Do Cane Corsos Drool? All Is Revealed!

Updated Aug 30, 2022

Cane Corso LazyBoy

The question of whether Cane Corsos drool, and how much they drool is important. Both for new owners considering the Cane Corso breed (and what they might be in for!)... and for existing owners who need to know what is normal.

So, let's find out...

Do Cane Corsos drool, and how much? The cane Corso is a mastiff breed, and mastiffs tend to drool more than many other dog breeds. The mastiff breeds tend to have looser lips and bigger jowls than most breeds. This is the breed characteristic which can lead to slobber. However, in general, Cane Corsos have tighter lips than other mastiffs, and therefore tend to drool less than most mastiffs.

Do Cane Corsos Drool A Lot?

Both of our Cane Corsos are very low on the drool scale, they both drool very little. They don't have the loose lips, large jowls, and excess skin around the muzzle that some mastiffs exhibit.

But even between our two Cane Corsos, there is a difference. Our male Cane Corso doesn't drool at all, unless he has food right in front of him. Apart from feeding times, he has no slobber whatsoever.

When you look at his muzzle, he has very little loose skin, and both upper and lower lips are tight and contained. There is no mistaking his mastiff look, but he doesn't have the long, loose jowls that are typical in other mastiff breeds.

.But there's more to it...

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In addition to some drooling at feeding times, our female Cane Corso also makes a bit of a mess after drinking. This is not really drooling per se, I guess, more a question of spilling a little water after she drinks.

Nevertheless, the effect is the same, we get some slobbery spillage on the floor.

Other people report much more drooling. So we have to realize that there is quite a bit of variance in how much a Cane Corso may drool.

On average, a Cane Corso is going to drool much less than a more droopy-lipped mastiff, such as the Cane Corso's cousin, the Neapolitan Mastiff. One glance at that guy tells you you're in for a world of drool.

So, you may get some drooling with the Cane Corso, but he is absolutely your best bet if you are looking for a mastiff breed with a lower predilection for drooling.

Why Do Cane Corsos Drool?

All dogs drool to some degree. But some breeds end to drool far more than others.

Normal drooling is typically caused by anticipation of something desirable. The obvious example is eating, but anticipation of other things, such as playing or going for a walk can also cause a temporary increase in drooling. These things are normal and, to whatever extent your dog does these things, you will probably have to accept it.

Anxiety, Fear and Nervousness

Anxiety is another cause of drooling. For example, many dogs become anxious or fearful when taken for a ride in the car. Excessive drooling can occur as a result of this.

Over time, most dogs learn to be comfortable with a car ride. If you display a calm demeanor throughout the car ride, your dog will learn that there is nothing to be anxious about.

Your Cane Corso may suffer from separation anxiety when you leave. This is not uncommon in Cane Corsos, and may also lead to drooling more than normal. Giving a treat before you leave can lead to a lessening of the anxiety, as the dog learns to look forward to the treat.

Using a chew designed to reduce anxiety can be a double whammy here - first you get the benefit of giving the treat, and then an extra benefit from the treat having anxiety-reducing properties.

What Causes Drooling?

Drooling is affected by two elements:

  • Excess saliva
  • The ability of the lips to contain saliva.

Mastiff breeds tend to have looser lips than other breeds, which means less ability to contain excess saliva. They tend to have looser skin around the lips and larger upper lips (flews). Long flews which overhang the muzzle will provide a path for excess saliva to drip from.

But, as mentioned above, Cane Corsos are generally tighter-lipped than other mastiff breeds, so their muzzle configuration is better able to contain saliva than other mastiffs.

Armed with the above information, a quick look at the muzzle of any dog will give you an idea of how much they are likely to drool.

Remember, you have the breed tendencies to consider, and also the tendencies of your individual dog. As we saw above there will be some variance between two dogs of the same breed.

What Steps Can You Take To Minimize Drooling?

As with many other potential problems, this starts with selecting your puppy. And your biggest asset in finding all the things you want from a new puppy is a reputable breeder.

You can examine the upper and lower lips of the Cane Corso puppies in the litter you are considering, and select a puppy with tighter lips.

A good Cane Corso breeder will be happy to help you with this —  it can simply be one of the factors in choosing your Cane Corso puppy.

Healthcare And Drooling

There is also the issue of your dog's health to consider. Some medical issues can cause your dog to drool more than he otherwise would.

Just as with humans, dogs are susceptible to issues with their teeth and gums. Humans have learned that brushing teeth is an essential part of everyday healthcare. But not all dog owners know that their dog's teeth and gums are susceptible to exactly the same problems that humans are prone to.

Dogs can suffer from tartar buildup, just as humans can. And this can lead to the same issues with inflamed or swollen gums. And these issues with teeth and gums can cause any dog to drool more than if he was in better oral health.

The solution is to brush your dog's teeth regularly, just as you would with a child. Many dog owners are unaware of the need to do this, but it is really an essential part of caring for your dog.

And with a dog which has a higher propensity for drooling in the breed characteristics, taking care of teeth and gums becomes even more important, from the owner's point of view.

How To Stop Cane Corsos Drooling

In truth, there is no one way to stop Cane Corsos, or any other dog, from drooling.

First, you should check the points mentioned above, and address these if necessary, to minimize drooling.

If you have gone through these possibilities and your Cane Corso is still drooling to an excessive degree, it might be time for a visit to the vet.

Medical Issues And Drooling

Your vet can check for issues which are more difficult to diagnose. Excessive drooling can be caused by:

Problems with salivary glands
If your dog is suffering from inflamed or infected salivary glands, excessive drooling will most likely be the result. If this is the problem, a simple treatment with antibiotics may well take care of it.
Foreign bodies, cysts or tumors in the mouth or throat can inhibit swallowing and cause excessive drool.
Problems lower down, in the oesophagus or stomach. Examples are gastritis or hiatus hernia. Ingestion of a poisonous substance can also be behind the drooling.
Allergic reaction. A bite or insect sting, or contact with a poisonous plant can cause an allergic reaction, which results in the dog drooling.
Heat stroke. Dogs with short muzzles, such as boxers, pugs and bulldogs can be particularly vulnerable to heat stroke, because of their inability to pant normally. Cane Corsos are not in this highly vulnerable group, but can still suffer from heatstroke.

Some Cane Corso breeders have bred boxers into the mix in recent times. This is to soften whatever aggressive tendencies and prey drive are present in the Cane Corso breed. This has been happening more and more, and you should ask your breeder about this, and take a good look at the muzzles of their Cane Corsos, to make sure they are not becoming too short.

Summary

You must consider the Cane Corso breed characteristics, and also the tendencies of your individual dog.

This will give you a baseline idea of how much your dog is likely to drool.

As a responsible Cane Corso Owner, you should:

Understand how much your dog is likely to drool under normal circumstances.
Understand what everyday circumstances tend to cause your dog to drool -- eg feeding times, play times, and things which may cause some anxiety, such as car rides, fireworks etc.
If your dog is drooling more than normal, with no explanatory circumstances, take him to the vet to make sure there is not some underlying medical issue which you need to address.

Related Questions

Do Cane Corsos bark a lot?

The Cane Corso is known as a guard dog. And rightfully so -- the breed characteristics include strong watchdog tendencies. Nevertheless, the Cane Corso is a pretty quiet breed, on average.

Whilst they will definitely bark if they see or hear something suspicious, they do not tend to be nuisance barkers. Of course, some individuals will tend to bark more than others but, generally, they are not big barkers.

Do Cane Corsos shed?

Cane Corsos can shed a surprising amount. They are a short haired dog with a smooth coat, however they can still shed a lot.

They're not entirely a high-maintenance pet, but they do have a double coat and they do need routine brushing. Together with a regular bath, they don't need much else in respect of grooming.

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