Is the Cane Corso the New Status Dog? Here’s Why That’s a Problem

“XL Bully on steroids.” “Killing machine.” Just some of the sensationalist headlines about Cane Corsos in recent months. Many sprung up after Love Island 2018 winner Jack Fincham was sentenced to six weeks in prison in January 2025 after his Cane Corso was found to be dangerously out of control on two occasions. (He was released on bail the same day pending an appeal.) 

While there aren’t any official stats on how many Cane Corsos currently exist in the UK, the number of celebrities that have fallen for the breed – Marcus Rashford, Megan Thee Stallion and Ronan Keating to name a few – suggests numbers could be increasing. And with the XL Bully ban still in place, Cane Corsos could well be on their way to becoming the new ‘status dog’ – a potentially problematic position for any breed to find themselves in. 

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But what exactly is a ‘status dog’, and why is this term itself problematic? Over the years, the label has been applied to breeds such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and XL Bullies, often reinforcing negative stereotypes of ‘aggressive’ breeds, rather than addressing the root issue: irresponsible ownership. The problem isn’t the breed but how certain dogs are acquired, handled and sometimes exploited to send a message.

The Cane Corso

An Italian Mastiff breed reportedly descended from ancient Roman ‘war dogs’, Cane Corsos have a history as guard dogs. In the distant past, they were also used to hunt larger animals and to protect and gather livestock. They can weigh up to 50kg, with a bite strength equivalent to a lion’s (650–700 PSI), making them a strong, powerful breed that may not be suitable for inexperienced pet parents. 

People “need to be aware of the size these adult dogs grow to and, most importantly, their historical role” in aggression towards people and other animals, explains animal behaviour consultant and expert witness Dr Candy d’Sa. “It is not enough to think that they will train their dog well and consequently not experience any problems.” 

But as certified animal behaviourist Jessica Hyams from Little & Large Dogs says, “As long as people understand they’re quite slow-paced and will guard, they can be relatively easy dogs to have. They love to sniff, they love to play and a little bit of gentle training. Following that recipe, you can have a nice, well-rounded, happy dog.”   

The status dog trend

Several breeds have been given the ‘status dog’ label in the past, including Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and XL Bullies. The term describes how people use a particular dog to send a certain message or showcase a certain lifestyle.

The term and its meaning has changed as time goes on. For example, 10–15 years ago, pedigree dogs may have been more desirable and so-called ‘mutts’ less so. Nowadays, crossbreeds, such as Cockapoos are all the rage. While ‘status dog’ can be used to describe breeds that are currently ‘fashionable’, these days it’s more commonly used when big, powerful dogs get wrapped up in antisocial behaviour. 

So how does the world of influencers and celebs fit into this? Well, while ‘status dogs’ may have originally been linked to gangs, the rich and famous appear to now parade those same types of dogs. Often, Cane Corsos are imported with cropped ears and docked tails (traumatic practices which are illegal in the UK) and have been bought with the aim of personal and property protection. 

“Many fans of large Bully breeds are now put off by the XL Bully ban, so the Cane Corso ticks a lot of boxes there. I am seeing a great many now which have been seized by police due to being used as protection or status dogs,” says Dr d’Sa. “Social media is very detrimental to dog welfare too. If reality stars and footballers have a certain breed, their fans tend to follow.”

Jessica adds that “people often forget they are guardian breeds. So if you’re in a flat in London and you like to have visitors come around, a dog like this could pose an issue if the correct training methods and the right kind of socialisation aren’t practised from puppyhood.” 

There’s also a lack of consideration for how medical issues impact behaviour, says Jessica. “All the Cane Corsos I work with at the moment have some kind of gait issue, which is painful for them. Without understanding that these dogs can be prone to painful conditions, you may misinterpret their behaviour or not get to the root cause of any behavioural issues.”

The wider issue

No matter the breed, the issues remain the same. Using a big, strong dog as a potential weapon or symbol of status arguably creates demand – especially when you have influencers and A-Listers involved. (“Social media stars have money. They don’t deal with the everyday ownership of a dog themselves,” points out Dr d’Sa.)

And that creates a bigger market for irresponsible breeders who breed dogs purely for profit, rather than considering wider issues such as physical and mental health – two factors which can have a big impact on a dog’s future behaviour. This, in turn, leads to people getting a likely unhealthy dog they aren’t prepared for and failing to meet the basic needs of that dog or invest time and money into appropriate socialisation and training.

Couple that with some breeds’ genetic predisposition for ‘stranger danger’ and the idea that such breeds need to be trained using harsh methods (which can increase the risk of behavioural issues like aggression) and you have a recipe for disaster. 

Why breed bans don’t work

Despite the government’s reliance on breed bans, evidence suggests they are ineffective at reducing dog attacks. Recently, police admitted they hadn't seen any evidence that the XL Bully ban had reduced the number of dog attacks yet. In fact, according to numbers obtained by The Independent, the number of attacks increased in the first few months of the ban. 

The number of hospital admissions for dog bites in England also increased from 2022–23 to 2023–24. This won’t be surprising to those who opposed the ban. Back in October 2023, the Dog Control Coalition – a body of organisations including the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association – said it was "disappointed” that the government hadn’t “taken the opportunity to completely overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act. With its continued focus on specific breeds, rather than a focus on prevention and implementation of tougher penalties for those owners not in control of their dogs, it is not fit for purpose.”

Currently, the Dangerous Dogs Act bans people from owning, selling, breeding, rehoming or abandoning five types of dog: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasilerio and American XL Bully. But allowing any dog to be dangerously out of control in public or private is also against the law. That means you can still receive an unlimited fine and/or be sentenced to prison if your dog injures someone (or an assistance dog), or makes someone reasonably fear that they could be injured. Your dog can also be seized by police and put to sleep. 

The government has long been criticised for not doing anything to help prevent dog incidents, instead just using the threat of punishment to deter people and promoting the idea that certain dogs are more likely to bite. Existing laws don’t sufficiently tackle the irresponsible breeding that leads to dogs being born with various health and temperamental issues. 

Nor has the government put in place a way of assessing whether potential pet parents are in fact suitable to have a dog, even though ideas such as dog licences have been proposed. Even the dog training industry isn’t regulated, meaning anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behaviourist. 

What needs to change?

Both Jessica and Dr d’Sa have ideas on what should change. “Regulation of training videos and human-to-dog interactions on social media would be really beneficial,” says Jessica. No more “funny” videos where dogs are evidently stressed. “Bringing in breeding licenses and some really high standards for breeding with a cap on numbers” would be another.

Dr d’Sa highlights licensing and regulation for pet parents, too, “to include compulsory training and compulsory insurance.” She also believes “strict regulations on dogs being imported” or an outright ban would help along with licensing of rescues and charities “to prevent unsafe and inappropriate rehoming.”

Finally, Jessica states, “better recognition of pain in dogs and understanding as to why pain in dogs might cause aggression. With that would come an understanding of why we shouldn't be using painful tools.”

There are things we can do to make a difference right now though. We can think hard about whether our lives are suitable for a dog and if they are, which breed would best fit, rather than opting for which breed is the most popular. 

We can do our research when it comes to buying or adopting a dog, ensuring that we hand over our money to ethical individuals and organisations. And we can educate ourselves on dog behaviour and body language so we spot early signs that our dogs are struggling and understand when we need to reach out to a reward-based professional for help. 

As for Cane Corsos? It remains to be seen whether they, or another breed, will go the way of the XL Bully. No breed is inherently “aggressive”, and demonising the Cane Corso is not the way forward. But we must remember that a behavioural issue in a larger dog could be more difficult to deal with – simply due to their strength and the increased risk that comes with that. 

Resources

Iqbal, Nomia. “ Dangerous ‘status’ Dogs on the Rise.” Newsbeat, BBC, 21 May 2009.

Arhant, C., et al. “ The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs – A Review.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Elsevier, 22 Feb. 2017. 

“ Love Island Star Jack Fincham Released on Bail after Being Jailed for Dog Attack.” Sky News, Sky, 29 Jan. 2025.

Silverman, Rosa. “ Dangerous Dogs Are on the Rise – So What Can Be Done About Them?” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 18 Jan. 2023.

Ross, Alex. “ No Evidence That XL Bully Ban Has Lowered Rate of Dog Attacks, Police Admit.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 29 Jan. 2025. 

“ The Pawfect Storm: Study Finds High Levels of Problem Behaviours and Use of Aversive Training Methods in Pandemic Puppies.” Royal Veterinary College (RVC), 22 Jan. 2024. 

Beaver, B.V., J.K. Blackshaw, et al. “ Breed Differences in Canine Aggression.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Elsevier, 3 June 2008.

Zapata, Isain, et al. “ Genetic Mapping of Canine Fear and Aggression.” BMC Genomics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 Aug. 2016.