Would a corgi be a good match for my son

My son has Meneiers Disease which is combined with hearing loss. The Meneiers Disease causes episodes of severe vertigo that can last anywhere from a few seconds to weeks at a time. There is no known cause or cure for him at this point and he is disabled. He wants to get a corgi puppy as he has grown up with corgis in our home. He is living on his own at this point and would love to have a corgi of his own for companionship but I am not sure this is the best dog for him. Can a corgi puppy be raised to be a good companion to someone who is housebound? Thoughts? Suggestions?

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Comment by Bev Levy on October 11, 2011 at 3:15pm: My Mom has Meneiers but not as bad as your son. A corgi with a very mild temperament would probably be a good match as long as your son can provide a yard and some outside activity. An older dog would probably be easier. I know my corgi, Izzy, is the original couch potato. She would love to just lay around most of the time with occasional potty breaks. She has been like that since she was a puppy. However, Sparty, my other corgi, would be a disaster for someone that was housebound.

Comment by Yuki & Ellie on October 11, 2011 at 3:07pm: Well, there are a lot of factors to consider about any dog, let alone a corgi.

To what degree is he housebound? Is he literally unable to leave his home or can he go outside in the yard, if there is one? If he can't leave his house at all, then he will have to have a great deal of help if he wants a dog. He will need someone who can reliably help with dog walks and transporting the dog to/from the Vet's office. He could hire a dog walker to help with exercise, but he would need (most likely) a family member to help with the dog's health care. Could you or someone else provide that support?

Would he be able to handle the dog's daily needs? Can he let the dog out/in for potty breaks, feed the dog, handle basic grooming/nail care if a groomer is not available? I'm not sure about his limitations at the worst of times (i.e. when he's experiencing intense vertigo.)

One option you may wish to consider is a service dog. They do exist for those who are hearing-impaired and certainly the vertigo issue could qualify as well. I remember someone on here saying that their corgi had a grandmother (or other furry relative) that was a hearing dog, so corgis are definitely able to perform in that regard.

If he does decide to get a corgi or other breed, I would definitely look for an adult. I think that it might be a bit too difficult for him to handle the high energy of a puppy (especially a corgi), and an adult (even a young adult, maybe 2 years old) would be much easier to handle.