The Cane Corso has distinctive features and unique characteristics that makes it stand out among dog breeds. The breed has different coat colors including the Formentino coat color.
So, what makes a Cane Corso look this way? Are there advantages or disadvantages to this coat color over other Cane Corso coat colors?
Read on to learn more about what makes a Formentino Cane Corso, its appearance, temperament, associated health problems, price, and where to get them.
What Is A Formentino Cane Corso?
A Formentino Cane Corso (Blue Fawn) is a Cane Corso coat color that is fawn which is a light brown coat with a gray mask over their face, around their eyes, muzzle, ears, and forehead. Other distinctive features of the Formentino Cane Corso include a gray nose and amber-colored eyes.
Formentino Cane Corso. Kumarrrr, CC BY-SA 3.0 – License
What Does The Formentino Cane Corso Look Like?
The Formentino Cane Corso also known as the Blue Fawn Cane Corso resembles a typical Cane Corso except for their unique coat color. They have the same physical features.
Generally, they have a muscular, athletic build, with a massive head that is broad with floppy ears and some with cropped ears.
They have a short and smooth coat with a medium-sized tail that narrows down at the back.
Adult dogs stand at 24 to 27.5 inches high and weigh up to 90 to 110 pounds, with females being slightly smaller than males.
The Formentino Cane Corso’s eyes are amber which varies to light brown.
A Formentino Cane Corso has a pale fawn coat with a gray mask. The mask is the fur that is over their face, that is around their eyes, muzzle, ears, and forehead.
Does the American Kennel Club recognize the Formentino Cane Corso?
The Formentino Cane Corso is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The only gray coat colors of the Cane Corso that are recognized by the AKC are the Grey Cane Corso and the Gray Brindle Cane Corso.
The American Kennel Club’s official breed standard for the Cane Corso describes 7 acceptable coat colors:
- Black
- Black Brindle
- Gray
- Gray Brindle
- Red
- Fawn
- Chesnut Brindle
The Formentino Cane Corso is not recognized by the American Kennel Club as the breed’s standards, however, they are loved by many Cane Corso owners.
Learn more about other Cane Corso colors to understand their appearance, how to spot them, and how they come about from our Cane Corso coat color guides:
The Genetics Of The Formentino Cane Corso
The coat colors of all dog breeds are based on two primary pigments, that is the black pigment, also known as eumelanin, and the red pigment commonly known as pheomelanin.
Puppies get their DNA from their parents and through gene interaction of the inherited genes, a puppy gets coat color.
The different genes inherited by a puppy from both of its parents manipulate the two primary hair colors resulting in the production of different coat colors and patterns.
A Formentino Cane Corso puppy is produced from a combination of two copies of a recessive gene, known as the dilution gene (d gene).
According to Animal Genetics, the dilution gene reduces the concentration of the black, brown, and yellow coat hair pigment.
The puppy inherits two copies of the dilute gene (dd) one from each parent, to have a pale fawn-colored coat with a blue/gray facial mask.
The color dilution extends to the eyes which gives a Formentino Cane Corso amber to light yellow eyes.
Are Formentino Cane Corsos rare?
Yes, the Formentino Cane Corso is rare and not as common as the other AKC-recognized Cane Corso colors.
Production of a Formentino puppy requires that both parents of a puppy pass down the recessive dilution gene.
Puppies with only one copy of the dilution gene cannot develop the Blue Fawn/ Formentino coat if they do not inherit another dilution gene from the other parent.
If your heart is set on owning a Formentino Cane Corso, you may end up paying more because they are not easy to find and require deliberate and specific breeding.
Formentino Cane Corso Temperament
A Formentino Cane Corso has the same personality as any other Cane Corso dog. Their coat color does not impact their temperament.
This means they have the same gentleness, intelligence, loyalty, assertive and protective qualities as the breed. This is the Gray Cane Corso temperament.
With early training and socialization, they are good family dogs and love to please their owners.
A Cane Corso’s personality is shaped by good breeding, socialization training, and good upbringing.
Good breeding produces puppies with pleasant personalities. Socialization and training also help a Cane Corso to have desired behaviors and integrate well with people and other animals.
Formentino Cane Corso Health
Research has shown that a dog’s coat color impacts its health and longevity. This means some dog coat colors are more prone to more health problems than others.
Dogs with dilute-colored coats are susceptible to certain health problems.
The Formentino Cane Corso is susceptible to Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) which is a hereditary health condition that is specific to fawn and blue coat colored dogs, that is, dogs that have dilute color.
CDA is an inherited genetic condition that causes hair thinning, hair loss, itchy bald patches on the coat, and flaky skin.
The condition does not have a cure but can be managed to prevent the exposed skin from itching or getting infections.
Cani Corsi with CDA require regular bathing with a gentle prescribed shampoo to reduce itchiness and infection on the inflamed skin.
Breeders usually ensure not to include Cani Corsi with CDA for breeding to avoid passing on the condition to the offspring.
Therefore when purchasing a Formentino Cane Corso puppy, be sure to get their health records and confirm with the breeder that the puppy’s parents did not have CDA.
This ensures that you will buy a puppy without the risk of developing the condition.
As a Cane Corso and a large breed dog, the Formentino Cane Corso is also prone to the common Cane Corso dog breed health problems.
The common Cane Corso health problems include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Heart disease
- Epilepsy
- Bloat
- Demodectic mange
- Obesity
A Formentino Cane Corso will not necessarily develop all or any of the above illnesses. They are generally healthy dogs and can live healthy lives despite being susceptible to some health conditions.
Responsible breeders reduce the risk of occurrence of these conditions and they share the health records of your puppy or dog for you to be aware of their health status.
The Formentino Cane Corso has an average lifespan of 9 to 12 years and by being aware of the possible health problems of your dog, you can know what to expect and the specific care they require to live a healthy life.
Formentino Cane Corso Price
The Formentino Cane Corso price is typically in the range of $1500 to $4000 but prices can be higher than this from a reputable breeder. The price tends to be high because of the unique coat color and because they are uncommon.
It takes deliberate and specific breeding to produce the puppies therefore expect a premium price.
Generally, the harder it is to breed a specific dog coat color the more expensive it is.
Formentino Cane Corso puppies are also more expensive compared to adult dogs or adoptable dogs.
The Formentino Cane Corso price also widely varies depending on the breeder and their location.
Be cautious of puppy mills that produce puppies for profit without consideration for their health.
They market the Formentino Cane Corso as rare to justify the high prices to buyers. Do not buy your puppy from puppy mills.
Where to Buy or Adopt a Formentino Cane Corso
When considering purchasing a Formentino Cane Corso, always purchase from a reputable Cane Corso breeder or adoption center to receive a healthy puppy.
Responsible breeders that practice ethical breeding increase the chances of having a healthy puppy through responsible breeding.
A reputable breeder will also share the health history of the puppies and the genetic testing of their parents. This ensures that you are aware of your puppy’s health status and what to expect.
It can be uncommon for purebred breeders to produce a Cane Corso outside of the breed’s standards but some have them.
Cane Corso breeders can also be found on the American Kennel Club’s marketplace which is a trusted resource for approved and certified breeders.
Takeaway: Formentino Cane Corso
The Formentino Cane Corso is a unique Cane Corso color. The coat color is a fawn color with a subtle gray facial mask.
The Formentino Cane Corso is similar in all other aspects to the Cane Corso dog breed except for their coat color. They have the same personality, as a protective and loving dogs.
Their coat color might make them more susceptible to certain health problems but they still live healthy lives.
If you think you would like to buy or adopt this adorable Cane Corso with this fascinating coat color, purchase one from a reputable breeder or rescue center to have a healthy dog.