When did your corgi start to settle down and mature?
I'm just curious to see what other owners are experiencing with their puppies in terms of hyperactivity and maturation. I remember Gutie pretty much being a nightmare until he was about a year old (he's now a year and a half). I probably cried twice a week about it thinking "I can't handle this, what have I done, I'm not ready". He needed CONSTANT attention and exercise, otherwise he'd just walk around the house whining until I either played with him or put him in his kennel for quiet time. I woke up everyday at 5:30am to let him out, then walk him, feed him, exercise him (on and off leash), train him, help him soothe his teething phase, etc. He only napped twice a day for maybe 30 minutes and I scrambled to get stuff done around the house when he was snoozing. And when my hunny came home, he would just go crazy all over again even after hours of rigorous stimulation. When he was neutered at 6 months, he reversed in potty training so we basically had to start all over and that was a big disappointment but we got through it. And then he stopped listening to me! And he started developing irrational fears of people and things. At six months old, he used to run the other way when people/dogs approached and now he usually (75% of the time) happily walks up and gives a sniff and lick to people and dogs he doesn't know (he still barks, but just to alert me of an incoming person, then he becomes a big teddy bear). A year later and boy has he mellowed out and all of that terror, training, and socializing he made me go through was SO worth it.
I know this may sound ridiculous, but I barely remember how much hell he put me through when he was 6 months old. He's just so laid back now and such a good boy that my brain just deleted all of the "bad" stuff. He's by no means a fat or lazy dog, he's still VERY active and fit and always will be, but he's matured and knows my boundaries and doesn't need supervision like he did. I can leave him at home alone for long periods now and not worry about what he'd destroy, what he'd pee/poop on, what he'd get into.
Margo, his new sister, is 6 months and now all those bad memories are starting to resurface. I've shed a few tears this last week just like I had with Gutie when he was young thinking "Oh my God, why did I think a second dog was ever a good idea?!". But then my hunny reassures me in saying "Gutie was even worse at her age, Margo is a wonderful dog she's just a baby and needs leadership like Gutie did; she's only been here a week, give her time to develop a bond in your training with her; in a year you'll be looking back at this and laughing". DUH, RIGHT?! I'm such a worrier. And her and Gutie get along as if they were born together! A week of knowing each other and they are already inseparable. I need to take it one day at a time, relax and not lose patience/hope, and HAVE FUN!
When did your dog mature? What was he/she like at 6 months compared to now?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Jack was hardly allowed in the living room, even supervised, until he was 7 months old and by the time he was a year old or so he could be left with the run of the house while we were at work. So it can happen really fast. Jack was in constant motion. Bitey. Peed on the rug. Chewed wood. If he was awake he was moving and he would NOT nap unless I locked him in his pen. I'd put him in and he'd cry and complain and then fall right asleep. I couldn't watch tv, I couldn't read a book. I had to play, play, play with the puppy!
And then he stopped biting. And he stopped chewing. And he was still energetic but I could throw the ball while we watched tv.
You'll get there! Usually they grow up between 1 and 2.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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LOL! Sorry I have to laugh. I guess it doesn't matter whether you adopt a dog or a 2-legged child. I said the same thing about a week after our daughter arrived from Korea at 6 months. What have I done! She has since grown into a well behaved adult.
And like my child Margo will hit a point where suddenly everything clicks and you will wonder why you ever doubted adding her to your family. It has been well over 20 years since we've had a puppy, our last 4 corgis were all adult rehomings but I can remember the need for constant attention and not listening and WILL THIS DOG EVER GET HOUSEBROKEN when we did have puppies! It's great that they have bonded so closely and Gutie will help teach her how to behave. She will want to do what he does and that will help.
Enjoy....every time you want to throw your hands in the air laugh instead. Remember this too shall pass.
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Permalink Reply by Marina Holshevnikoff on
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Chelsea, I feel you!
I capital-H, HATED having my corgi, Jerry as a puppy. It was the worst several months of my life, lol. Much like Beth said; pee on the floor (luckily no carpet), chewing everything, barking, potty training regression, biting. It was a nightmare. You sit there and think, "But I thought I was doing everything right!"
Jerry didn't really settle down until he was about 8 months old. By that I mean, he was obedient, he started playing nicely with us, he started figuring out how to fetch and we really got in a routine. He wasn't left alone, uncrated in the house until...gosh...almost 2 years? Around then is also when he started becoming a little love bug.
Now at 2.5 he's finally sleeping through the night outside of his crate on a bed in our room.
He still confuses me sometimes, but he is every bit as much the dog I hoped he would be. Stick with it, in a few months she'll calm down and realize who the leader is. You're doing great so far!!
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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on
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wait, what? They're supposed to mature??? What page does it say that, in the instruction manual? :-D
A LONG time. Ruby was puppyish for at least a year. Fortunately I found this forum, where other corgis' humans assured me that I wasn't totally incompetent after all. Only partially so... ;-)
Apparently corgis are given to a certain stubbornness about house training...but it turned out Ruby had a UTI (not uncommon, I learned, thanks to members here) which slowed her progress. Once she was over that she came along pretty well. Whenever she felt so inclined. ;-)
Lucky for me I had Cassie, who was pushing 7 when Ruby came along and had already raised a kid and a golden retriever. She was still plenty vigorous, though (still is), and could give that puppy a run for her money. She also demonstrated how to keep puppies in line (has something to do with displaying the glistening canines).
In my experience, larger breeds sometimes seem to take longer to slow down and mellow out. Not so for the corgi: German shepherd is still a puppy at 18 months...so is the corgi. It's a very vigorous and energetic dog with a lot of drive. This means you'll be running to keep up for the first couple of years.
Ruby did not do a lot of destructive chewing. She was not a biter, to speak of. Not much of a digger, bless her little doggie heart. And of course, a corgi is too short to snab a steak off the kitchen counter. The biggest question mark was coming to call. Fortunately she never managed to escape during her puppyhood, 'cause I was really concerned that if she ever got loose, she'd be gone for good. It took a long time and a LOT of bribes to persuade her (nominally) to come when called.
The X-pen is your friend. So is the crate. Those things were real life-savers!
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Permalink Reply by susan on
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Oh my gosh, I'm going through the same thing! Hhaha. I got Jeli, my 3 year old pup ,a corgi brother for her 3rd birthday. Jaxx just turned 7 months. Its fun and its frustrating all at the same time! At first it seemed like a great idea. Now I have days of regret. But then I remember how Jeli was at 7 months (she was an absolute terror!) So I have hope we will all come through this in a year or so. I hope!!!
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Permalink Reply by Diane on
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It's always nice to know that you aren't the only one! When we adopted our second dog a year ago (6-7 months old), I was in tears for the first week wondering if I'd done the right thing. Although they seemed to get along great when they met on neutral turf, when I brought Abby home it was totally different... Chewey sulked under my office desk for 3 days and didn't want anything to do with her - he just gave me a look that I swear said "WHY IS SHE STILL HERE??". I had to keep them separated for awhile if we weren't around because I didn't trust that they wouldn't fight...Fortunately it worked out and they do pretty well together. As long as I feed them separately :-)
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Permalink Reply by Natsuhi Shirosaki on
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This made me laugh so hard lol, as a corgi owner to be its great knowing & hearing what to expect or else I will be beating myself over it lol. no book can ever replace discussion with other people, I am glad I find this site
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