Woman Thinks She’s Adopted Labrador Puppy, Not Prepared for What Vet Says

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Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years she has specialized in viral trends and internet news, with a particular focus on animals, human interest stories, health, and lifestyle. Alice joined Newsweek in 2022 and previously wrote for The Observer, Independent, Dazed Digital and Gizmodo. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Alice by emailing alice.gibbs@newsweek.com.

Alice Gibbs

Senior Life and Trends Reporter

A woman has shared her shock after adopting a puppy she believed to be a black Labrador, only to discover they may be a completely different breed.

On New Year’s Day, Nancy Muth from Florida welcomed Rocco into her home, taking him in from a family that could no longer care for him. The little pup was the runt of the litter and had even been bullied by his siblings.

“We were told he was a black Lab,” Muth revealed to Newsweek. But within two weeks, she started noticing something unusual. “His wrinkles started coming in, and after his first vet visit, the vet told us he’s more Corso than Lab. He also seemed to grow big paws overnight.”

Rocco’s new family, who previously owned corgis, never expected to raise a Cane Corso, a large and powerful guardian breed. Despite the surprise, they have fully embraced their new pup. “We did our research on black Labs, but the only thing I really knew about Corsos is that they make great guard dogs. Honestly, I don’t think we need one for that, but he’s already stolen our hearts.”

The Cane Corso, also known as the Italian Mastiff, is a large working dog breed that has gained popularity in recent years.

The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2010, but the breed has come under fire after being at the center of stories involving irresponsible ownership, poor breeding practices and biting incidents.

In some areas of the U.S., Cane Corsos have already been added to breed ban lists, but there is a move to debunk negative stereotypes about the breed too, particularly by organizations like the Cane Corso Association of America (CCAA).

Muth shared a video of Rocco on her TikTok page that has since received over 600,000 views, seeing if anyone could shed any light on the dog’s real breed.

“When you find out the ‘Lab’ you adopted might actually be a Cane Corso,” the text overlay said.

In the comments, people shared their reactions. “His snout gave that away,” said uswnec10. While Grit wrote: “Some of these puppies can be a bit deceptive lol. Give it another couple months when you start reaching 6-9 months then you’ll really start to see the changes.”

The overwhelming support from TikTok users in the comments helped Muth solidify her decision to keep Rocco, despite the unexpected breed difference. The family plans to have his breed officially tested.

“We’re planning to get him some professional training and make adjustments to our lifestyle to ensure he has the best life possible,” she said. “We’re nervous but excited—he’s already so smart, and with the little training we’ve started at home, I’m confident he’s going to be an amazing dog.”

Do you have funny or 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.