Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alison Prexta on July 8, 2011 at 9:57pm

I should also add that I've also found a breeder close to home that has the pups I'm interested in. :)

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 8, 2011 at 10:56pm

Hi Alison.  It's good that you are doing your homework.   

 

I will be blunt on one point:  Corgis shed.  Corgis shed a lot.  If you really are not up to dealing with a lot of shedding, then a Corgi may not be the best breed for you. There are lots of delightful breeds that shed much less than Corgis, and some that hardly shed at all.  I firmly believe that the key to being happy with your dog is to pick the dog that best suits you.  I would never pick a breed that needs a lot of grooming, for instance, because I hate it.  Having hair everywhere does not really bother me, though.  With a Corgi, you will have hair all around even if you vacuum regularly. 

 

Seeing an obedience trainer is not necessary if you have lots of experience training dogs, though socialization classes are still a must unless you have regular (daily) access to busy places with lots of friendly people and dogs for socializing.  Around here, you can usually get 6 to 8 classes for around $100 or so.   Relative to the costs of owning a dog, that is pretty cheap.   

 

Being alone for that short a time will be fine, though ideally you should try to arrange to be home for the first few days after a new puppy arrives.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 8, 2011 at 11:06pm

I just wanted to add that before you get a Corgi, ask yourself how you'll feel dealing with the hair six months from now?  Six years from now?  Remember you may have the dog for 14 years or so.   Will you be ok with it when you have the flu and can't vacuum?   When you are too busy to vacuum all the time?  How would you feel if someone popped by the house and there were Corgi dust bunnies floating down your stairway?

 

If you think of the above scenarios and just laugh, then the hair won't be a big deal.  If the thought makes you tense, then I suggest finding someone with a heavy-shedding breed and spending some time in their house.  Explain to them you want to see how it is day-to-day, not right after they clean for a party.

 

I have two Corgis and a cat.  We vacuum twice a week and I do all the corners and edges of the hardwood floors at the same time with a hand vac.   In between vacuumings, we do get some big bits of fluff floating around, especially in spring/early summer.   If we are busy and miss a turn, the house is very hairy.   

 

If we want to look nice to go out we need to run a roller over our clothes.   Sitting on the couch means getting up with hair on our clothes, to be honest.   We use couch covers so when we have guests, they can sit on a clean couch after we hide away the covers.  

 

This is the reality of having Corgis.   Each breed has its pros and cons.   The hair is a definite con if a clean house is important to you.   My mother loves my dogs but probably would go crazy if she had Corgis.  

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Permalink Reply by Roger/Laurie on July 9, 2011 at 12:11am

Regarding the hair (shedding).......If we had known the extent of the shedding we probably would not have gotten a Corgi. AND we would have missed out on 6 of the most wonderful years anyone could have with a pet.  After 18 months we got a second Corgi that sheds more than the first one. What we receive from our boys every minute of the day out weighs the shedding. Yes...the hair still drives me crazy and yes we talk about a 3rd one.

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Permalink Reply by Alex on July 9, 2011 at 1:40am

Owning a dog is never easy but to us it is well worth the effort.  Shedding will be least of your worries.  Will you have time for a dog?  Will you be okay with sacrificing nights out after work because you have to head straight home to take your dog for a walk?  Those are the major issues that people encounter when owning a dog. 

 

One other thing, you seem to be a person that likes to keep your house nice and clean, do note that one of the major reason why people change their mind about owning a dog is during the potty training period.  You WILL have accidents, it is a given.  Do note that you will have to deal with constant cleaning and training. 

 

Leaving the pup alone is okay but do note that they will not have good bladder control for a few months.  It is part of the training process.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on July 9, 2011 at 2:16am

Like everyone else has said already corgi's shed CONSTANTLY. I am blessed to have probably the only corgi ever who doesn't shed much at all. But this is RARE. When your pup gets its adult coat you can supplement with omega 3s and 6s (fish oil and/or flax seed oil) to help with the shedding, though this will not stop it.

 

Leaving your dog home for 4-5 hours will be fine. One thing to remember though is your dog will need TONS of exercise. Corgi's are not a breed that you can take for a 20 minute walk and call it a day. Franklin currently gets one FULL hour of running, swimming, fetch and two or three 10-15 minute play sessions on top of that hour.

 

I have a ton of dog training experience but still found more advanced obedience classes helpful with Franklin. They are SMART SMART SMART and high energy/high drive so they need a job. I skipped all the basic obedience, I did that myself, but found Franklin needed an outlet and signed him up for agility classes and then later on rally classes. If you have had several dogs in the past and have experience with herding breeds you will be fine without obedience classes. If you only have experience with labs, goldens, and the like, you may benefit from obedience classes bc corgis can be quite stubborn and are exponentially smarter than most dogs.

 

You mentioned not wanting to spend money on obedience training, I just wanted to mention again, corgis are smart and corgis are high drive. Plan to spend LOTS AND LOTS of money on your corgi. If they are not properly exercised plan on spending lots of money on furniture, carpets, shoes, etc. They will tear stuff up if they don't have an outlet for their energy. Plan on lots of vet bills from random accidents, plan on lots of money spent on toys and rawhides/bones/bully sticks etc. Just remember the cost of a puppy is a tiny tiny percentage of what you will actually be spending on your dog, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you may be spending $2000 or more on your pup in his/her first year. One of Franklin's vet visits last October cost me $2000 alone, and that was just ONE incident, there have been several others. I work at a vet and can tell you first hand a $500+ vet bill is not uncommon for a pup so just keep that in mind BEFORE you buy your puppy and make sure you are financially able to care for that pup should the unexpected happen.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on July 9, 2011 at 8:51am

1. Getting my 1st corgi was the best thing I ever did dispite my husband questioning their stubborness...I have many more than that now and love it!

2.Hair...yup but mine aren't horrble shedders only when they are blowing their coat and then a furminator works well to remove the big chunks.

3.Alone,  no problem but do have an exercise fence or large crate as some of mine have found uneatable things to chew one. Safe toys are a must.

4.Obedience....Wynn my 1st never had it and is perfect. Time invested in training whether at home or in classes is a must. Corgis want to please you and treats as reinforcers are great. I would suggest a short socialization class or at least getting your pup used to people and other dogs.

5.If you have a breeder in mind let them know what you need from a corgi such as personality. My Wynn is laid back and my Livvy is a live wire who needs to be busy but still does not get into things.

6. Vet bills....I have my yearly one but can honestly say that other than Bella with her stomach problems I have never had to spend much other than usual  shots,spaying etc. It can happen to any dog that something goes wrong...

7.Corgis are great,you need to be a pack leader and positive reinforcement/planned ignoring is the best training method.

 

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Permalink Reply by Stefanie Argus on August 10, 2011 at 2:48am

Yup, I absolutely recommend the Furminator as well.  It's cut Samoa's shedding down at least 50%!

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Permalink Reply by Kari & Quin on July 9, 2011 at 1:05pm

if i were you I would just read as much as i could about corgis before committing to get one,  when I was first looking at getting a dog I thought I wanted a border collie they are pretty and smart,  then I read about them and realized they needed a bit more attention then I wanted to give and if you don't they are very destructive, corgis are almost as bad but I don't believe as high strung, as long as you give them plenty of mental and physical stimulation (mine at least) is very mellow, but we walk every day for an hour and do catch and training also. All dogs were breed for a purpose corgis were breed to think on their own and keep the cattle in their place so they can be a bit bossy you have to be strong enough to tell them you are the boss not them. but at the same time you have to give them an outlet for their energy or you will have an unhappy destructive dog also choose your breeder wisely if it is just someone out of the paper that has puppies all the time I would venture to say they are most likely not a good breeder, and you may have more troubles vet wise with you future dog, like skin allergies, hip problems, eyes, and the like.  And the way you know you love your puppy is when they chew something up (and they will)  you say oh well I will just buy a new one:)

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Permalink Reply by Jane on July 9, 2011 at 1:38pm

1. Corgis shed. A lot. There is nothing you can do that will stop it, so if you're not comfortable having fur around your house and on your clothes, don't get a corgi. Frequent brushing and a good diet may lessen it slightly but don't expect any miracles.

 

2. A puppy will be fine alone for 4-5 hours. Definitely use a crate or an xpen when you're gone.

 

3. I'd say obedience training is an absolute must unless you are already a very skilled, experienced trainer. They need a puppy class for socialization at the very least IMO, and usually a 6-8 week class will run around $100. Keep in mind that a new puppy can cost upwards of $2000 in the first year (and that's if nothing goes wrong), so if $100 seems like a lot you might want to hold off on a puppy until you can build up a good savings in case of emergencies.

 

Additional info...they are often touted as good "apartment dogs", but they do need quite a lot of exercise. This isn't a little lap dog that will be happy being a couch potato all day. Many bark quite a bit. They can also be very stubborn, bossy and independent.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on July 9, 2011 at 2:38pm

Ask questions of the breeder.

Do they have a contract? (I always email mine ahead so they can read it as I have a health guarantee and return policy as well as a spay/neuter contract.)

Where are the pups born and raised? (in their home or out in a shed?)

Can you visit to see the place?

What are the parents like?

 

plus more...

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on July 9, 2011 at 8:59pm

Hi Alison,

 

Welcome! Don't restrict yourself to the next few weeks, chances are you are not ready at this point. I am not going to talk about the positive side of dog ownership, cause those are easy. Read the FAQ, it has info on selecting the right breeder. most reputable breeders already have a waiting list, most of their pups are already spoken for, be patient. You are selecting a 14-17 year companion, the commitment is even longer than some human marriages. Your life will change forever,you will not have a night life in the first year of ownership, your schedule will revolve around your pup, your activities will be restricted by the pup's potty schedule.

 

First year of ownership will run you at least $2K, if you have any extra accident / emergency vet, each visit will run you $1.5K. When you go on vacation and cannot take your pup with you, boarding fee will cost you a minimum of $30 per day, that's $210 / week, so make sure you have a steady income / savings before committing to this for the next 14-17 years.

 

NEVER EVER purchase a pup from the store, you are not saving them from puppy mill. A reputable breeder will make you jump through hoops, don't be turned off by the interview. Do not let anyone pressure you into getting a pup, when you have any doubt, WALK, a suitable pup is always out there waiting for you. Do not let limited gender / coat / colour be the deciding factor. A reputable breeder will match one with your lifestyle. Again, read the FAQ.

 

1. Shedding is a normal way of life, accept it. the amount of hair will shorten your vacuum, be prepare to invest in a good one. Yes, more money. It's in the FAQ.

 

2. Yes, most of us have day job, some of us work crazy hours, dogs will adapt to your lifestyle / schedule, make sure you are diligent with sticking to the schedule. Pups need structure.

 

3. Yes, if you are asking this question, it'll be beneficial to learn the ropes from a pro, remember you still need to train and practice yourself at home daily. Interview the trainer like you have a pre-schooler, the right trainer will go above and beyond for you, even off hours. We've went through 3 different trainers in 2 years, they were not created equal, select a smaller class. Even seasoned dog owners need classes after previous ownership, do not cheap out, especially when the pups are young, you want to get it right the first time rather than correcting years later. Classes are cheap, usually $100 for several weeks, in home private runs around $200, depending on where you live.

 

4. Corgis are herding dogs, they require daily on leash outdoor walk, 50-90 minutes daily rain or shine. They need mental / physical stimulation, they require a strong, structured leader. Corgis are rated no.11 on the intelligence scale, they will not blindly follow commands like a golden retriever, they will continue to push the envelope. Corgis are stubborn and hard headed, they enjoy being the centre of attention. Corgis are prone to obesity, keep them at a lighter weight will reduce the chances of hip / back problems (except DM). Some corgis can be vocal, remember they are herding dogs, they nip and bark to keep cattle in place, so think twice about your neighbours / living situation. Most corgis do very well as the only king / queen in the dogdom, having multiple corgis may seem logical, but it is a different ball game. Master one first before you even think about adding another one. I've worked with a rescue organization who placed over 200 corgis in ONE year, I've fostered corgis big and small, never met one who cannot be rehabilitated. Rescue corgis are usually under the age of 2 or senior corgis, they are not damaged, they come from all walks of life. We had corgis who are the victims of bad economy, moving overseas, owners died, owners losing their home, divorced, favouring the first dog before arrival, purchase mistake, stray, lost, human allergy, dog allergy, human baby addition, domestic human violence, dogs don't match the furniture (yes, you learn to take the dog first and don't ask questions). Out of the last few years, we only encountered 2 corgis who were truly unadoptable and they were not available for adoption to the public. We also received corgis from puppy mill closed down, those are the occasions that we receive pregnant mom and pups. It would be a good idea to get your feet wet, borrow a friend's dog and dog sit for 2 weeks. Find a rescue and volunteer, the dogs will be temporary and you get a taste of what it's like, you'll learn every corgi is different. Not all rescues are created equal, find a good mentor and soak up all their knowledge like a sponge. Attend as many corgi meetup as your can, talk and meet with real life owners, ask all the questions and then ask some more. I think that's all i can write for now :) Good luck!

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