In the more distant past this breed was common all over Italy as an ample iconography and historiography testify. In the recent past its distribution was limited to some districts of Southern Italy, especially in Puglia, Molise, Calabria.
Its name derives from "cane da corso" which is an old term for those catch dogs used in rural activities (for cattle and swine; boar hunting) as distinct from "cane da camera" which indicates the catch dog kept as a bodyguard.
The breed was recovered from near extinction through the efforts of enthusiasts in the 1970s, the Corso is now popular globally, as can be seen by recent celebrity ownership of Cane Corsos.
The Corso favors strength combined with agility.
The Cane Corso has been recognized by Dog Registry of America Inc™ (DRA) and was one of the few clubs that did register the breed. DRA™ has been registering the Cane Corso since at least 1999.



