A/C : Chicago Arts & Culture - Art

Guardian Cane Corso Watches Over His Toddler Sister: 'That's My Baby'

To look at this cane corso, you might think he could be dangerous and not a great companion for young children. But a mom is hoping to change that by showing the world just how loving her pup truly is.

Drax, the 4-year-old cane corso is undoubtedly a big and powerful dog, but his owner April, from Colorado, says that his appearance is only half the picture. What many people don't realize is just how gentle and calm the breed can be, which is why the mom-of-two sees Drax as the perfect pet for her children to grow up with.

"He is very patient and gentle with both my children and loves them very much," April, who doesn't wish to disclose her full name, told Newsweek. She regularly posts videos of Drax with his two human siblings, particularly with 11-month-old Ellsie, who he is incredibly gentle with.

After posting a TikTok video (@drax_the_corso) showing him lying beside Ellsie, April explained that he insists on being around her at all times, joking that they even "have their own language." The adorable clip melted many hearts online, and it's already been viewed more than 65,600 times and received over 2,500 likes in a matter of days.

Drax the cane corso with 11-month-old Ellsie. Drax's owner regularly shares clips of the dog with his siblings to show how gentle he can be. @drax_the_corso / TikTok

She continued: "Drax likes to follow her around and keep close by. He loves to just watch her and see what she gets into. He loves to get baby sniffs when he can, but is very good about not licking her. He is a very sweet, intelligent dog who's in tune with both kiddos.

"I love to share those sweet moments because so many people don't see that side of the breed. I have worked very hard on training him to have healthy boundaries with the kids, and likewise teach my children to respect him and give him space, which I believe has allowed for such a beautiful relationship."

Why Do People Judge the Breed?

Standing at nearly 28 inches tall and weighing over 100 pounds, at stated by the American Kennel Club (AKC), cane corsos can certainly look intimidating, which often leads people to assume that's all there is to them. But aside from their imposing stature, the AKC also highlights just how loyal and fiercely protective these dogs can be, meaning very little will come between them and their family.

It's important that a cane corso gets early socialization and regular training classes from a young age, as they can become too dominant otherwise, even growing into the boss of the household. But despite their looks, they much prefer a softer approach with plenty of rewards, rather than harsh training methods. Don't be fooled, they're all heart on the inside.

Since welcoming Drax into her life four years ago, before having either of her children, April admitted that he "gets stereotyped a lot" because people don't understand what he's really like. By giving people a glimpse into their lives together, she hopes that people will changes their minds about cane corsos, and other large dogs, and see that they can make lifelong best friends.

She told Newsweek: "His breed is a guardian breed and very powerful, but they are also very loyal to their family and they're also gentle and docile with children.

"We get a lot of hate and ignorant comments online, but we also have such an outpouring of love and support. Many of our followers have said we changed their opinion on this breed by showing our life with Drax. My goal has always to educate and raise breed awareness, and we feel blessed to have the platform we do."

Among the many comments on the viral post showing Drax sitting patiently with his little sister, many people were amazed by their undeniable connection. One comment reads: "Their relationship is adorable!"

Another person responded: "She's talking to him telepathically. You can see the look in her face."

While another TikTok user said: "Drax and his little princess should do a video to the 'that's my baby' audio."

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.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Quality Maryborough Cane Farms Hit The Market

An aggregation of three quality cane farms covering a total area of 401 hectares has hit the market. Picture supplied

An aggregation of three quality cane farms covering a total area of 401 hectares (991 acres) has hit the market in the highly regarded Maryborough district.

The noncontiguous dryland blocks in the Fraser Coast Regional Council area are of varying sizes, covering 292ha (722 acres), 91ha (225 acres) and 18ha (44 acres) respectively.

In addition to being proven agricultural operations, the properties located close to the Maryborough township may also offer lifestyle opportunities.

The productive country on all three blocks consists of mainly blue gum flats, tree tree flats, bloodwood and stringy bark land types. Picture supplied

The productive country on all three blocks consists of mainly blue gum flats, tree tree flats, bloodwood and stringy bark land types.

The largest of the farms is in a single 282ha freehold parcel.

Infrastructure includes a machinery shed and a rainwater tank.

The property is 88 per cent white on the Queensland government's vegetation mapping.

The second 91ha property is in five freehold titles ranging from 14ha to 18ha.

Some 96pc of that property is mapped as category X, with the balance being category R.

The Maryborough aggregation is being sold through an expressions of interest process that closes on January 25. Picture supplied

The third property on Bosal Road is a single 18ha freehold title and is zoned rural residential.

Access to the three blocks is from the sealed River Road and a part from all-weather Beaver Rock Road.

The average annual rainfall for the Maryborough district is about 1130mm (44.5 inches).

The Maryborough aggregation is being sold through Colliers Agribusiness and PRD Maryborough Commercial by an expressions of interest process that closes on January 25.

Contact Leah Freney, 0415 849 293, Colliers Agribusiness, or Tony Nioa, 0418 741 544, PRD Maryborough Commercial.

Osteria Del Corso Closes In South Orange, Owners Look For Path Forward

Local diners were disappointed to find that one of South Orange's newest bar and dining venues, Osteria Del Corso, had closed suddenly earlier this week.

Reached for comment, co-owner Matt McCusker cited the financial challenges that restaurant businesses face — but said he and the other owners are talking with their landlord and investors to determine possible options.

Read more about the opening of Osteria Del Corso here: Osteria Del Corso Coming to 1 South Orange Avenue March 2023

Read McCusker's email response here:

We are incredibly disappointed with having to close the restaurant. Expenses were simply far exceeding revenues and we reached the point where we were no longer able to remain viable as a business.

When we opened in March, things were great and stayed that way through June.  Unfortunately, the summer months started a decline in business that we did not recover from even through the holidays. As much as people said they loved the restaurant, they were not coming in enough for us to cover our costs.

We are speaking with the landlord and trying to determine if there is a path forward. I will let you know if we are able to work something out that would allow us to remain open either as Del Corso or as another venture with different investors and operators.

We will, of course, refund any gift cards. I can be reached at matt@delcorsonj.Com in order to facilitate those refunds.

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