Mezzocorso

		Mezzocorso
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			Italy
Translation			Francis Vandersteen
This breed is also known as			Mezzocorso Italiano

The Mezzocorso, also known as the Murgia dog, is a special cross between a male Cane Corso and a female Abruzzi mastiff. Unlike the Abruzzo mastiff, this crossbreed protects flocks more effectively, having inherited their sire's ferocity, temperament and tenacity to better cope with predators, including wolves and bears. Today, although rare, they can be seen at work in the heart of their native Puglia. The Mezzocorso is generally black or even white, and can easily be confused with the Tornjak from neighboring Bosnia. The Mezzocorso is a versatile dog that can be used as a herding, guarding or defense dog.

Mating a male Cane Corso (usually owned by the farmer or herd owner) with a female Abruzzo Mastiff met both requirements, as the female Mastino could have given birth "in the net" (portable fence used during transhumance), guaranteeing the puppies the necessary footprint to coexist peacefully with the sheep. He will always remain attached to them in an almost morbid way, defending them from attacks by various predators, the most frequent of which will be the wolf, which usually raids at dusk or night.

The shepherd's interest was therefore to combine these two requirements to create a dog capable of :
- Guarantee more effective protection for the flock than could be provided only by Abruzzo Mastiffs.
- Live with sheep on an equal footing with Abruzzo Mastiffs.

The Mezzocorso is a dog with a very strong temperament and imposing structure. It differs from the Cane Corso in character and morphology.
The coat is mostly mottled or even entirely white, and the hair is longer and stiffer than that of the Cane Corso, although very rarely a puppy of similar appearance to a Cane Corso may be born from the same litter.