Dog trainer names 'number one breed to avoid' as Love Island star jailed over attack
Jack Fincham was caged for six weeks after his Cane Corso bit two people and below dog experts share grim warnings about the 'killing machines'
Love Island star Jack Fincham has been jailed after his Cane Corso – a breed described by one expert as being like “battle tanks” – attacked a man.
He will spend six weeks behind bars and is to pay £3,580 to the courts (including £250 compensation for two victims) after his dog, Elvis, bit two people in separate incidents.
Cane Corsos can weigh up to a staggering 8 stone (and be as tall as 28 inches). Famous faces like Fincham and Marcus Rashford have helped make them popular.
Many of the dogs arrive from Romania where having ears cropped and tails docked is common, despite being illegal in the UK.
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They don’t have the same restrictions as XL bullies and they are legal in Britain.
One dog expert warned people that the Italian mastiff breed of dogs could be even more dangerous than XL Bullies.
Dog trainer Garret Wing spoke out against the Cane Corsos on social media and said it was the “number one dog breed we do not recommend for families”.
Speaking about the sheer size of the beasts, he said: “That is too much dog for about 99.9% of folks. And that's coming from us, not only as professional dog trainers, but owners of the Cane Corso. They are absolute battle tanks and you don't need that in your suburban neighbourhood.”
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Professional dog trainer Will Atherton meanwhile said he “absolutely loves” Cane Corsos – but he shared a similar warning to parents.
“I love mastiff breeds,” he said. “They are definitely not suitable for first-time owners or many families, like the Labrador is, but they do provide a really unique bond and relationship, and guarding skills that I love.”
Many top flight footballers like Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker have invested in guard dogs. And Rashford showed off his Cane Corso on Instagram, who he called The Saint, in 2018, which may have cost up to £25,000.
Despite the increase in interest in recent years, Rob Alleyne, of the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, advised people not to buy one like Fincham did back in 2021.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “The Cane Corso is like an XL Bully on steroids. It’s a killing machine and they’ve become much more popular now.”
And in a stark warning, he added: "We saw it happen with the Pit Bull Terrier. When they banned the Pit Bull Terrier, what did we get? We got a dog far more dangerous than the Pit Bull Terrier. They just made a new one worse than the preceding one: the XL bully."
Just over 200 of the dogs were available to buy from Pets4Home website at the time of writing – with some costing £2,000.
The cheapest available was £500 and the description read: “She’s house trained gentle loving natured. She’s wonderful with the children - newborn to 15 years old.”
But behavioural experts believe they may be a threat to the public and that they may be ancestors of the Molossian war dogs of ancient Rome.
The American Kennel Club meanwhile described the dogs as “loyal and intelligent” but answered on their website whether they are suitable for families.
In a statement, they said: “Cane Corsos may not be a good fit for all families. Due to the breed’s size, they aren’t the best choice for families with small children. A Cane Corso would fare best with experienced dog owners who truly understand the breed and their need for ongoing socialization.”
