Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandy Stickney on October 27, 2011 at 9:01pm

Hi Amy, I know you will get input from others on this site that are very good at dog training issues.  I know that for us, dog training classes have been very helpful.  Also, we had a dog trainer come to the house and help us with issues like barking at the door (our front door is glass), among other issues.  The in-home training we got yielded the quickest results.  The trainer we used was $125 for a two hour session, which I know can be expensive, but it may be worth it in the long run to give you peace and order. Just make sure you ask questions and find good trainers, whether you do classes or in-home.  I still think the in-home training may be good because then the trainer can observe Lucy in her environment.  The class setting I found good for basics, and our instructors were always good at giving us tips to use with situations at home, but it was still no comparison for the in-home training.  (We only had one in-home training session and again, the results were almost immediate.)  Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on October 27, 2011 at 9:16pm

Definitely do puppy classes but also, she NEEDS exercise. She needs to get out to play and go for walks for AT LEAST 30 min a day but ideally closer to an hour. Sounds like she just has too much pent up energy and so is becoming destructive and out of control. Obedience classes will help teach you how to train her but even obedience won't help if you don't get that energy out!

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Permalink Reply by Priscilla, CARLY, and Frankie on October 27, 2011 at 9:29pm

Obedience training will help!!!  im serious , my Carly was just like this and still has a few issues with garbage in the bthrm so we keep it empty, but for the most part shes learned how to behave . Oh yea she  barked in peoples faces and would calm but just after i had her spayed at one yr she got a little better then i took her to her third  series of CGC obedience classes @ 6weks a jab, she got a little better . She now can down when company comes over, .. shes has never passed and received her cgc because shes still is afraid of strangers , and she pulls to much on the leash.  Im sure you know You have to walk these high strung dogs alot and may i suggest using caution with the choke chain  but  i believe without it i wouldn't be able to control her she still wants to chase cars, im thinking about getting the prong collar.. i have read its less harmful and more efficient..

I have two corgis the other one doesnt have any of these traits ,..other than the barking, and i have stopped that , using a empty coke can put a few pennies in it  and duck tape , i just have to rattle one time and he stops now. Such a awesome trick! We were very pleased when he came with such a mild temperament but you have to take the bad with the good, Carly is very loyal and i swear she would protect me with her life if need be out side when walking , while frankie laughs and licks who ever is a threat. Shes 22 months old and is still a little snarky with new people, not kids because i have grand kids her all the time that she loves an trust... but  any dog that she thinks might be a threat to me, shes snap at i have to watch her like a hawk.. she was really possessive of me but she did grow to like frankie when i brought him home, hes 10months.

just so you know i do feel your pain ...i cried more tears over Carly the first yr , she was unbelievably hard ..

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Permalink Reply by Beth on October 27, 2011 at 9:55pm

Sounds like a mix of too little exercise and too much freedom at too young an age.   Your kids need to either keep their room closed up or not leave stuff on the floor.  When no one can watch her, she should be confined to a safe place with nothing to get at.  She should have a minimum of a half-hour walk and a half-hour play-time/training time with direction interaction with a person every day (and will probably do better with a lot more than that til she's around 2 or 3).  

 

I strongly recommend taking a positive-based basic obedience class, where you and she can learn some basic skills.  She also needs to start learning some self-control, and classes will help with that. 

 

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by AMY OLDHAM on October 28, 2011 at 5:39am

We do keep the kids doors closed but they are 8 & 7 so if you have kids then you know how that can be. We also confine her to or kitchen when we are un-able to keep tabs on her and she is crate trained.  I will be looking into classes today for her.  I should have done that a long time ago. I have recently started taking her to the dog park in my area.  She really loves it and sleeps like a baby when we get home. When we go on those walks it is so hard on both of us, but I guess the classes will also help with that.  Thanks so much for you advice and I'm gonna get my baby some classes!!!!! 

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Permalink Reply by Beth on October 28, 2011 at 10:12am

No problem!   We've ALL been there with the "first puppy" sort of thing.  Corgis are great family dogs but they are quite high-energy.  I described my dogs to my vet and she said "That's what the people who have Border Collies say."   Now, I would never think of my dogs as having the energy of a BC but some of them can be pretty close to a lower-key border collie.

Good luck!  You are a very good owner for looking into what you can do to make life happier for all of you.  You'll do great.

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Permalink Reply by Chris West on October 27, 2011 at 11:58pm

OBEDIENCE CLASSES!!!  You would be AMAZED at the changes that a simple obedience class could make in your life.  A good class will offer many, many, many solutions to exactly the kind of situations you are describing.  You can't even imagine.  Find a class NOW or if none are available at this time, I highly recommend private lessons with an instructor.  They are usually not that expensive and you need to consider what your alternative will be if you don't get these issues addressed.  If you don't do something now, it will only get worse.  Good luck!!!

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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on October 28, 2011 at 7:16am

Step 1:  Obedience Class

 

It truly does make a difference.  Although it may seem silly when she's so off-the-wall, obedience class will help to a degree.  You'll have a trainer at your disposal who can teach you what you need to know about how to get and hold her attention.  It will also give her a job to do.  You'll be asking her to "work" by sitting, staying, heeling, etc.  Which, of course, leads into step 2.

 

Step 2:  Activity!

 

She sounds like she's really, really bored.  Toys are good to a point, but you have to remember that corgis are a working breed.  They need a job to do, and yours sounds like she's a little more energetic than most.  Once you have some basic obedience under your belt, try enrolling her into an Agility or Herding class.  Given that she chases cars (hopefully only along a fence!) I'm betting that she has a good enough herding instinct to get the hang of a Herding class.  If you can get her into a class, then you can work on burning off a lot of her excess energy and boredom.  It will also help to deepen your bond with her and improve her obedience abilities.

 

Step 3:  Discipline

 

Are you disciplining her properly?  Everyone has their own method when it comes to discipline, but if she still causes a bit of trouble after the obedience and agility/herding, then you need to make sure you're using a method of discipline that is appropriate for her.  With Yuki I just have to give a sharp "No!" and he jumps and stops what he's doing.  He's been that way since we brought him home at 4 months old.  Ellie?  Not so much, hehe.  ;)  I've learned that I can't use that against her, so I've had to alter things a bit.  When you're at that obedience class, be sure to talk to the trainer after class ends and ask him/her about methods of discipline that might be appropriate.  Just be sure that it's nothing that will harm her, either physically or mentally/emotionally. 

 

For walks, you may also wish to use something that will help her to stop pulling.  Many people love martingale collars because they're mostly escape-proof and discourage pulling without choking the dog.  It just gets uncomfortable when they pull.  I, personally, enjoy the Easy Walk Harness.  The harness causes them to be turned around toward you if they try to pull too hard, giving you the chance to get their attention and correct the behavior.  It also makes it nearly impossible for a dog to try to chase something, since most dogs don't want to try to chase something while running backwards.  ;)

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Permalink Reply by AMY OLDHAM on October 28, 2011 at 8:27am

WOW  Great advice.  I do spend a lot of time with her (at home mom) but it doesn't seem like it enough.  She will be signed up for classes TODAY.  I'm not giving up on her, she's my baby, so I am going to do any and everything possible to make her the best Corgi she can be.  I'm not sure if there are any herding classes in my area but I will look into it.  Thanks so much for the wonderful advice.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on October 28, 2011 at 9:12am

Classes are great as I learned soooooo much:) This will help with walking too as she will learn to focus on you and not everything else:) Good luck! I still have paper chewed up at my house and sage is almost 2 so I crate her or fence her off but she does better and feels more comfortable in her large crate.

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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on October 28, 2011 at 9:29am

I'm a full-time Mom, too.  :)  I know it can be chaotic and stressful when you have a puppy (at a year old, she is still a puppy) and family to care for.  Try your best to relax and create lots of positive experiences. 

 

If your children are young, try to use naptime to train a little.  Focus on one thing you want her to do well (like drop what she has or sit & stay) and make that your major goal.  Add other commands for variety, but make sure you train that one goal over and over and over again.  There are quite a few videos on Petfinder that show you how to do some basic obedience training (sit, down, stay etc.) as well as tricks for fun (take a bow, crawl.)  There's also a guy on Youtube that has some great videos showing how he trains (he is a professional trainer) and he also talks about a lot of common problem behaviors and some techniques to fix them. 

 

The videos aren't going to replace an actual class, but I think they're a good thing to look at while you're looking for a class to get into.

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Permalink Reply by Jane on October 28, 2011 at 8:25am

Definitely do a class or get a trainer as others have suggested. Exercise is a big one too, she needs more than just running around in the backyard. I also highly recommend NILF training (nothing in life is free). You can google it and find all kinds of info, but basically you make her work for everything and it will help her learn to respect you and see you as a leader.

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