A painter who managed to overcome his fear of big dogs was overjoyed when he got to pet a huge cane corso, and the animal looked pretty happy about it, too.
The interaction was captured and shared on TikTok on July 3 by Maritza Barona, who watched as the painter and carpenter shared a touching moment with her gentle giant, Blue. Barona, from New Caney, Texas, told Newsweek that she loved seeing the painter "overcoming his fear" of her 3-year-old cane corso.
Barona said: "Our painter and carpenter came over to do some work, and he was terrified of the dogs, but he kept going by the kennel and taking pictures. My husband asked him if he wanted to meet him, and at first he said no because he's really scared.
"But then he gave in because he really wanted to see Blue. That interaction melted my heart," Barona added.
As the painter gingerly reached out a hand to Blue, the dog gladly rested one of his huge paws on the man's arm and allowed him to pet the top of his head. Although this breed might look intimidating, Blue showed that he has a much softer side to him.
Reaching a height of nearly 28 inches at the shoulder, and weighing more than 100 pounds, a cane corso has a very imposing stature, which makes it an brilliant guard dog. The American Kennel Club (AKC) says that the breed's name is a rough translation from the Latin phrase for "bodyguard dog."
The AKC adds that common traits of this breed include protectiveness, intelligence, loyalty, and assertiveness, too. But that doesn't mean the cane corso can't make a wonderful pet, too, as long as the dog is trained and socialized adequately. Many people might not realize it after looking at a cane corso, but the AKC says that they're big softies and respond to love rather than harsh training.
The recommended amount of exercise for a cane corso includes running or walking a mile in the morning, and again in the evening. While these dogs need plenty of exercise to sustain their muscle tone, they also need mental stimulation to keep them thinking and provide them with a task to do, since they were bred as working dogs.
Barona has been pleased to see the warm response the TikTok clip has received, even from people who may not usually see this softer side of the breed.
She said: "The reaction on social media has been really positive, which is what I am trying to achieve for this breed. They have a very bad reputation, and that's why so many people are terrified of them.
"This video brought light to the fact that a socialized and trained cane corso is not scary. We've owned this breed for 20 years, and they are very loving, loyal, and protective over their family," Barona added.
The video has already received over 525,000 views and almost 70,000 likes in a matter of days. Hundreds of TikTok users have also commented on the viral post to praise the special moment between Blue and the painter.
One comment reads that "this is a good way to help break people's fears with a majestic animal like this."
Another person wrote: "It takes a lot to overcome fear, especially if he's had it since childhood. I'm glad he was able to meet you guys for the perfect chance!"
Other social-media users couldn't get enough of Blue's gentle nature, as one commented: "What a gentleman. Shaking hands when meeting new people."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alyce Collins is a Newsweek Life and Trends reporter based in Birmingham, U.K. with a focus on trending topics that ... Read more
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