So, you are deciding on a new four-legged family member and you are gathering information about different breeds of dogs.
The Cane Corso is quite a formidable dog when he is full-grown because he stands about 28 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs over 100 pounds.
Being that this is a large breed of dog, the Cane Corso has a very deep sounding and very loud bark that can really get your attention. With proper training from a young age, this breed of dog is generally pretty quiet and doesn’t bark a lot.
Why Do Cane Corsos Bark?
In history, Cane Corsos were used as guard dogs and they would bark at strangers when protecting their territory and to warn their masters of anyone that seemed unfamiliar and suspicious.
When you socialize your puppy properly, your dog won’t bark for no reason at all, but if you adopt an adult that was mistreated or one with anxiety issues, it can bark a lot just to try to relieve its anxious feelings.
Your well-trained Cane Corso will bark in several different scenarios, such as if he hears or sees someone that isn’t familiar at your door, he sees a person that he doesn’t know in your yard or if he senses danger is coming to his family.
He will also bark if you train him to “speak” on demand, when he wants your attention and when he gets excited and is playing.
A poorly trained Cane Corso will bark at people walking on the sidewalk who are not in your yard or at your door and at every other dog they see.
He may also bark when he’s anxious, hearing a loud sound on the doorbell or at cars driving by and they can bark at their owners for no reason whatsoever.
It’s good to know that this breed of dog is very intelligent and easy to train. As with most large dogs, a Cane Corso needs to have exercise and playtime on a daily basis to get rid of their excess energy and you need to teach them what is normal and shouldn’t be barked at.
How Loud do Cane Corsos Bark?
Since your Cane Corso is a large dog, he does have a loud bark that will grab your attention or the attention of an intruder very quickly.
The bark is pretty loud and about the same volume as a garbage truck that would be in front of your home on the street.
How To Stop Excessive Barking in a Cane Corso?
The biggest mistake that pet owners make when they have a new dog or puppy is to give them what they are asking for when they bark.
Often, puppies get excited when you have their ball in your hand and they may start barking, insisting that you give it to them or throw it so they can fetch it.
This is a huge mistake because your pretty pooch will believe that’s how he can get his way in any situation.
You can totally ignore your dog when he’s barking and insisting on something. You may walk away from him, give him no attention and enter a different room to show him that barking doesn’t get him anywhere.
After he’s been quiet for a few minutes, you can reward him with a treat for being quiet and not barking.
You can try the desensitizing method to squelch the barking. Have a friend walk by your home over and over and tell your dog “quiet” if he barks. When he quits barking at your friend walking by, praise him and give him a delicious doggie treat.
When Is It Okay To Bark?
There are several different reasons why your Cane Corso may bark in an appropriate situation.
The greeting bark is when they welcome people or other dogs as a sign of a friendly bark when they are actually already familiar with the person or dog.
When you arrive home from work, a Cane Corso may have a higher-pitched bark to welcome you because he is excited to see you.
When your four-legged family member barks in a high pitch and it’s insistent barking that goes on for a while, he is either requesting food from you or he wants attention from you.
Depending on if this type of barking happens a lot–it may be okay, but if it’s constantly happening, you may want to correct your furball.
An alert bark is when your dog sees something out of the ordinary or they may hear a noise that is strange to them and not known.
It’s a high-pitched bark that is usually very brief and only lasts for a few barks. If this is excessive, you may want to correct him as well.
Fear barking is when your dog feels personally threatened by an object or a person. It’s a very deep, loud bark that is harsh and prolonged for quite some time.
If your dog is fear barking at something that doesn’t warrant it because he is afraid, you can desensitize him to that sound, object, or situation.
When he behaves calmly in the same scenario, you can praise him and give him a tasty treat for accepting the object or situation without excessive barking.
How to Stop Excessive Barking in Cane Corsos?
Your pup might decide to bark a lot when he is excited and demanding something of you such as attention, playing with him, or his food.
In these cases, there is no need for him to keep barking. Instead of just giving in to him and giving him whatever he’s demanding, make him earn it first.
You can teach him the “sit” command from a very young age as a puppy to help with this. When he demands his food dish, make him sit and quit barking before you set it down on the floor for him to eat.
If he’s demanding that you throw his ball to play with him, do the same thing and make him sit quietly without barking before you throw it.
Does Your Dog Have Separation Anxiety?
Separation anxiety causes dogs to bark constantly when you leave them home alone. They feel like they are lonely and vulnerable to outside things when you aren’t home and this causes a lot of barking in a high pitch, a raspy voice, or a whiny voice.
Crate training your dog to be calm in his crate when you need to leave the house for a period of time will help him to feel safe and protected.
Before you leave the house for quite some time, you should let your dog do his business outside, play with him a bit to tire him out, and leave him several toys and dog chews in his crate while you are gone.
Start by leaving for only a few minutes and then increase the time you are gone gradually sot hat your pooch realizes that you will always come back home.
Agression Barking and Cane Corsos
Some dogs of this breed, depending on their bloodlines, maybe a bit aggressive at times. You can overcome aggressive barking by being patient, consistent, and understanding with your pooch.
Make sure you reward him at all times with lots of praise for avoiding bad behavior and teach him to obey your commands no matter what.
What About Fence Barking?
Some dogs will bark at the neighbor’s dog or the neighbors themselves while standing at the fence between your two yards. This can be very aggravating with a loud barking dog.
Teach your pup the commands of “come” “sit” and “quiet” with positive reinforcement to overcome this type of excessive barking.
Behavior Modification for Barking
When your dog is barking too much, you need to find out what his trigger is that is causing this behavior. If you remove that trigger from his environment, then the barking should subside.
Teaching him the basic commands helps to curb barking because he is concentrating on you and learning new things so he gets treats.
Things Not To Do About Barking
Don’t yell at your dog for barking too much or he will likely just get louder and bark longer. Never hit your dog or use a shock collar to try to curb his barking. Don’t let him bark constantly when he’s outside or your neighbors will quickly become enemies.
Final Thoughts
Make sure that your Cane Corso gets a lot of exercise and playtime on a daily basis. Choose puzzle toys for him to keep his mind stimulated and busy to take his mind off barking at everything that moves or makes a sound.
