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If you are looking for a companion dog that can also protect your property, you cannot go wrong with an Irish Wolfhound and Cane Corso mix. Though rare, this mix is known for its imposing appearance and protectiveness.
However, this mix has many other characteristics that may surprise owners unfamiliar with it. In this article, we will discuss the Cane Corso Wolfhound Mix in terms of its temperament, physical traits, care tips, and more.
Breed Overview
Height:
22–28 inches
Weight:
100–140 pounds
Lifespan:
10–12 years
Colors:
Black, brindle, fawn, blue, red, or gray
Suitable for:
Active families, households with older kids, and anyone looking for a guard dog
Temperament:
Intelligent, loyal, and protective
As the name suggests, this dog is created by crossing a Cane Corso with an Irish Wolfhound. The Irish Wolfhound is a rangy, big, and scruffy-looking dog that was initially bred for hunting and as a guard dog. However, beneath the rough exterior is a sensitive and pleasant dog that forms lifelong bonds with its owners.
On the other hand, the Cane Corso, or “Corso” in short, is a muscular and large-sized Mastiff breed that is highly intelligent, loving, docile, and very devoted to protecting its owners despite their aggressive appearance. Overall, Cane Corso requires moderate care and maintenance and will require plenty of exercise, socialization, and training.
Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix Puppies
Since the Cane Corso Wolfhound Mix is an exceptionally large-sized dog, puppy development usually spans between 20–24 months to grow into full maturity. Physically, these puppies can grow incredibly fast between the first 9–10 months. After that, their growth rate slows down in the adolescent stage to gain fat and muscle mass, and this can last between 10–16 months.
These puppies reach their full adult size between 12–14 months.
Socially, the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix grows steadily and will reach sexual maturity between 11–12 months and full mental maturity by the time they are two years old. However, some dogs may still display puppy-like behavior for a few extra months.
Since this mix features two different parent dog breeds, you should first inquire about the different characteristics of the parents before mixing them and affecting your dog’s general temperament. You can also opt to meet the parent dogs to get a rough idea about the kind of temperament they will give their puppies.
The parent breeds can also affect the adaptability of the puppies. Consult your breeder to get an idea of the potential adaptability range you can expect from a particular litter of mixed puppies.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix 🧠
The Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix is known to be an incredibly protective and loyal dog that always puts its owners first. They make great companions and will enjoy playing Frisbee or fetch at your local dog park.
They are also very intelligent—a trait passed down from both parent breeds. They can quickly and easily learn new tricks and commands. However, if owners do not invest in proper training, their instinct to take charge can be an issue for the pet parents.
All in all, the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix is confident, reserved, quiet, and very attentive to its surroundings.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪
The characteristics of the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix make them an ideal choice for a family companion. Besides being loyal and caring, the dogs also seem to be aware of the potential problems their huge size can cause.
While they can get along with kids, they are best suited for families with older children. This is because, as a large dog mix, it can easily knock over and trample young kids and smaller pets.
Also, it is susceptible to a sudden burst of energy, which can cause accidents in your home. So, supervision is necessary when this dog is around smaller children.
Does This Dog Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽
Generally, the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix is considered a friendly canine that can easily get along with pets, including other dogs. However, if you are hoping to integrate this huge dog into your family, it is best to introduce two dogs while at the puppy stage.
Also, even though it can live with cats as a sighthound, it will naturally want to chase after them. Again, you should try to introduce the two animals while young to get a positive response.
However, if you keep smaller animals like rabbits, do not leave your dog alone with them. Your dog is very likely to chase after it, possibly leading to serious injuries or worse.
Things to Know When Owning a Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
As a highly energetic dog, the Cane Corso-Irish Wolfhound Mix requires an age-appropriate and high-quality diet to satisfy its nutritional needs. In a commercial store setting, the diets can either be labeled senior, adult, or puppy. If you come across a diet labeled as “all life stages”, you should only feed this to your puppies because the composition of the food is not formulated for older mature dogs.
Keep to a diet recommended and approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). With AAFCO-approved diets, you don’t need to buy additional mineral and vitamin supplements. But some supplements may come in handy for digestive and joint health as well as providing your mutt with a well-rounded health plan.
These dogs are susceptible to stomach issues, so you should take some precautions before feeding. For instance, instead of giving your dog one huge and heavy meal, consider giving it smaller meal portions spread throughout the day.
Moreover, avoid feeding your dog animal bones or table scraps because this can easily cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach upset, and a general lack of appetite. Also, foods high in fats can cause pancreatitis.
Generally, you should only feed your Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound mix 3 to 4 times a day and on a regular schedule. Adult dogs should only be fed twice a day. The amount of food you give your dog will, of course, depend on your dog’s specific energy requirements and the food’s specific caloric density. But it’s best to consult your vet first.
Exercise 🐕
As a muscular and athletic dog, the exercise requirements for Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix are very high. Mental stimulation and physical activities that benefit their general well-being include regular walks, bike rides, and jogs, as well as muscle toning exercises such as weight pulling or playing tug of war.
Generally, an adult dog will need about 90 minutes of exercise per day. However, this will depend on the age and activity level.
The best way to ensure that your puppy grows and thrives into a healthy mature dog is by exercising it from 3 months of age. You can do this by taking short leashed walks (about 5-10 minutes) around your neighborhood. You can then increase the frequency and length of the walk as the puppy grows.
Without regular exercise, your dogs will likely become frustrated, bored, disobedient, and even worse, aggressive towards your household members. So, by engaging your dog in physical activities, you get to increase your safety and improve your dog’s general peace of mind.
If your dog is indoor raised or you happen to live in an apartment building with minimal open space for exercises, you can provide chew toys or balls to help him burn excess energy.
Training 🎾
As earlier mentioned, this mix is considered attentive and eager to please, thus easier to train using positive training techniques such as praise or treats.
- House training: Usually, this mix is often considered clean and tidy. Be that as it may, house training tends to take longer. This can be attributed to the fact that they usually have a strong hunting instinct which may prompt them to follow their nose instead of listening and paying attention to the commands from the owner.
- Crate Training: Experts recommend that you need to crate train this dog because it can easily attempt to escape your compound in search of an interesting smell. Crate training is also a good way to potty train your mutt because it will not want to soil its sleeping area.
- Guard Dog Training: As you may have gathered, these dogs can make excellent guard dogs. However, you need to socialize your puppies from a very young age so that they can learn to distinguish between foes and friends.
Grooming ✂️
Just like their parent breeds, the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix features glossy, short-haired, and double-layered coats that don’t shed frequently. However, they shed profusely after they blow their coats in fall and spring.
- Skin Care: When it comes to skincare, this mix is surprisingly very low-maintenance, only requiring bathing a few times a year, preferably in spring when the shedding is high or when they simply get dirty. If you bathe your dog more frequently, you are likely to strip off the natural oil coat that helps protect the skin from foreign agents.
- Coat Care: It’s good practice to brush your dog’s coat during the shedding season. But as a general rule of thumb, brush your dog’s coat weekly, preferably using a bristle brush, a hound glove, or a rubber grooming tool to remove dander and dead hair before it falls on your clothes and furniture. Brushing also promotes new fur growth.
- Eye Care: Your dog’s eyes should always be clear and without any discharge or redness. So, make sure that your dog’s lashes are not long enough to rub on the eye. You can clean the eyes with mild-eye cleaning wipes to prevent tear staining.
- Ear Care: Check for a bad odor or any redness in your dog’s ears because they might be a sign of an ear infection. However, you shouldn’t regularly clean your dog’s ears if there aren’t any signs of infections because it can create more problems than it would solve. Any excessive amount of moisture in the ear can easily promote bacterial growth in the ear canal, thus leading to ear infections.
- Nail Care: The dog’s nails should be cleaned and trimmed regularly. If you allow your dog’s nails to grow excessively long, they can cause problems with running and walking. It is also extremely painful for dogs.
Health and Conditions 🏥
While Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound mixes are generally healthy dogs, they are also prone to some conditions inherited from the parent breeds. Potential owners of this dog should be on the lookout for the following health issues that affect this dog.
- Demodectic Mange: This is a skin condition that can develop in dogs due to a genetic disposition. Some signs may include scaly skin, red bumps, hair loss, itchiness, and thickening and darkening of the skin. Smaller lesions tend to resolve themselves in about two months. But larger lesions can be treated and managed with oral or topical medications
- Obesity: Obesity can stress your dog’s body, paving the way for other health issues. Therefore, it is always best to work with your local vet to come up with a suitable nutritional plan for the different stages of your dog’s life.
- Elbow and Hip Dysplasia: Hip Dysplasia is a common degenerative joint malady that affects the hind limbs, while elbow dysplasia affects the front limbs. This condition can progress into arthritis later on in life.
- Idiopathic Epilepsy: Epilepsy is simply a seizure disorder, while “idiopathic” refers to medical issues that arise spontaneously, even when there is no apparent cause. These seizures tend to occur in dogs below age 3. While this disease may not have a cure as of yet, it can be managed.
- Eyelid Abnormalities: Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix breeds are highly likely to inherit eye conditions from the parent Cane Corso dogs. They include Entropion, Ectropion, and Cherry Eye. These eye abnormalities can cause secondary bacterial infection, chronic irritation, and even conjunctivitis. The only way to correct these eye issues is through surgery.
- Bloat and GDV (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus): This life-threatening condition can suddenly occur when a dog’s stomach enlarges because of bloat and then later twists on itself because of GDV. Granted, bloat can sometimes be treated with medical intervention, but GDV requires immediate corrective surgery to save the mutt’s life. Thankfully, you can prevent your dog from developing this often-fatal disease using gastropexy. This is a type of surgery done on puppies that are being neutered or spayed.
Lifespan
Note that this dog tends to have a shorter lifespan which can discourage dog enthusiasts from adopting or purchasing it. It lives up to 9 years and thereabouts, while other family breeds, like Retrievers and Labradors, can live twice as much as this. So, it may be an unappealing breed to dog enthusiasts looking for lifelong companions.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix
1. The Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix Can ‘Talk’.
Indeed, this dog breed can talk or at least vocalize. You can expect snuffles, snorts, and howling sounds somewhere between singing and barking.
2. This Dog Extremely Sensitive to Their Owners
This dog is much more attuned to different mood swings from the owner. They may even think that they are the main cause of your grief, happiness, pride, or even anger. Most owners describe the relationship with this dog as one of depth and subtlety.
3. They Thrive When Given Something to Do
This dog will be in its element when given a task to do. It could be working on a farm or even participating in dog sports such as agility, tracking, and scent work.
In Conclusion
The Cane Corso Irish Wolfhound Mix is a very handsome and rare dog from two very distinct purebreds. While not common in many households, it has steadily been rising in popularity due to its keen mind, appearance, and devoted nature.
They feature an even temperament, making them suitable as family pets regardless of other dogs being present in the household. They’re also loved because of their unwavering loyalty and willingness to protect their owners.
See also:
- Cane Corso Dogo Argentino Mix: Guide, Pictures, Care & More
- Cane Corso Bloodhound Mix: Guide, Pictures, Care & More
Featured Image Credit: Left – Cane Corso (Didkovska Ilona, Shutterstock) | Right – Irish Wolfhound (DragoNika, Shutterstock)
