With domestication for utilitary uses, the Cane Corso had in time gone through changes in conformation physically and mentally.  Between various typologies of dogs, it can be confirmed that "Cane Corso" descends from the molossoid, a dog who demonstrated a very strong and robust form who went into acts of combat.
 
The use of the breed was very diversified, primarily used for guarding property and protecting cattle against wolves and cattle thieves.  For decades, the Cane Corso was used for hunting large game such as wild boar, wolf and bear, an activity very popular among the nobles.  Usually, they used both Segugio (tracking dogs) and Cane Corso together.  The breed had an optimum hunting instinct and would bring back a good meal for the shepherds.  He was also popular amongst drivers who transported goods through Italy.  The dog would run along side the horse and cart and protect against highwaymen.

During this century, as agricultural production modernized, the need for this breed decreased, numbers of the population fell drastically and become more rare.  From the 1950's up to the early 1980's Cane Corso was kept alive by just a few shepherds and farmers in isolated parts of Southern Italy. The Cane Corso was inevitably considered to have had, since remote times, a great importance to man which led to the recontruction of the breed.  A dog which surely is the most antique domesticated animal that, in the course of milleniums, achieved a position of privilege in the human community that was reached by no other animal.

Mental Characteristics

Alert, attentive, protective and of stable mind. The disposition of this breed makes it an attractive one. Cane Corsos make formidable family guardians, loyal pets and highly trainable working animals. They should be submissive to its family, yet suspicious and threatening to strangers. They are physical, but gentle with children and do best in situations where they can be part of a family or used in day-to-day working situations. This breed does not do well if it has too much idle time to spend. Because they are an active breed, they can become destructive if boredom sets in.

Although Corsos can run large in size, they make great house animals. These dogs just want to be around people. They can adapt well to most housing situations and usually stay very close to their property, not wandering from home. Cane Corsos require lots of exercise to stay happy and healthy. At times, they can be highly excitable or stubborn, so early socialization, backed up with positive reinforcement and obedience training is highly recommended."

A farmer from S. Paola di Civitale (Foggia) - as told by Alfonso Comer

*Mr. Michael Ertaskiran has made many, many trips to Italy and often speaks with farmers who have had and used Cane Corsos on the masseria (farm) for generations. Here are the words of one farmer, Alfonso Comer, translated by Mike.

"The Cane Corso breeders of S. Paola are or were the Cilla, the Petardi and the Caldarola. The reason that this breed is found in S. Paola is because here until not long ago, there were the large hog farms. We are talking of breeding in the wild consisting of about 200 animals of a local breed, small, with a black spot on their back, with lean meat and when fattened up they would form a heavy layer of lard. A kind of reverse transhumance would be practiced: in the winter the flock would be taken to the forests to forage while from June to August they would be brought to the fallow fields, the fields left uncultivated in preparation for the cereals. The fallow fields are superficially worked with the plow and harrow. This type of soil is rich in nutrients and the hogs, besides vegetable substances, would find rodents, worms and insect larvae.

Because of the seasonal heat the pigs would graze at night while during the day they would seek the cool and humid spots, under the scrubs, and they would dig holes and lie there all day. At dusk they would start to root about. At midnight they would head to the watering place, they would be there for about half an hour and back away till dawn and back to their cool and humid bedding places in the vicinity of S. Marzano, Vena, Orticellak, S. Antonio and Tono where there was plenty of steady water. The habit of night grazing, out of everyone's view, created abuse problems of which each herd had a clearly marked zone separated from the nearby one by a free corridor.

The Corso would become indispensable when, at the moment of giving birth, the females would go to the thick vegetation to hide. When the farmer noticed when the sow was missing, he would get on his horse and head for the thick vegetation areas that in his experiences would be the place the sows would seek under these circumstances. The dog soon enough would locate the female with the litter, but here it became difficult, because the sow is a strong animal and would defend its offspring ferociously. Anyway, thanks to its dexterity and strength, the Corso would resolutely seize the animal and hold it immobilized until the farmer had time to get the little ones in a sack. Once the man was back on the horse he would give the release command and would start back to the masseria. The sow would anxiously follow her offspring back to the farm where they would be reunited.

The boars would also become very dangerous, especially when they got past a certain age. They would become especially untouchable at the time of the mounts, because they were excited from the females scent and because they were transported from one farm to another. Many farmers used one male. Even here the intelligent, able, strong and courageous Corso was indispensable, ready to jump the moment the boar would rebel. Many farmers were saved from the tusks of these, thanks to the leaps of their Corso. These nightly habits favored encounters with wild animals that would normally sleep during the daylight hours.

The badger spends the day sleeping in the den underground tunnels that are practically inaccessible. But at sundown, it exits its den, leaves the forest and heads for the fields to eat. Badger meat is willingly eaten, noted are the curative capacity of its fat from any form of arthritis; the skin is sold to make brushes and horse harnesses. The hunt starts pretty late, around 10:00 pm, in order to give the badger enough time to distance itself from its den. Its useful if there is some light from the moon in order to see where you are going. You would need a couple of scent hounds to find the tracks and follow it, and naturally a Corso to take the animal.

The farmers were not the only ones to practice this kind of hunt but also of other passionate that would borrow the dogs for the occasion. Upon leaving the village, we would begin to follow a predetermined route that would basically be a large circle and at the end of the night would bring us back to the starting point. The direction of the course was established based on the prevailing winds, because the badger had a great sense of smell. On very calm nights the chances of getting anything are slim. We would then walk the outer limits of the forest and hopefully we would encounter the tracks that the animal used to get to the vineyards or cornfields. The segugi run silently and ahead, often out of view, while the Corsos remain close to the men. There is a need to steer wide of the masseria or you would have to face the fury of the guard dogs. Here, the Corso takes off silently toward a point in the darkness that only he knows: he heard the whining coming from the scent hounds, the segugi, and that to him is a clear message. The men do nothing; they hurry to the point where they observed the Corso disappear and by the time they get there all is finished. The badger is a robust and combative animal and has a strong defense but the expert Corso knows where to grab him and dispatch him in an instant. During this night hunting we at times harvested otters by the Fortore. Today many dogs that are "served up" as Corsos are crossbreeds. The Corso has dry lips that should not hang at the angle of the mouth."

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Here are a couple of links to Cane Corso History pages (please keep in mind that the information can be subjective):

http://www.canecorsoitaliano.net/uhist.htm

http://www.canecorsoinfo.org/history.htm

http://www.canecorso.org/history.htm