Origin
The Cursinu has been known to exist during the 16th century at Corsica Island, France. They were bred as trained, hunting dogs and also serve as watchdogs in farms. In the 1950s, there was a decline in their population resulting in this Cursinu breed on the verge of extinction.
The L’association de Sauvegarde du Chien Corse took the responsibility of safeguarding and maintaining these dogs as a separate, primitive breed. Later in 2003, it was these Cursinus were recognized by the French Kennel Club as a new type of breed.
Traits and Behavior
These Cursinu dogs are active most especially when exposed to outdoor living. Their instinct tends towards being wild and messy. They are fond of running at long hours and gets playful with their master. They are known to be loyal and very committed to their owner but possess unfriendliness to people with who they are not familiar.
They are intelligent, can be dominant at most times and, therefore, their form of training can be rigid and difficult to do. It is highly recommended that these dogs should live in large, outdoor spaces that allow them to have their daily exercise to maintain their physical composure and health.
When properly trained, they can be versatile for guarding livestock animals, properties or even to people. As dogfighters, they are typically strong and vicious. Furthermore, they can be utilized for hunting purposes; they show excellent tracking abilities in sniffing scents of animals and can even kill if necessary.
Pet Care and Diseases
They need only minimal grooming care since they do not shed much, unlike other dogs. Bathing is only done when necessary since their skins produce natural oils that help maintain body temperature and serves at the same time as protection from varying climate temperatures. Using a firm bristle brush or comb, they need to be regularly brushed especially on their body area and chest part to maintain their sturdy hair texture.
As for exercises, they need as much of these as running, walking, even doing physical activities that are helpful for their nature and behavior.
They are of a fairly healthy breed. There are no known common diseases that could afflict their health condition for as long as they are well-fed, cared for, and sheltered properly.
Appearance
The Cursinu has the appearance of a dog that is athletic and medium-sized built. They stand at about 48-58 cm height on withers, while they weigh about 15-20 kg.
Physically strong with a broad and deep chest, the Cursina though has a short neck. Its eyes appear to be oval with hazel to dark brown color. While its ears are triangular, they come naturally drooping and fall at the level of its eyes. The point of its muzzle is cut short with a nose that is large and normally in black color. Also, they tend to have a melanistic or black mask that is distinctively marked on their facial features.
Their coat is short and coarse in texture, with a known mixture of colors like black, light tan, fawn, or brown. Other dogs may have white markings on their chest or legs.
General Information
Their normal life expectancy goes about 12-14 years. The average litter size is about 5-10 puppies. The Curcinu is also known as the Corsican Dog.