size difference between the parents. The Cane Corso can grow to be over 28 inches tall and weigh in at 100 pounds or more, while Pugs typically top out at 13 inches and 18 pounds. This hybrid breed provides potential owners with many great personality traits, such as unparalleled loyalty, affectionateness, and intelligence. However, because of the logistics of breeding such differently-sized dogs, it is a very rare hybrid to find readily available.

Cane Corso Pug Mix Characteristics

Cane Corso Pug Mix Breed Puppies

The Cane Corso Pug isn’t the most common mixed breed. This could be because some breeders believe that dogs that are incompatible due to physical size or behavior shouldn’t be mated. In addition, mating two dogs of such wildly different sizes and personalities makes the resulting puppies very difficult to predict. That said, breeding dogs of differing sizes can be possible with the right supervision and attention from the breeders.

We could not find any Cane Corso Pug breeders in our research online. However, we found a few fully grown Cane Corso Pugs available on Petfinder.com. This leads us to believe it might be easier for people looking to adopt such a dog to find one available at their local shelters than through a breeder.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Cane Corso Pug Mix

The personality of a Cane Corso Pug can vary widely depending on its genetics. It’s likely to be loyal, protective, and affectionate with its human family members as both parent breeds carry such traits. However, this mix can also have a severe stubborn streak that calls for consistent training and socialization.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

The Cane Corso Pug has many redeeming qualities that make it desirable for families. They will be deeply devoted, loyal, and protective of their humans. Thanks to their intimidation factor and size, the Cane Corso is the ultimate guard dog. While the Pug is unlikely to scare anyone away with their size and won’t do much harm to intruders, they are a fantastic watchdog that will bark to alert you of approaching strangers.

The Cane Corso Pug will thrive best with an experienced owner that knows how to train and socialize their pets. This dog can grow to be quite large, so it needs a human who is not afraid to step into the alpha role. A Cane Corso will make quick work of a timid or unsure owner.

If the dog takes after its Cane Corso side more than its Pug side, it can grow to over 100 pounds. A dog this size needs a bigger living space and wouldn’t fare well with apartment life. In addition, it probably isn’t the best mixed breed for households with small children simply because of how big it can be. Even the sweetest Cane Corso Pug can inadvertently hurt its small family members.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

Cane Corso Pugs may be able to live alongside other dogs, provided they are introduced slowly. This isn’t always the case, however, as this breed can be aggressive with dogs of the same sex.

However, this may be the wrong breed for you if you have smaller dogs or other animals in the house. The Cane Corso in this breed’s blood delivers a strong prey drive that can make living with cats or other critters very dangerous.

Things to Know When Owning a Cane Corso Pug Mix:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

The food and diet requirements for your Cane Corso Pug will depend entirely on its size. Unfortunately, both breeds are very different in size, so it’s hard to provide an exact diet since the dog’s size can vary so much. Ultimately, how much food you feed your Cane Corso Pug will depend on the food’s caloric density and your individual pup’s energy requirements.

If your dog takes after its Cane Corso side more, you might consider certain supplements to help promote joint and digestive health. If it takes after its Pug side, a fish oil supplement may be helpful to manage skin allergies, though joint supplements can be beneficial if your pup has arthritis or other problems with its joints.

You mustn’t overfeed your dog as obesity can increase its risk of certain diseases and breathing problems.

Some Pugs are sensitive to certain foods. If this is the case with your mixed dog, your vet will likely recommend feeding trials to determine what it is allergic to.

Exercise 🐕

The Cane Corso Pug is an active dog that needs at least one hour of physical activity daily. Because the Cane Corso is a working dog, they thrive best when they have a job to do. They can become bored if they don’t feel they have a job, ultimately leading to destructive behaviors. Cater to your dog’s working side by adding in dog sports like Schutzhund to test its tracking, obedience, and protection skills.

We don’t recommend taking your pup out for a run if it inherited the short snout from the Pug side. These brachycephalic dogs are prone to overheating and often suffer from breathing issues. Instead, focus on walks and controlled physical activity sessions with alternating bouts of cardiovascular activity and rest.

If your dog doesn’t have the short snout gene, you can consider adding in higher impact activity like more strenuous hikes or runs.

Training 🎾

Training your Cane Corso Pug may present a bit of a challenge. A Cane Corso isn’t necessarily harder to train and socialize than other breeds, but it isn’t the easiest dog to handle because of its huge size.

Pugs, conversely, can be problematic to train because they have a streak of stubbornness and are easily distractible.

Training a Cane Corso Pug will require a firm leader with much patience. You might consider working alongside an experienced dog trainer who understands the unique personality of both parent breeds.

The sooner you can start training your dog, the better. Early socialization with other dogs is key to preventing territorial behaviors while walking around your neighborhood or visiting the dog park.

The Cane Corso Pug will fare better with short and sweet training sessions and respond much better to praise and treats than negative reinforcement.

Grooming ✂️

A Cane Corso Pug will have a pretty manageable grooming regimen; however, it is likely to be a moderate to heavy shedder as both parent breeds are known for their shedding. Therefore, you’ll need to brush its coat a few times a week with a bristle brush to remove loose hair and dirt. This brush type is ideal for dogs with smooth and short coats and is great at evenly distributing the natural oils in its coat for a healthy shine.

Your dog will need baths once every few weeks. However, you don’t want to bathe it too often as this can dry out its already sensitive skin.

Both Cane Corsos and Pugs can have skin folds, so it’s likely your mixed dog will, too. You’ll need to keep the folds clean to prevent any moisture from becoming trapped and turning into a breeding ground for bacteria.

Health and Conditions 🏥

The Cane Corso Pug is a healthy breed. However, it could be at risk of developing conditions afflicting their parent breeds, like hip dysplasia, ear infections, bloat, skin infections, and breathing problems.

Male vs Female

The biggest difference between a male and female Cane Corso Pug is their size. As with most dog breeds, males will be taller and weigh more than their female counterparts. There doesn’t appear to be too much of a difference in the temperament between the sexes.

That said, a male Cane Corso Pug that takes heavily after its Corso side may become territorial or aggressive with other male dogs.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Cane Corso Pug Mix

1. Both breeds are revered for their loyalty.

Both breeds are highly sought after for their loyalty to their humans. The Cane Corso isn’t a dog you should expect to befriend just anyone, but their commitment to their family members is unwavering. Pugs are similar. They’re highly loyal to their human family but less weary around strangers than a Cane Corso. A Pug will be okay with meeting new people and accepting of strangers so long as its human parents approve.

2. Both are very old breeds.

The Cane Corso dogs’ history goes way back to ancient Rome. Most dog experts believe this breed is a descendant of the now-extinct Molossus dogs from Greece and was subsequently bred in Italy as a farm dog and guardian.

The Pug has roots dating back as far as 400 B.C., though little is known about their life during this time. The modern Pug was originally brought to China from Europe during the sixteenth century. They were bred to be companions to the ruling Chinese families and became highly valued by the emperors of the time.

3. The Cane Corso almost went extinct, and some experts believe the Pug is on that route itself.

World War I and World War II saw a steep decline in the Cane Corso population. This was mostly due to firearms becoming more commonplace. People didn’t need a guard dog that they had to feed and doctors to keep alive when they had guns that required much less leg work. As a result, the breed was almost entirely extinct by the 1970s.

Pugs, on the other hand, have always had a pretty steady population. Some experts, however, believe that Pugs and other breathing-impaired breeds may become extinct soon. They theorize that these breeds could soon be going in the same direction as the woolly mammoth, which may have gone extinct because there wasn’t enough genetic diversity to maintain a healthy population.

Final Thoughts

The Cane Corso Pug is a hard-to-find hybrid breed that can make a great companion for the right family. However, it needs a family that’s confident, assertive, and experienced, as it can be quite stubborn when it comes to training and socialization.

The appearance and personality of the Cane Corso Pug are impossible to predict. With two very different parent breeds, it’s anyone’s guess who the resulting puppies would take after most. You may end up with a Pug-sized dog that’s incredibly loyal, charming, and protective, or you may wind up with a Cane Corso-sized pup that’s hard to control and always ready to take charge.

Featured Image Credit: Left – Didkovska Ilona, Shutterstock | Right – Erin Minuskin, Unsplash