Blue Cane Corsos are beautiful, stunning, and breathtaking dogs. Blue coats and blue eyes are incredibly rare in the Mastiff dog group. They are also rare, and if you ever saw one of them at the dog park, you couldn’t help but notice it. But, there is one major thing. Their blue coat is the result of a genetic mutation, a recessive gene called the dilution gene. This gene causes the lack of melanin, not only in the coat and skin of these dogs but also in their irises. That means that they will have light coats, paws, noses, and eyes. But just like with any other genetic mutation, this also comes with certain risks. For instance, they are much more likely to develop skin cancer and alopecia.
In addition to that, no reputable breeder is going to breed this color on purpose, as it’s not recognized by the AKC, and does not fall under the breed standard. That means that finding one of these puppies will be difficult, expensive, and most of all, risky. We have already stated our opinion multiple times and suggested to our readers that, rather than a blue Cane Corso, they should opt for one of the standard colors. But what about their mixes? If you still want that stunning blue color, but you also want a healthy puppy, is your best option to choose a crossbreed?
Hybrid vigor
Do you know what hybrid vigor is? It’s a scientific term, so even if you don’t, there is no need to feel bad about it. Basically, it is used in genetic theories to explain the fact that the offspring of two different and diverse parents is superior to one of two similar parents. This is due to the fact that genetic mutations and recessive genes are less likely to occur in this combination. How would we translate that in the canine world? It would mean that crossbreeds are healthier than their purebred parents.
We have talked about this multiple times, and we have to mention that the answer isn’t always black and white. In nature, sure, crossbreeds do have the chance to be healthier than their purebred parents. However, you have to remember that dog breeding is a whole, huge business. The health of your puppy mainly depends on breeding techniques. Was your breeder screening the parents for the most common health issues? Or are you buying from a backyard breeder who didn’t even realize that this was something he was supposed to do so?
The two most common crossbreeds with the blue Cane Corso are the blue Cane Corso Presa Canario mix, and the blue nose Pitbull Cane Corso mix. These are two rare and new crossbreeds, and the information about them is still limited. However, in this article, we will go over everything that is known, and decide if these dogs are a better option.
Blue Cane Corso Presa Canario
The Presa Canario and Cane Corso are two strikingly similar breeds. Not only in terms of appearance, but also in terms of their personality, trainability, and the lifestyle that they need. So it’s no surprise that there is also a crossbreed of these two. When it comes to the blue Cane Corso Presa Canario mix, the idea behind it is pretty clear. Creating a dog that looks almost exactly like a blue Cane Corso, but with healthier genes due to the Presa Canario addition.
When it comes to colors, the Presa Canario has slightly more variety than the Cane Corso. Presa Canarios come in brown, fawn, gold, orange, silver, and tiger. These are the American Kennel Club-recognized coat colors. When it comes to Cane Corsos, the AKC accepted colors are: black, fawn, gray, gray brindle, red, black brindle, and chestnut brindle. As you can tell, neither of these two breed standards feature a blue coat color.
That’s not surprising, considering that “blue” isn’t a coat color at all. We have explained it multiple times on our site, but you should not expect a “blue” dog to be actually blue. Blue in the canine world refers to a light gray with a slight blue undertone to it. So no, you are not getting a strumf blue dog. Even though it would be pretty cool.
What to expect?
As we have already explained, the physical differences between these two guard dogs are minimal. Doing a breed comparison, you could notice that they are of a similar size, with identical facial features. They often have a black mask around their face and a short coat. These large, working dogs need a strong pack leader who will give them the obedience training they need. They are strong willed wild dogs and not your regular household pet. These intelligent dogs also need early socialization and aren’t the best choice for families with small children. Young children could easily get hurt when trying to play with them a bit to rough or get too close to their food.
Due to their massive size, they also need a proportionate amount of food. But to avoid bloat, you shouldn’t feed them just one large meal a day. Feed them multiple smaller meals. Other common ailments they have are hip dysplasia, skin irritations, and elbow dysplasia. But that is only for mixed breed dogs with the traditional look. If your Cane Canario dog has the dilution gene, he will also be prone to other health issues. But let’s take a look at the other important factors of these two blue bully breeds from southern Italy and the Canary islands.
Is the blue Cane Corso Presa Canario mix healthier?
This depends on so many factors, but mostly on the parents of your crossbreed puppy. There are many options available to cross over. In most cases, breeders would cross a blue Cane Corso with a silver Presa Canario. That would make your crossbreed puppy keep his light, silvery coat, while still getting the “healthier” genes of the Presa Canario parent. But this is only in theory. In real life, there is no way to determine what types of genes a puppy will inherit.
Silver Presa Canarios are pretty rare as well, and a lot of them also have those brindle tiger stripes. That means that your dog wouldn’t have that signature sleek, blue-gray coat. In addition to that, most Presa Canarios don’t have blue eyes. Their eyes are brown or hazel, which means that your pup would most likely also inherit this eye color.
All in all, you can tell that no, you wouldn’t get the classic look of a blue Cane Corso. Yes, your hybrid puppy would most likely be healthier. However, what’s the point of crossing a Presa Canarios with a possibly sick blue Cane Corso if their offspring wouldn’t inherit the recessive genes anyway? It makes no sense. In addition to that, a reputable breeder wouldn’t risk the health of his puppies as well.
Bottom line
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t fall for advertisements saying that they sell “healthy” blue Cane Corso mixes with Presa Canarios. In order to get the appearance of the classic blue Cane Corso, which includes blue eyes, a blue nose, and a steel blue coat, your puppy has to have the dilution gene. The dilution gene is a recessive gene that is the product of a genetic mutation. The next generation of puppies, that were bred with a healthy Presa Canarios, mathematically speaking, have a very low chance of inheriting the gene.
And if they do, you are back at the beginning and have a puppy that is prone to different health issues. See how that doesn’t make any sense at all? This whole thing seems like a huge scam and a way for backyard breeders to make as much money as possible, and find a way to advertise their puppies as being in good shape. Don’t fall for it. The coat color shouldn’t be the most important thing when choosing a puppy, especially if it would compromise its health.
Blue Nose Pitbull Cane Corso mix
Now, let’s take a look at the second most popular crossbreed. Interestingly enough, this actually isn’t a direct mix of the blue Cane Corso, at least not in all cases. Instead, it is a mix of the blue nose Pitbull, with a Cane Corso. A blue nose Pitbull has all of the desired physical traits that a potential blue Cane Corso owner wants. They have blue eyes, a silver coat, and a light nose. But are they any healthier than blue Cane Corsos?
In short, no, they aren’t. To get those piercingly blue eyes, and light silver blue coat, a canine just has to have a recessive gene. That means that the blue nose Pitbull also carries the dilution gene that can be found in Cane Corsos. But interestingly enough, blue nose Pitbulls are still much less controversial than Cane Corsos. Because even though they are prone to the same health ailments that blue Cane Corsos are, they usually don’t display any of the illnesses.
What to expect?
So, what should you expect from this blue Pit Corso mix? One thing is certain, these would be powerful dogs with high exercise needs. Both of the parent breeds of the Pit Corso are considered large dogs, do the Cane Corso Pitbull mix puppy would be a large and muscular dog as well. But these designer dogs, due to their dilution gene, can have a number of different health problems. But we will talk more about that later. But that doesn’t mean that other designer dogs of this combination with a darker coat color can’t be healthy dogs.
But there are some other things that you should consider before adopting any Pit Corso. The Cane Corso Pitbull mix puppy isn’t the right choice for new dog owners. They need a lot of proper training with positive reinforcement to prevent aggressive behavior. The American Staffordshire Terrier has a bad reputation in the United States due to their history of fighting dogs. While most Pitbulls of today are lovely pets, it still wouldn’t be a good idea to adopt a notorious Pitbull or its crossbreeds if you have small children at home. Especially when they are crossed with large dogs such as Cane Corsos.
Is the Cane Corso blue nose Pitbull mix healthier?
As you can tell by everything that we have said above, not really. Especially when it comes to Pitbulls, you have to be careful. Why? Because these dogs are so popular, but yet not recognized by the AKC due to their bad reputation. That gives scammy breeders the playground they need to do what they need to in order to make as much money from their breeding as possible.
You do have the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America which tries to regulate the breeding process. But it’s still very much of a gray area. In addition to that, as I have already explained, the blue nose Pitbull also has the recessive gene. If you cross a blue Cane Corso with a blue nose Pitbull, it’s just a recipe for disaster. Sure, not every time, but the risk of making a dog sick on purpose is just too high.
Bottomline
In the end, we wouldn’t suggest buying either of these dogs. But especially not the Blue nose Pitbull Cane Corso mix, especially if it’s the offspring of a blue nose Pitbull and a blue Cane Corso. Breeding two dogs with the same recessive genes could cause major health issues in your puppy, and he could be prone to a number of different diseases. No ethical breeder would give a green light to these breeding practices, and while you would end up with a gorgeous-looking dog, it could leave you with a lot of heartaches after he or she ends up sick.
You have to be responsible when picking out a puppy. Put your money where your mouth is. So many puppies already have to live an agonizingly painful life because their breeders didn’t put their health first. It’s just not worth it. Find a reputable breeder, who prioritizes selling good-quality, healthy, and even-tempered pups. Trust me when I say that won’t even notice your dog’s coat color after some time. What really matters is the bond and friendship that the two of you will form over the years that your healthy pup will spend with you.