Well I understand your decision, and as you know most people here don't like to neuter unless they're full mature.

BUT this dog has extreme rank and defense drives I'd bet. I doubt he'd lose a step or two from the procedure. I've heard of this often when a dog has this much dominance. The thing is, nobody wants to see you get in a situation where you might have to put the dog down later on.

If you've made your mind up though I wouldn't leave him alone with people or children regardless of age without you being with him. I've heard many pros say that when a dog is this dominant as such a young age he's a monster when he's grown. That's why they recommend you getting it down, it'll only curve his aggression a small amount. He won't be a scrub after he's neutered just to make sure you know.

I can understand if that's your worry on the neutering. But if that's what you want ok. But he's going to be ferocious. Considering you know what you're doing, and you've done all the steps from the articles, training etc. this could be even more evident that he'll be too hard to handle. I just want to point out no one wants to see you have to put the dog down whether that be because it attacked a friend, you, or a stranger.

Good Luck.

Cynthia,

I am going to pull and Ed here....You have no business owning a dog like that. If you are even remotely questioning if this behavior should be allowed then you need to look into getting a hamster. It's obvious you do not know what you are doing and personally we have to clean up your messes when a dog like yours goes out and hurts or kills someone. I suppose you would let your teenager smack around your friends and family..But let's get back to reality..we are talking about a dog that is going to be 150 lbs plus with twice if not three times the strength of you with bone crushing jaws and 40 plus teeth. Again you are playing with fire...BE WARNED!!!!!!!!

I agree 100% with Karmen. A 6 month old puppy that shows this behavior is a ticking time bomb. If you are questioning a dog biting and showing dominance to people in your home on a web board, I question your ability to read or handle a dog like this.

Consider that the mastiff type breeds aren't even fully mature til they are 3 or older a puppy showing this behavior is like a teenage punk that is (so far) getting away with unacceptable behavior and each and every time he gets what he wants from this behavior he is being rewarded.

You should get this dog neutered, and get into a training program with a dog trainer that is experienced with dominant dogs.

I hope things work out but at this dog's age if he is being as agressive as you are describing, the prognosis is bad.

If you don't get it under control right now you're going to be a hostage to this dog when he reaches maturity. He will be unmanageable and may challenge you. Protection training would be a bad idea, this dog needs bite inhibition, not encouragement if he's six months old and "never broken the skin on anyone but has left severe bruises and almost puncture wounds on my boyfriend and his male friends".

If he was mine, I'd put a prong and a muzzle on him and re-introduce him to my male friends until he screws up then give him a correction thats an 11 on a scale of 10. Crate him right after and let him out in an hour and try again.

You might want to reconsider your human companions as well: "my boyfriend does things to intentionally instigate him". It's up to you to correct your boyfriend around your dog. "I let the pup correct him" is a bad policy.

That was not quite a Ed you for got to add the dumber then dumb statement. It was close, but know grammy award impersonation. I know he has clubed me a couple of times.

Anyway back to the point, you really need to pick up the Obedience it not too late. You need to do it with just you and him, then distractions like your boy friend and other friends teach him/her to go a down or a sit when people come by. Don't let them other them your boy friend touch him or him them unless you say so. Until that time when you have friends over make him go in the back room when he starts bossing and acting bad. I mean really it might look cute now, but in another 6 months to a 1 year hes going to be a huge dog. That will need to know what you want him to do and be.

Its ok to have a tough dog, but only when you say so. The bad thing is if he does bite anybody when he's big strong, they will destory him. Even if its accidental, people are scared of big dogs. Don't let your buddy die, because you don't know how to protect him. It reminds me of the picture Mighty Joe Young. What man does not understands he destorys, don't let them kill him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Get a professional trainer, I don't know if a home remedy will help at this stage. They're right.

And teasing the dog from anyone is inexcusable. Don't tolerate that.

Control of the behavior is what you should concentrate on, not that the behavior is bad. It is natural breed behavior, and the protective instincts that you will use in training later.

You need to set the rules, and those rules are going to have to include manners with non-aggressive visitors and guests. The pushy behavior and dominance is going to have to end.

And your idiot of a boyfriend is going to have to get on board with you here. No more messing with or instigating the dog. It is counterproductive to your training goals and is going continue to add to your toubles. It is a problem. He is going to have to follow your rules about the dog. Cuz later, when Mr. Corso is 24 months old he could take that 6 month baby protection to the next level. Snookums won't like that. . .for sure.

Get your dog into serious training ASAP, protection training as long as it focuses on control and appropriate responses to both neutral people and aggressive people is going to help.

You will have to lay down the law and correct this behavior when it is inappropriate. . .and it is with all friendly visitors and family/friends.

He'll learn who are the bad guys later.

Smack your boyfriend as well. . .why do people find it necessary to mess around with dogs like that. 4$$holes. . .

First off letting any age dog correct your boyfriend in YOUR house is Wrong.
That is your home and you are allowing him to live there period. I'm going to agree with the others. You may want to think about him a new home that is better prepared to handle this type of attitude.
Wether you keep him, fix him, or not id be doing some serious thinking about your boyfriend. Personally id make the same rules for him. Its your house and your rules and he needs to respect them. If not then no matter weather you keep this dog or find another you will likely run into the same type of problem. Please think seriously about what the others have said here. This dog has an attitude and will grow to be huge. This is a huge responsibility and also a liability.

I'm not as sure as everyone else here that you are sitting on a time bomb. Sounds like normal male Cane Corso behavior.

You are now at the point where you can make this work and take control of the situation with some help.

Cynthia you sound fairly intelligent, if a little inexperienced. No more messing around, be smart and address these problems. No more bad behavior with anyone, you won't snuff the dogs protective abilities. . .you will save yourself from real problems.

You other guys, are we being a little hard? Corsos are not the most dominate breed, and rarely if ever show dominance problems with their owners.

Everyone else is fair game, so thats where training and socialization that FOCUSES ON TEACHING CORRECT BEHAVIOR WITH OTHER PEOPLE is necessary.

Neutering the dog is a good idea, it will positively affect his dominance level as he matures. It may help the situation nearly on it's own.

Originally posted by VanCamp:
I'm not as sure as everyone else here that you are sitting on a time bomb. Sounds like normal male Cane Corso behavior.

You other guys, are we being a little hard? Corsos are not the most dominate breed, and rarely if ever show dominance problems with their owners.

VC,
Normal male Cane Corso behavior does not lend itself to mistakes......... Dominance appears in every breed. I work with dogs, all breeds, every day, all day for my job. When you see the damage a 20 dominant schnauzer or pomeranian can do to someone and then read a post like Cynthia's I feel it's much better to err on the side of caution. My female GSD is dominant, all day, every day.....I put her in her place CONSTANTLY. I can only imagine if someone who could not read dog signals and behavior owned this dog as a house dog..... If a dog is truly dominant, and it sounds like this male Corso pup is...it will be an never ending vigil to make sure an accident doesn't happen.