Is this a good fit?

Hi. My partner and I have been looking to adopt a new dog, and have the opportunity facing us to adopt a 3 yr old male corgi named Ian. We had a very bad and heart-wrenching situation last year in briefly adopting a rat terrier. Totally the wrong dog for us and had to return her which was devastating. With that situation having occurred we want to do as much research as possible before making the same mistake. Here are our concerns with a corgi based on what we read online - is this well founded? We live in Boston in a small apartment. Ian would be home alone a good deal of the day as we both work. No yard of course and so exercise would be limited to walks. Also, other dogs live in the building. Should we be concerned about barking - this would be a real problem with our neighbors. Also, is it unfair to coop him up in a small apt with little to occupy him and not be able to give him a great deal of exercise.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on March 15, 2009 at 3:57pm

It depends on how much effort you want to put into the dog. Corgis need exercise, it is very easy to make them overweight. Walks are important. You can also take Ian to the dog park for let him run. Corgis are not the most quiet dog, but you could work at it with training. Ask the current owner about his barking habits. Also, they are working dogs, and need a job when left home for long periods of time. If you don't give him something to do (like hide treats around the apartment, feeding balls, kongs, variety of toys) he will find something to do (usually chewing up things around the house).

Not every dog follows the breed temperament. The more time and effort on training that you send on a dog, the better your dog will be.

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Permalink Reply by John Kubicek on March 15, 2009 at 5:12pm

Thanks. We will add yours to the comments and observations of others and figure out what to do next. Again, much appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on March 15, 2009 at 5:06pm

I think I would first learn why Ian is seeking a new home. I would present all the questions you have to the current owner. I would learn what his current living situation is. I would learn how much exercise he now receives, his health status, his ability to get along with other dogs. I would learn if he is a moderate barker currently. I would also see if the current owner would be willing to give you a two week trial before taking him. I would see if you could visit with him on several occasions before making the decision. Then I would look within myself and decide how many sacrifices you are willing to make to add a dog to your family. In this situation I would not think any less then two good walks a day would work. You would need to be creative and think of games you can play within the apartment that will keep his brain active. Do you have easy access to outside for potty breaks? Are stairs involved? Do you have neighbors that you could do walks with? A few other things to consider are typical breed characteristics. Do know that corgis shed like crazy. Frequent grooming certainly is helpful but do know that you will have corgi hair in many places. Corgis do best on measured amounts of food as obesity causes many other issues as they age. Corgis need a good set of rules in the home. Good training is important to help one be the best companion they can be. Corgis are generally a bit possessive and certainly opportunistic. You can bet that if you do not make the rules they will make their own. I can also promise you that if they make their own you probably will not like the ones they choose. Not all corgis get along in a dog park setting. This would also be important to learn before taking him home. Hope this helps.