Magical Creature Cane Corso

A Real Request to Anyone Reaching Out About a Cane Corso- I want to address something that breeders across the Cane Corso community are dealing with daily. This isn’t aimed at any one person, but it needs to be said for the sake of our time, our programs, and the dogs we dedicate our lives to. When you reach out to a breeder, please make sure you are financially prepared and ready to commit. A Cane Corso is not a casual purchase or a “pick up tomorrow” breed. Ethical Corsos begin around three thousand dollars and often fall in the four to five thousand range depending on health testing, titles, and the quality behind the breeding. Even with prices listed on my website, Facebook, and GoodDog, the first question I hear daily is, “How much?” It is listed everywhere. And then, “Well, someone down the street sells them for $1,000.” I’ve even been asked if I would sell a puppy for $500. Ear cropping alone is $500 with a reputable laser crop vet, and that doesn’t include the weeks of aftercare I handle. Producing a correct Cane Corso is not something that can be done cheaply. Here’s why ethical Cane Corsos cost what they cost: There are the parents, or the parents’ parents. There are whelping costs, reproduction appointments, progesterone tests, ultrasounds, semen shipments, artificial inseminations, and in many cases traveling hours or states away to use the right stud — not just the stud we already own. There’s the cost of raising the litter: whelping areas, pens, flooring, disinfectants, enrichment items, toys, bedding — all of which puppies destroy constantly. Puppies smell, puppies break things, puppies damage homes, and everything must be replaced again and again. There are the sleepless nights for two to three weeks straight making sure puppies don’t get rolled on or smothered. Monitoring temperatures, weights, feeding schedules, hydration. No one sees the heartbreak when a puppy fades despite doing everything possible. No one sees the two to four thousand dollars spent on an emergency C-section to save the mom and the litter. Then there’s health testing. Luckily my OFA vet is close by but my PennHIP vet — the most affordable, qualified option in Florida — is two and a half hours away and close to $1,000-$1200 per dog. Add the cost of showing and titling: entry fees, travel, hotel stays, fuel, food, handlers, training hours, and years of investing into a bloodline. These dogs are not produced by accident. They are produced through planning, science, structure, temperament goals, and financial sacrifice. Now let’s talk about time. I am very tired of unannounced visits at my home. No one should ever show up at a breeder’s house without scheduling. It is unsafe and disrespectful. Scheduled visits require serious preparation. When someone books an appointment, I stop my day. I groom dogs, exercise them beforehand, sanitize areas, clean my home, and set aside hours to make sure everything is ready. That level of preparation is for scheduled appointments only. When people show up unexpectedly, I am unprepared because that time was never blocked off. Video calls, puppy introductions, tours, meeting dogs — all of this pulls time from my family and my kennel. Many puppies people want to see are days old, and disturbing them for someone who ghosts afterward is unfair to everyone involved. And the constant “I’ll send the deposit tomorrow” messages followed by silence — that time was invested. That trust was extended. And it becomes harder for breeders to accommodate future families who are serious. Most ethical breeders have waitlists spanning two to nine months. Even with a litter on the ground, it doesn’t guarantee the right temperament match exists for your home. Placement is about compatibility, not color or convenience. This breed requires training, stability, planning, and patience. And sometimes the right breeder isn’t local. You may need to travel, hire a transporter, or fly into Orlando and take your puppy home in cabin. The best breeder for you isn’t always the closest breeder. And here’s the truth many people don’t realize: Deposits are what keep small ethical breeding programs running. Deposits pay for: • Dog food (which for me is $500–$750 a week) • Health testing • Reproduction veterinary work • Stud fees and semen shipments • Puppy supplies, equipment, and constant replacements • Emergency care • Handler fees • Show entries, sports entries, and travel expenses • Training equipment and conditioning • The upkeep of our entire breeding program I have eight dogs. That is a small program. I am not a commercial kennel churning out litters every month. I do not have endless puppies or constant income from sales. I cannot fund a legitimate, ethical breeding program on a standard nine-to-five income alone. Every planned litter has a purpose, and every puppy contributes to keeping the program alive and improving the breed. When a litter is born, I may keep one puppy. The remaining puppies — whether placed as pets, performance dogs, or show prospects — are what support the future of my kennel and pay for the very things that make your puppy healthy, well-raised, and well-bred. So when someone says, “I’ll send the deposit tomorrow,” I hold that spot. I turn away other families. I stop advertising that puppy. I pause conversations with people who were ready to commit. And when that person ghosts me, that is time, opportunity, and income lost. Small ethical kennels cannot function on broken promises. If you are not ready to place a deposit, that is completely fine — just be honest upfront. But please do not ask for hours of my time, multiple calls, in-person visits, and full access to my kennel if you were never ready to move forward. Deposits are not just a formality. They are what allow ethical breeders to continue producing healthy, stable, well-tempered Cane Corsos for families who truly value them. All I ask is for honesty, respect, and consideration of our time and the work we put in every single day. Now let’s talk about breeding rights. If you want breeding rights or show rights from an ethical breeder, expect a detailed contract. These contracts often include co-ownership, requirements for earning a conformation title, and mandatory health testing. Full health testing can cost as much as the purchase price of the dog — sometimes more once you add showing or sport work. A decade of work goes into building a bloodline. Ethical breeders take the financial risk, health test, title, travel, and invest in every generation. Do not expect to receive our best puppy and then turn around and breed without standards, knowledge, or ethics. Preservation breeding requires accountability. If a breeder gives you their best puppy, expect that breeder to require a puppy back. They want to protect and preserve the line at the same level you hope to build or strengthen your own. And now, something important for pet homes: If you are purchasing a puppy under a pet-only contract with no breeding rights, do not come to me with unresearched reasons why you do not want to spay or neuter your Cane Corso. If you get a companion puppy from me, that dog is expected to be spayed or neutered at 24–28 months of age. No earlier, no later. If you cannot follow that requirement and want to argue about it, please find a different breeder. Every family I have ever placed a companion puppy with — 99.9 percent — has honored the contract they signed. This is a non-negotiable part of purchasing a pet from me. My job is to protect the breed and protect the long-term health and stability of the dogs I produce. So here is my honest request: Do not reach out unless you are ready. Do not schedule visits unless you are prepared to move forward. Do not ask for breeding rights unless you understand the cost and responsibility. Do not purchase a pet puppy unless you agree to the spay/neuter requirements. Respect the time, work, and sacrifice behind every ethical litter. Ethical breeders give everything they have to produce healthy, stable, sound Cane Corsos. All we ask for in return is honesty, readiness, and respect. If you aren’t ready yet, that is perfectly fine. Learn the breed, prepare yourself, and when the time is right, we will be here to guide you.