Haha thank you for the information-though I know that this is a late reply-it's way too easy for me to forget about comments on here because there's not a constant reminder like the messages haha.

I'm looking for a pembroke though, not a cardigan haha:)

I just trimmed Pudge's toe fur. It gets so long so quickly! We'd LOOOOOVE to have more rugs in the house, but Pudge is determined to meticulously pull apart every rug we put on the floor. I tried putting some no-chew stuff on the rugs, but that failed. Just replaced one throw rug to find it completely destroyed 45 minutes later.

Maybe I'll just get Pudge some sticky toe pad attachments to add traction. ;)

Hi John,  I have seen many of your posts since I joined mycorgi not too long ago.  Happened to be checking out your profile & cool pics and noticed you have Duluth MN listed as your hometown. My husband and his family are from Duluth (both sets of grandparents), so thought I'd shout out and share, since Duluth seems like such a random sort of place.  It is a really neat town.  I live in Sanford, FL, which has a sort of connection to Duluth in that Geno Palucci, (I am sure you know the name being from Duluth) also made Sanford his home.  We are actually making a trek to Duluth next summer to possibly run the Grandma's Half Marathon. 

John, lucky for me there are no hunters at my grandparent's place ;-) as it is strictly forbidden by the county. The tank is mostly for keeping the flying furballs to a minimum in their house since they are a little obsessed with it being "eat off the floor" clean LoL

Thank you for the compliment on my pups. Your pictures are breathtaking! When we go back to Duluth next summer, we are staying at a B&B that was probably owned by one of those millionaires back in its hey day.  Every time we go back to Duluth, I am kind of amazed to see that people even still live there.  They seem to pack a ton of activities into their short summers, though, as every trip we have made up there has been in the summer & we always have a little difficulty in finding hotel rooms.  The canoe trip sounds interesting...is it near Duluth?  We will have a day or so to kill and we have seen most of the tourist things in Duluth (Glensheen, the train museum, the fill-in-the-blank tower, and I'm sure there is something I am forgetting...) I know we took the trip up the scenic route along Lake Superior, but we really haven't taken advantage of the outdoor offerings.

Funny that you mention you would like a cardigan next, because I would love to add a pembroke to our collection (I am hoping to rescue one someday.)  Right now though, we have a full house with 4 dogs (one over the city ordinance--don't tell!) and 2 cats.

I think you might be a little more of a naturist than me!  I like to look at nature, spend a few hours in it, but I am not the overnight camping kinda girl! (A little bit of a priss!)  I wouldn't mind a day trip in a canoe, but I am not much for the overnight camping thing...unless it's at Disney's Fort Wilderness in a singlewide trailer done up to look like a cabin. (You can roll your eyes now, and I hope that we can still be friends after this admission, as I know you are an outdoor, rugged kinda guy, which I totally admire, but I am just not cut out for it.)  I hope we do get to take in some of the scenery, though, but we are traveling with other family members, and I usually get out voted!

Oh John. I just saw your comment to someone on mycorgi, & jwanted to say how much I love looking at Al, a little early, for JAN. 2012. Well deserved. How'd you ever choose just one photo? I love every photo of yours. OK. I'll stop fawning over Al, Gwynnie, and your photos or your head won't fit through the door. Happy, Merry and good cheer!

John -- Thank you!  You (and others on this site) have reminded me that I like corgi-people almost as much as I like corgis :).  I got up today and thought right away -- when I have  a coffee break I am going to pull up your photos and savor the joy you share with others through posting them.  Laurel

John, Summer is from Kathleen Mallery, as was Oona, our FIRST puppy of the year, who was returned.  Kathleen found a new home for Oona (now one year old) in Austin, TX.  She is doing fine, and I regularly get updates from her new owner.  Kathleen insisted on taking Oona back when she started attacking Scout.  It was heartbreaking--she came into heat early (had ovarian cysts), and at random times would just go for Scout's throat, and not let go!  We had her spayed, but the behavior did not stop.  Kathleen had her for several months, and worked with her before placing her again.  She is now an only dog, but Kathleen said she was not aggressive with her other dogs.

Summer is Oona's half sister (same father)--and she and Scout are doing beautifully well together.  Summer was just spayed, and is now 7 months.  My husband says that for us, this has been the "Year of the Dog"!!!

John, forgot to say that Scout has done very well after his ACL surgery, but he is getting older and slower, I can tell.  He is nine now, and does have arthritis in his front legs.  He could never do what Al does!  How old is Gwynnie now?

Thanks! I feel very lucky to have Avery.

I got him from Howelling Kennel Corgi and Cattle Dog Rescue in Springfield, Ohio. He was listed on Petfinder - no pic in the ad, but because he was around the age I wanted (they estimate around 2 yrs), I went to look at him anyway. Of course I fell in love right away.

So far he's been an amazing dog - super smart and friendly. After preparing myself to do a lot of training to get him to be a good barn dog, I've discovered that somebody already put the effort in to basic obedience training! I took him to the barn and on his first day, within a few hours, I let him off the leash completely. He follows (or leads) me around everywhere I go. Our only 'challenge' so far has been for him to stay out of the fields where the horses are (don't want him to get kicked!). He stays on the edge of the fence until I'm out of sight and then tries to find me - but really, for a dog who's just learning about horses, I can't complain. He started to understand it better yesterday (day 2 at the barn). He's the best dog I could ask for.

Where is the ridge located at? We are always looking for new adventures and we are lucky to have a plenty of escapes in our own back yard =) I was thinking about getting the kids brightly colored little backpacks so that they are more noticable and that way they can carry their own treats =) Thanks for the update! Of course you will be the first to know when we find our next adventure. Have fun and stay safe!

Well it's Valentine's Day, so I guess it's time that I turn my Corgi calendar to Feb. tho' I've been putting off changing the photo from Al. Happy Valentine's Day!

John...Christine Kemp here...How are you and your 4 legged kids Al and Gwynnie?   I was just checking out a new (to me) raw dog food website, Darwins in Seattle, there was a picture of a customer of Darwins Gwynnie.   I thought I know that corgi !    Anyway, do you use Darwins products for Al and Gwynnie, if so what do you think, would you recommend them ?

Thanks John...Maggie and Riley are still on Primal Raw, they are doing 
great.   The last time I purchased Primal the person that helped us 
mentioned that she alternated between 3 brands of raw...she suggested 
this because each brand has a few different ingredients and the variety 
might be a good thing.   So that put me to thinking and checking out 
different brands of raw.   Stella and Chewy's and Nature's Variety are 2 
brands I will try and also, Darwins.    I think Riley would eat 
anything, not too sure about Maggie...she loves rabbit, but it can be 
hard to get occasionally.

Good to hear from you, too, my friend.

Hah! Thanks very much, I tried my best. :D

John, yes Dundee is from an Australian kennel, of English bloodlines, and sent to the US by his Finnish owners.  How's that for international!   He is Jack's sire, and Maddie was bred to him before she came to live with us.  I adore Dundee.  He's got a stunning head.  I think Jack's inherited the head from that side of the family.

And thank you for your very kind comments about my training advice.  I really have just gathered information over the years from other sources; very few of my ideas are completely original (though I guess that is true of everyone).  When I run into a problem, I check some books and look online at a host of different solutions, then pick the one (or combination) that best suits me and my dogs.  I never have read an authority that I agree with 100%, so I just pick the parts I like and ignore the parts I don't.   My husband has said repeatedly I should write a book, but I feel I have no basis for a claim to expertise.  I have no formal instruction in dog-training and my own both have CGC but not much else.  Maybe one day.  I've thought of maybe doing a sort of intro book geared towards early readers.   I feel fortunate because my dad used to field-trial pointers and I was raised with dogs that were well-trained, and learned how myself at a young age.  

I always love reading about your hiking trips.

Actually when his ears are up he looks like the typical pemmie! They come up on their own every so often, I just haven`t gotten a picture. He`s only five months old so I still have hopes that they`ll pop up by themselves, but if not I won`t mind them floppy. As for the legs I think they`re about average, his body just hasn`t grown in to his stocky little feet. His vet thinks he`s a purebred, just probably either wasn`t show quality and got lost or he was a puppy farm dog, which I hope isn`t the case. We live in a fairly rural area with lots of highways so I wouldn`t rule out either. But thank you! I`m just so thrilled to have him either way, he`s a great dog! 

Saw your comment to Stacey re. her Nebriowa Corgi. Turns out her Corgi is Lucy's litter mate.

I saw the really reliable recall in the FAQ section, looks like it's highly recommended. We'll definitely be checking that out.

And on a side note, I'd come running too if I ever thought a word meant I was getting bacon! haha

John, Maddie is Jack's aunt.   Jack's dam is Roxie.   Roxie and Maddie have the same sire, and their dams are full sisters. 

Jack's sire is Dundee, and two years later Maddie was also bred to Dundee.   Very incestuous.  :)

And I abhor the thought of docking an adult dog for anything other than medical necessity.   Goodness!

We are doing Middle Fork in a couple of weeks.  Did Granite Lakes as a snowshoe a few months ago(but didn't get quite to the lakes).  It was a rainy, dreary day so I hope to go back there sometimes this summer and make it all the way to the lakes.

Did Taylor River to Otter falls last summer, and enjoyed that one and want to repeat.  Can't wait until they pave that road.

Did Mail Box Peak without the dogsand won't go back until they have the new trail completed.

Sorry, different Gilpin.  But that would be a dream, to be surrounded by corgis all day long!  I can never have too much time with my corgis!

Always a treat to see your adventures and live vicariously, but it was especially fun to hear your voice!

Hey John, thought this may interest you.

I am just glad Klaus has not taken a liking to cows and horses like Panzer did! lol. Panzer use to herd them alot and not listen. I showed Klaus them at day one and he hates them because they are big and slobbery lmao <3

Finally headed up to West Cady Ridge, trail is signed closed to the public for construction until mid Nov, but headed up it anyways.  Made for a nice quiet hike. Awesome fall colors. Misty in the morning but fog cleared for a beautiful hike back down.  Now I have my goal set for next year, to make a full day in August and head up to Benchmark. So I have a full 10 months or so to work up my speed and stamina.  Love your reports with you and your dogs.  A few years ago I would never have thought this possible, now the thought of actually backpacking is entering the back of my brain.

Hope your Birthday is wonderful John!

Happy Birthday John....hope the Corgis threw a great party for you:)

John's birthday?  Another one?   What does this make you now, about 40?  The Corgis are keeping you young, John.  Happy b-day!

Very funny John! I bet if you could find a 4 wheel drive Rv you would consider it! So glad Gwynnie still has her energy.

Thanks! Yeah some days I miss him being part of a dynamic duo but Kirby is SOOOO happy with his new mom. I am currently fostering a kitten and that is keeping Frank VERY busy :-P

Thanks, John, glad you enjoy the pictures.  Believe me, the feeling is mutual.  Like most I envy your corgi adventures and the spectacular scenery in which Al & Gwynnie take you hiking.

Thank you John! I had forgotten he was February and got a nice thrill to see him myself.

Actually John, the drought was so bad around south western MN last summer that we didn't have many mosquitoes either:) Lake Superior was low too. Actually the last 2 winters were dry ...kinda scary! MN does NOT have 10,000 lakes right now!

Hi John, actually someone posted the link to your food bag page immediately after the post was made about the corgi who died. There are a handful of mycorgi users on Reddit. 

Hi John,

Thanks so much for your comment. I shot a message over to Mary Day at your recommendation. I hope that Mattie finds an awesome home. She looks like a great dog. 

I am so tickled that you decided to post on my page. I found mycorgi.com originally by searching for "corgis and hiking" and the top result was a thread from this website. Your name was bandied around a lot! I had originally written Corgis off as a possible breed for me, because I had assumed their short legs would prevent them from going hiking and backpacking with me, but my research into the breed showed me how much I had underestimated their athletic ability. In a way, your dogs were one of the deciding factors for me to choose Pembrokes!

I saw Carrie Hale's name on the CPWCC list of reputable breeders when I browsed, but when I saw that Gwynnie and Al were also Haley dogs, I knew I had to contact her. I sent her an email a few days ago, but I haven't heard anything yet. I've got my fingers crossed, though. Hopefully I will hear something back.

Thanks very much for your messages!

Meghan

Hey, John, when I saw your photos of your hikes, I remembered that Carl Elliott said that you had Corgis. I just got one, I had a Corsky but she died about a year and a half ago. I still bring her two brothers up to my house every night. They don't get enough exercise if I don't. 

I was wondering where you go hiking with a dog. Do you only go to Forest Service land? I didn't think they allowed dogs in National Parks. Since I am in Port Townsend, the Olympics are right near me but are mostly National Park lands. 

Another is about harness'. I am going to train Little Sister to ride on my Xtracycle and run with me off leash if I can train her at 9 years old to not chase everything. My Border Collie and my Corsky were well trained and ran with the bike everywhere. I could ride in the bike lane and they would run on the sidewalk but mostly we did trails. So have you tried Ruffwear harnesses or know of them? I would like to be able to lift Little Sister into the holder on the bike and off again when appropriate. They look like I could lift her but with long Corgi bodies I am not sure. Thanks, Jolly

Interesting about the short legs. I was wondering if the male carries the leg length gene. I have been asking people who have corgi mixes and it seems that if the male was the corgi, the dogs have short legs but if it was the female they don't have very short legs though they may be a bit shorter than normal. 

Little Sister hurt her back a few days ago so I don't think I'll be taking her on walks on the beach anymore. She slipped on some rocks and then started limping a little bit. We walked the 10 blocks home slowly and she was acting like a really well trained dog which is unusual for her. After a couple of hours of lying down she wouldn't walk and yelped when someone knocked on the door. She seems fine now but she is on meds, muscle relaxants and such. We need to take it easy for a few weeks and I learned to pick her up correctly and I have made a ramp so she doesn't jump up or down into the truck. I am giving her gentle exercise since it used to be the only thing that worked for me when I used to have a bad back (for years). 

I figured you would have tested a number of harness' for the corgis. It is sad when they get too old to do what they used to do. My border collie, Boomer, used to run with me mountain biking (it was the only way I had a chance to occasionally catch up with him). After 6 hours of full run, he figured we were warmed up and ready for a few hours of ball throwing. He died of heart disease at 15. Luckily, I had moved to Port Townsend when he got old and  I could walk for long walks on the beach and trails and I would go out and come back the same route. Boomer would go as far as he felt he could that walk and then start back and he would be almost back by the time I returned. He knew how long it would take me. 

I would love to have a Border Corgi, seems like a perfect combination. 

John, I posted a few more pics of Rusty the heeler corgi in an album for you. I have to upload them from my phone, but I took some this morning of his corgi butt on top of long legs.

I don't know who Ricky's rooting for as he's slept through the Australian. I don't want to do any spoiler here in case you care who won the finals today.

I'm glad Al is doing ok. We had to bring Ricky Rafa back to the veterinary hospital this week, but not for his ACL. This time for eating the carcasses of dead rodents. Apparently he found my old cat's stash of remains. He was quite sick, vomiting in volumes I had never before seen. But, he's fine now. No obstructions and xrays showed no remaining rodent bones. He's got 9 lives.

Monty misses you all back and now we have another corgi (a cardigan)

thanks for the kind words john, I appreciate it. 

Good to hear from you, John & that Al's doing ok, even if not climbing the mountains with you and Gwynnie. RR would love to chase down Rafa Nadal's tennis balls, but you know he wouldn't bring them back! Have you tried that supplement I recommended for MicroLactin. It is great for knees. It's helped my friends 13 yr old GSD tremendously, and Jack and I feel that it's helping us, too. It's possible to see a marked improvement w/in a week. Let me know if you try it and what you think. Happy summer J,A,G

PS John. I got a kick learning that you have a 3 mo old tri named Butters. That was RR's name when we rescued him. He was hardly a Butters, or Rafa, it seems. He never answered to Rafa, so Ricky's it is, now. Tho' occasionally I call him Rafa for old times sake. He never even looks up. BTW, Rafa Nadal doesn't like dogs. Much as I love him, I don't understand people that don't like dogs, unless they had an unfortunate incident with a dog at a young age.

Hi John,

Thanks for the corgi-hiking advice.  Since I don't know anyone else who hikes and climbs with corgis, I hope it's okay if I occassionally ask you for advice.  I saw Gwynnie and Al's Chillybuddy vest, and I plan on getting Timber one as soon as I'm sure he's done growing.  He's six months old now.  I have noticed that his black fur gets hot on sunny days (even when it's 30 degrees out), but I had never heard of the Chillybuddy vest until I saw your photos. Timber will be the coolest dog in Anchorage once he gets one!

Our normal walk is a 3-mile loop on the cross-country ski trails in town.  (Alaska's winter has been so pathetic this year, that they haven't even bothered grooming all the trails in town.)  The loop is hilly, but generally wide and even.  Timber loves it, and has no problem with the distance.  I've started trialing longer hikes, but sticking strictly to minimal elevation gain hikes.  I'm not planning on starting him on mountains until his second summer, when he'll be 1.5-2 years old.  Does this sound like a reasonable plan?  I would hate myself if I caused him any injuries now that would impair his ability to hike long distances and climb mountains as an adult.  I'd love to hear more about how you started Gwynnie and Al into being such pioneering spirits for their breed!