I want a Corgi puppy.  Gromit needs a pal his own size and I love having two Corgis to share my home.  Things around the house have not been entirely in balance since I lost my beloved Watson & Tinsel back in 2009 so I have great enthusiasm for owning Corgis and finding a puppy to become Gromit's little brother or sister. 

Perhaps you're starting down the path of getting a Corgi pup, yourself.  You've decided against a rescue dog and want a pup, that's fine, everyone has their own reasons and choices   about that, but before you let your puppy madness carry you away, stop and do something maybe a little boring: Corgi research.

Research doesn't mean visiting your local backyard breeder and playing with the puppies.  That's just having fun and letting Corgi puppy endorphins frap inside your head.  It's great fun but not necessarily conducive to picking the right pup.

Believe me, I'm not trying to dampen your enthusiasm, I'm a Corgi nut too, but balancing enthusiasm with solid breed knowledge is a good thing.   So this might seem like a bit of a dry suggestion but take some time to read things that don't talk about Corgis in a lovable, snuggle-able, way.   Read about the history of Corgis and why they are what they are, read The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and read and study the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America breed standard

Get a good understanding of common medical issues with Corgis.  Your Corgi will get sick at some point, understand what to do when that happens and how careless breeding can lead to a Corgi with poor health and behavior issues.

Take the time to visit more than one AKC dog show where Corgis are being shown so you know what a properly constructed Corgi should look like.  Please understand that dog shows are not strictly beauty contests, although the Corgis are often spectacularly beautiful, conformation shows are about breeding dogs that most closely adhere to the traditional and agreed upon standard of what a particular dog breed is in terms of bone structure, coat, and temperament.  Take a moment to read that last part again, it's important.  Without dedicated conformation breeders and conformation shows, Corgis would stop being Corgis; they almost did back in the 1930s.  

I'm not suggesting you should only consider the very finest, most expensive, close-to-show-perfect, Corgi.  The best breeders keep those pups to further try and improve the breed, always hoping to breed the perfect Corgi and thereby improve the breed.  But pet buyers like you and I holding out for a nice, well bred, well structured Corgi, is important because buying indiscriminately encourages indiscriminate breeding, and then slowly the Corgi breed that we love will be damaged, is being damaged.  By educating yourself you are helping improve the breed and are discouraging those who only care about puppies and profit.

As you move towards getting your own pup your new knowledge and experience will make you better equipped to make a great choice about which pup you get because to some degree, selecting and owning a smiling Corgi is serious matter.  A well informed Corgi owner will be a better owner and will be more likely to wind up with a healthier, happier Corgi, with many face licking, frapping, bunny butt years together.

 

Please take seriously, learning about your future Corgi pal.  They are worth the effort.

 

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Comment by Emily & Daisy on October 13, 2012 at 10:06pm

Good info. =)

Comment by Gromit, Sparkle, and Doug on November 13, 2011 at 11:54pm

Thanks, Sam.  You're more than welcome to add that to the FAQ.

Wendy, I'll take them if you're really willing to give them BOTH up and not just the Rafinator.  Hah!

 

Comment by Sam Tsang on November 13, 2011 at 9:05pm

Excellent post Doug! May I add this to the FAQ?

Comment by Lucy & Ricky (Wendy/Jack ) on November 13, 2011 at 4:48pm

I hear you, Doug. So which one of these would you like? The shameless hussy or the laid-back R/R?

 

 

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