Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher vs Cane Corso - Breed Comparison

Hailing from Austria, the Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher, better known as the Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher has always been depicted on paintings from the Baroque period.

The dog is a terrier-type canine and has always been used as a watchdog but he was also used to hunt because of the terrier qualities he possesses.

This dog has always been used for working on farms. Breeding of this dog started in 1921 and the dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

As a descendant of the Canis pugnax, the Cane Corso dog which hails from Italy has been used for guarding livestock and property. The Corso’s lineage goes far back to ancient Roman times, with the name of dog actually meaning bodyguard dog.

As life changed in Italy, the Corso became more rare so that some enthusiasts of the breed began to look at helping the dog recover from the brink of extinction. By 1994, the breed was accepted by the Italian Kennel Club and the dog was also recognized internationally, with the American Kennel Club recognizing the Cane Corso in 2010.

As a medium sized dog, both males and females stand at between 42 and 50cm in height and the dog weighs roughly between 14 and 20kg.

The coat is shortish, dense and smooth and is essentially black and tan with some white, fawn or brindle. The ears of the dog are fairly short and they look as though they wanted to be erect but then decided to be floppy. The nose is black and the eyes dark brown.

The tail is usually docked but when it is left long, it curls over the back. If you want your dog to be bred you can expect between 4 – 6 puppies.

Temperament:

These are playful dogs, getting on well with their human families and wanting to get involved in their activities. They are suspicious of strangers. They are good with kids, making them a good playmate, but they don’t like small children being allowed to climb over them.

They are able to get along well with any other pets in the house. It would be to your benefit to have the dog trained and socialized as he becomes obedient and good around people in social settings. He is an intelligent dog and will find training easy.

They also take their role as guardian and protector seriously.Because he was bred to be a farm dog, he wouldn’t e able to adapt to life on a tiny property in the city.

A Molosser Dog:

The Cane Corso is a large dog which hails from Italy. He is a molosser. The dog is muscled and is somewhat less bulkier than other Mastiff breeds. He is 64-70 cm in height and he weighs 45-50 kg.

The head of the Cane Corso is large and the ears are cropped and stand erect. The tail is also traditionally docked to give the dog a distinctive look, but these days, with regulations regarding tail docking, the dog can also be seen with a full tail.

The Corso has a short coat which comes in fawn shades, gray, red, brindle or black shades. White markings are common on the chest, chin, toes and sometimes on the nose.

Temperament:

The Corso is a working dog who needs lots of mental and physical stimulation. He’s an inquisitive dog who is confident and ready to meet life as it comes. He’ll want a strong, firm owner with leadership qualities. He'll require training and socialization and then he becomes an affectionate, obedient pet who gets on well with all members of the family as well as other pets. He is a highly intelligent dog and responds well to training.

Have your Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher trained and socialized if you want him to be amicable and obedient around you and your visitors.

He does well with a human family who are firm, kind and patient with him. He loves to be kept busy with both mental and physical exercise, thriving on challenging activities, and he will become frustrated if he is left day after day just to lie around.

Take him with you on walks, buy him nice chewy, stimulating toys, throw a ball or frisbee with him and include him in your activities.

This is a dog more suited to life in the countryside as opposed to life in the city. Care well for this splendid family pet and you’ll quickly begin to see why dogs like him are known as man’s best friend.

The Cane Corso is known for his agility and athleticism. He is full of energy and he also wants lots of attention and companionship from his human family. With proper training and socialization his temperament changes so that he becomes a super friend and companion while also being protective.

The dog is attentive and receptive to training. The way a dog turns out is essentially what the owners are like, and many Cane Corso dogs have been blamed for being aggressive because they’ve been brought up by aggressive, abusive and irresponsible owners.

The Cane Corso is a large dog with an exuberant nature and who expresses his joy by snorting, wheezing, grunting and slobbering. Treat him well as a family member and you’re going to have a wonderful friend and protector.

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher is a robust kind of dog that isn’t going to have you rushing to the vet very often. True, he does have some hereditary health issues but it is highly unlikely that you will find these health issues in your pet.

Nonetheless it pays to know about one of the more serious conditions -

Congenital Heart Condition:

This is a heart disease that is present from birth and could have been passed down from the parent dog to the puppy. A congenital heart defect occurs as a malformation of any valve, with the most common congenital heart diseases in dogs being patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis as well as subaortic stenosis, all potentially inherited defects.

Sometimes a dog can live a fairly normal life with this disease but other times there are complications which can lead to congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, causing symptoms such as difficulty with breathing, cough and weakness. Your dog will need to get to the vet to discuss treatment options.

The life expectancy of the Cane Corso is 10 to 12 years. He is a large, healthy dog breed, but all large dogs are inclined towards bone and joint problems which includes hip dysplasia. Your Cane Corso is also prone to eye defects.

Cherry Eye:

Strangely, dogs have 3 eyelids, with the third eyelid being home to tear producing gland. There are some dogs where the ligament fails so that the gland pops out, looking like a cherry stuck at the inner corner of the eye. The veterinarian will be able to perform surgery to attach the gland back.

Entropion:

There are dogs where the eyelids roll inwards. Entropion causes hair to rub on the surface of the eye, resulting in pain and also damage to the cornea. Sometimes surgery will be necessary to fix the eyelid.

Exercise:

They need quite a lot of exercise, and even though they can adopt to life in the countryside or the city, they will require regular walks, ball- and rope games to prevent them becoming bored, frustrated and destructive.

Grooming:

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher sheds quite a bit so he will need to be brushed at least twice a week to remove the loose hairs.

Diet:

As a medium sized, energetic dog, you want to ensure you maintain your dogs energetic nature by providing him with excellent food.

Choose your commercially manufactured food carefully as some of them are of a poor quality and can actually be detrimental to your dog’s health. Choose a high quality kibble that has quality ingredients.

Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes all chopped up and added to his kibble occasionally will do wonders for this dog. He will thrive on also getting in some raw meat from time to time.

Ensure a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

The short coat sheds fairly heavily twice a year. His coat will certainly need a brush twice a week but during shedding time it will be more often if you want to avoid your home being full of hair. As you brush, its the chance to check for fleas, ticks and skin infections.

Brush your Cane Corso’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week to remove tartar build-up. If you don’t there is the problem of bacteria which can result in gum disease, bad breath and tooth loss.

Diet:

Your Cane Corso is a large, active dog and will therefore require a high quality food for his breed type. The type of food your dog eats will depend on his age and his activity levels.

The quality of dog food is highly important as it is a contributing factor towards his health. Always try to give your dog some home-made food such as vegetables, rice and meat. Include some raw meat into his diet from time to time as a dog is a carnivore, and raw meat in his diet will help to stave off skin problems. Never forget to check that he has fresh, cool water around the clock.