When you think about a Cane Corso, the first thing that may come to your mind is a large dog that is probably a work or a guard dog, which is true. But, Cane Corsos are good dogs that love to give and receive affection.
They are also called Italian Mastiffs or Italian Cane Corsos. Whatever you want to call them, we can all agree that this breed looks intimidating and cute both at the same time. They are great with children, great companions for outside activities, and all in all, a great companion for life.
But, we are sure that you’ve done your research about this breed, and are curious about dog breeders. Well, we are here to help you find the best Cane Corso breeders in Virginia.
Cane Corso Puppies For Sale In Virginia
First of all, deciding on getting a puppy and what breed you prefer is hard enough because a lot of research needs to be done. But, the next step might be even harder, and that step is finding a good breeder.
When looking for a breeder, you need to have in mind a couple of things. First, they should provide you with all the health tests done with the parent dogs as well as done with your future puppy. Second, if you insist on meeting the parents of your future puppy, they need to allow you to do so.
When you see that the breeder is AKC- or ICCF-registered, that is a good sign that you have found a reputable breeder. This isn’t the main indicator that they are necessarily good because there are a lot of breeders that aren’t registered with either of those, but still do all the things that a reputable breeder should do.
We advise you not to buy from puppy mills since these dogs are kept in horrible conditions, and it is considered to be an unethical option when it comes to buying a new dog. Don’t worry – there are a lot of Cane Corso breeders in Virginia that pass all the tests.
7 Of The Best Cane Corso Breeders In Virginia We Picked For You
Lucky for you, we made a list of the 7 best Cane Corso breeders in Virginia that can make your decisions a bit easier.
A side note: if you are reading this and are not from Virginia, a lot of these breeders ship/transport their dogs to other places, and even internationally. But, both you and them should try and make the distance from A to B as short as possible for your new puppy.
It is stressful enough for them just being separated from their first family, let alone driving in an unknown place all alone for a long period of time. The best option is for you to come and pick them up, but if that is not possible, try to be as close as possible to the kennel.
1. Difesa Cane Corso
Difesa Cane Corso Breeders are small hobby breeders that are located in the mountains of southwest Virginia. They have been involved with Cane Corsos for 15 years, and they have been breeding them for five years. They pride themselves on maintaining this breed’s temperament. All the dogs they use for breeding are carefully picked so they don’t mess up the breed’s characteristics.
You can collect your puppy when it turns 10 weeks old. They guarantee that your Cane Corso puppy will be crate trained, and will have a foundation in obedience with clicker training by the time they come to their new home.
When it comes to the puppy’s health, you don’t need to worry – they take it seriously. Health tests like elbow and hip radiographs, as well as cardiac screenings are not negotiable. Their puppies leave vet checked, with their ears cropped and tail docked, and they come with a 36-month health guarantee. Deworming and vaccination are something you can expect your puppy will be provided while in their care.
Your dog will have a planted and registered microchip. If you decide to buy a Cane Corso pup from them, you first need to send them an application, and then you will go through an interview process. By doing this, they can get to know you and see if you are a fit, and that you understand the needs that their puppies have.
Difesa Cane Corso Details
Website: Difesa Cane Corso
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 972-978-8754
Location: Boones Mills, VA
2. San Rocco Cane Corso
San Rocco Cane Corso has been around since 2012. Almost all of their Cane Corsos are imported from the best kennels in Europe because they want to maintain the best bloodline possible. All their breeding dogs are AKC- and ICCF-Registered.
One of the members of this kennel is a professional dog trainer. She trains Cane Corso personal protection dogs, and high- or basic-level obedience. She is an AKC-approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and is authorized to teach and test for the S.T.A.R. Puppy program, as well as the CGC and the AKC Community Canine.
When it comes to their new puppies that are for sale, socialization is very important to them. They structure early learning programs that will help your dog develop loyalty and connection with their owners, as well as intellectual stimulation that will make your training period easy when the puppy gets home.
They have a special, healthy diet for their puppies that has no soy, corn, animal byproduct, artificial ingredients, dyes, etc. They offer you a copy of their feeding schedules, and they give you advice on how to proceed with the feeding plan when you bring your puppy home.
Before you can adopt from them, you must go through an interview that helps both you and this breeder to see if you are the perfect fit for their puppies. They think of their dogs like family members and they find it very important to find them a new forever home that will treat them just the same as they do.
We suggest visiting their website for more information and to see pictures of their amazing dogs.
San Rocco Cane Corso Details
Website: San Rocco Cane Corso
Facebook: San Rocco Cane Corso Facebook
Instagram: San Roco Cane Corso Instagram
Youtube: San Rocco Cane Corso Youtube
Location: Virginia, a stone throw away from Maryland, West Virginia, Pa., and Washington D.C.
3. Irongates Cane Corsos
They are a hobby breeder that started this kennel because of their love for this dog breed. If you are looking for a house dog, a guard dog, or a work dog, this breeder might be the right one for you. They also offer transport services.
They can deliver you your future puppy anywhere in the world. But as good breeders that care about their puppies’ wellbeing they advise you to find a breeder that is near you, and if you decide on them to be five to six hours, at most, away from their location.
Their puppies come with a health guarantee, vaccination, a docked tail, and are dewormed. They also offer a microchip and ear cropping, but this comes with an additional fee. They treat their dogs like family members, and they are very particular when it comes to future dog owners.
We suggest you visit their site to see all the pictures they upload. Even if there is the most important information on their site, they encourage you to contact them either via email or through their website for all the questions you have. Their phone number will be provided when contacting them.
Irongates Cane Corsos Details
Website: Irongates Cane Corso
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-239-8569
Facebook: Irongates Cane Corso Facebook
Instagram: Irongates Cane Corso Instagram
Location: Virginia
4. Dream Team
The Dream Team was established in 1998. Their team has 30+ years of experience, which consists of veterinarians, dog trainers, and a team of breeders. Their Cane Corsos are show dogs, work dogs, guard dogs, champion dogs, and (might sound a bit unusual) lap dogs.
Even though they aren’t in Virginia, they are on the border – North Carolina. They do offer to ship their puppies, but they prefer it to be more locally, just like Virginia. Their dogs come in all the colors that include blue, black, red, fawn, brindle, and formentino.
Their puppies come with a lifetime health guarantee. They go through hip dysplasia testing, begin the deworming process after the first two weeks, and will have their shots and health records. The dog’s tail is docked and its rear dewclaws are removed.
They tend to give every single one of their puppies a toy that they play with while still in their care. When the time comes for the puppies to go to their forever home, they give you the toy so the puppy can handle the change easier.
We suggest visiting their website or contacting them to see all the rewards they have won, and to learn a bit more about their breeding program.
Dream Team Details
Website: Dream Team
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-677-1695
Location: Beaverdam, VA
4. Apple Valley Cane Corso
Apple Valley is an ICCF-registered breeder, and they were established in 2013. This is one of the examples where they tend to be more private about their information, but they encourage you to contact them concerning everything that interests you.
The best way to contact them is by their email address. They prefer to exchange a couple of emails with you, than to either call you on the phone or video call. Then after that you can arrange either a live meeting or a more personal video meeting.
When you visit their site, you will see all the pictures of their breeding dogs, former litters, and even families with their Apple Valley Cane Corsos. The majority of the pictures are from various championships, like AKC Championships, and many more. They also invite you to chat with them if you see them in any championship in the USA.
Apple Valley Cane Corso Details
Website: Apple Valley Cane Corso
Location: Winchester, VA, USA
Phone: 540-327-4586
Email: [email protected]
5. Senza Tempo Cane Corso
This reputable breeder has been preserving the Cane Corso breed since 2016. Their breeding dogs come from generations of champion dogs and respected bloodlines. They care about their Cane Corso dogs having the best temper and looks that are specific for this breed.
All of their dogs are temper tested prior to breeding them. They gathered the best genetics that they have approved for their breeding program. All of their dogs grow to be strong, large, and with a great muscle tone and a longer muzzle. They focus on the best old school Italian lines.
All of their dogs are health tested, as well as both breeding dogs and your potential future puppy. You can visit their kennel every weekday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Senza Tempo Cane Corso Details
Website: Senza Tempo Cane Corso
Location: Richmond Virginia
Phone: 512-466-8643
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Senza Tempo Cane Corso Facebook
6. Mystic Mountain Cane Corso
This kennel was founded by a married couple, Alicia and Mario, because of their love for the Cane Corso breed. They fell in love with the breed in 2014 when they got their first dog. After that, they had a couple more since they live on a farm and can provide them with enough space.
They really care about the temperament and purpose of their dogs. Alicia has back problems so she trained one of her dogs to be a mobility service dog. Other dogs were also trained for mobility and PTSD service dogs.
When picking future parent dogs, they always look into their pedigree and make sure all of the dogs have been health tested for generations. They raise smart and confident dogs, which they manage to do by early neurological stimulation from day three to day 16.
They do all they can to match the puppy with its future family. They perform aptitude tests, and observe the dog to see if it is more on the calm side or the playful side. They don’t get into your privacy, but they want to know what kind of lifestyle you live, so they can be sure their dogs are going to a proper home environment.
Mystic Mountain Cane Corso Details
Website: Mystic Mountain Cane Corso
Phone: 1-540-430-3001 or 2-540-810-0673
Location: Virginia, VA
Facebook: Mystic Mountain Cane Corso Facebook
Email: [email protected]
7. StoneCroft Cane Corso
This kennel has 20 years of experience when it comes to breeding Cane Corsos. They have a lot of accomplishments, some of which are temperament tests, canine good citizen, therapy dog international, companion dog, etc. The rest you can see on their site.
They import dogs from all over the world for a good bloodline, and some of the places are Germany, Italy, Russia, and Canada. You will get your puppy with a docked tail and removed dewclaws. If you want your puppy’s ears to be cropped, this will come with an additional expense.
They are AKC-registered, and they received full recognition from them in 2010. One thing they offer is training the puppy for obedience and crate training, which would cost you an additional $100.
Your puppy will get its immunization shot when it is 6.9 and 12 weeks old. Good hips, looks, athletic ability, and temper are their priority. They have a special facility where they keep their puppies, and you can see all the amazing conditions they live in on their website.
If you decide on them, we suggest you contact them as soon as possible to see if there are any puppies available. Since they have a great reputation, their puppies go quickly.
StoneCroft Cane Corso Details
Website: StoneCroft Cane Corso
Location: CenterCross, Virginia 22437 USA
Phone: 804-443-1776
RELATED: 5 Best Cane Corso Rescues for Adoption: Where To Adopt This Large Dog Breed
The Price Of A Cane Corso Puppy
After going through these 7 most reputable Cane Corso breeders in Virginia and deciding on the breed you are getting, the third and final thing you need to consider is the price of the dog and all the other expenses that come in the beginning.
We are sure that you will treat your Cane Corso like a family member, and with that, you will want to provide it anything that it needs.
How Much Should A Cane Corso Puppy Cost?
The price of a Cane Corso puppy can range anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500. You can sometimes find them priced around $700. Usually, that is when people have an accidental litter and don’t have that much experience. If you find this occasion, just ask all the right questions and you will know if they are ethical or not.
Cane Corso puppies can also be priced around $7,000 or $8,000. This is usually with the more respectable breeders that breed champion, work, guard, or guide dogs.
Even though every dog should be considered a family dog, not just a work dog, these dogs come with the predisposition of being some kind of therapy or guard dog.
How Much Does It Cost To Own A Cane Corso?
Now that we have covered the potential prices, there are other things you need to buy for your puppy. Some of those are a big nice bed, a big crate, a collar and leash, food, vet examinations, shampoos, and toys.
Including all of that, you might spend around $5,000 on the first year of your puppy’s arrival. This price, of course, depends on your preferences, and if you are leaning toward the bit cheaper or more expensive side.
One thing you should not skimp on is dog food. This is one of the things that will be an expense throughout the dog’s life since they are big dogs and can eat a lot. The annual expense you might expect when it comes to food might end up being around $600 to $800.
Even though this breed doesn’t need a lot of grooming sessions, which is good, you might expect every visit to end up costing you around $100 a visit.
In Conclusion
We can all agree that Cane Corsos are beautiful, intelligent, and gentle giants. Getting a puppy is an exciting thing, and we know that sometimes, future dog owners get too excited and impatient about bringing home their new friend.
As for every dog, Cane Corso puppies need a lot of stuff that might cost you in the beginning. However, after the first year, these expenses get lower. But, what we suggest is never to skimp on food, which you will need a lot of.
Always make sure you pick a breeder who is reputable, and don’t let the adrenaline of excitement make you rush and pick any breeder that pops up. We hope that by making this list of the best Cane Corso breeders in Virginia, we made your life easier when it comes to finding your future puppy.
We wish you and your puppy all the best, and we hope you get to share many, many happy years with your beloved dog.
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