I am fed up with my Corgi!
Aaargh!!! My opinionated and alpha Corgi, Winnie, is now 15 month old. After an extremely difficulty and naughty first year, I was finally starting to see an improvement in behavior starting around 11 months of age. She's actually been a lot better compared to how she used to be. Until today...I had a second scary incidence where she slipped out of her collar/harness and nearly ran away. When I called her to come, she started running like crazy in a large circle but wouldn't come near me. Unlike last time, I could not tempt her back with treats or her favorite squeaky stuffed toy. Instead, she came up to me, grabbed the toy from me, and bolted away as far as she could. I was terrified she was going to run into the street and get hit by a car, or she'd run away and be lost, and I'd live with the terrible guilt that she escaped on my watch and something happened to her or she was never to be found. I only got her back when I asked a neighbor who was out walking her own 2 dogs for a walk, to approach my dog and say hi. Since she loves greeting other people, my neighbor was able to approach Winnie and deftly pick her up. (Luckily this was a neighbor who knew how to handle and pick up a 23 lb naughty dog.)
I was fuming mad at Winnie. Winnie's "my husband's dog" (as I would never get a large, stubborn dog on my own...I know I wouldn't be able to handle them), but she normally likes me a lot more. If I am out of sight for a few seconds, she has whines and screams, and ignores my husband. But he's the one who typically takes her out on long walks, and she behaves just fine. Despite her "liking" me more, she also acts up more when I'm out walking her. Which is why I stopped walking her and only took her out to go pee immediately outside the door and entice her back in with her toy. Inside the home, when I say "come," Winnie loves coming over to me to be pet. But everytime I take her outside, or everytime my husband is away (he went out of town today), she rebels. It seems like she does not appreciate all the love and affection I've given her, and the minute she sees a chance, she seizes the opportunity to rebel.
In my husband's absence, I had refrained from taking her to stay at a kennel out of her best interests...but now that she's run away this second time, I am taking her straight to the kennel tomorrow morning. She is unmanageable when it comes to this...All of the other dogs I see and other Corgis I meet are so well behaved. Why is my Corgi so stubborn and rebellious? Is this in the Corgi blood???
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Sounds like when she got loose she got overly excited and went into FRAP mode.
Last time you posted about this issue , you had lots of good suggestions given to you:
Obedience classes
Martingale collar
Train emergency recall
Have you done any of those things?
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Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on
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Not a professional dog trainer or anything, but some ideas/thoughts from a corgi owner of 20+ years...
First, get a different collar, or even a different harness. A martingale collar snugs up around the dog's neck when it pulls and makes it harder (but not impossible) for the dog to pull its head out of the collar. The harness might even be a better idea for Winnie, since she would have to work quite hard at getting out of it. Are you sure it's adjusted so that it's snug enough (not tight)? You'd still need a collar with ID tags with both of these in case she did manage to get loose.
Second, it sounds as if she might "like" you more because she thinks of you as one of her subordinates or "possessions," instead of someone alpha to her. You might be inadvertently reinforcing her "naughty" behaviors with all the love and affection you give her. Maybe lay off the lovey stuff and do some training with her. Try NILIF - nothing in life is free: she wants a treat, she has to work for it (you give her a command and she has to do it before she gets the treat); she wants her toy, she has to work for it; she wants dinner, she has to work for it. Nothing overly intense, and certainly not mean, but enough for her to realize that you are the boss. Up on the couch?--Only when YOU say okay. Out to pee? That's not toy-worthy unless she does something else for it; she's not a baby puppy anymore and shouldn't need reinforcement every single potty time, esp. when she's taking advantage of it. Save her favorite treat or toy and she gets it ONLY when she comes to you outside (clip a long clothes line or a long training lead to her harness so that you can still have control even if she's out of arm's reach). From reading what you wrote, it sounds as if she thinks the toy grab-and-go is a great game and doesn't get that she is supposed to come to you and sit for it.
Third, if your home efforts don't work, maybe take her for a manners and basic obedience class. Corgis are very smart and can get to be bratty if their owners give in to the cuteness, which is very easy to do. Sometimes it takes someone else to see what's happening to trigger the unwanted behaviors and to come up with a plan to solve the problem. At the very least, work on stop and stay. In an emergency, if she won't come to you, maybe she will at least stop and stay where she is.
Just some ideas. I had to do a behavior check with our first corgi-- she was getting a little too big for her very adorable britches. Once she (and I) realized I was the queen and she was the princess, things got better in the realm. I was gradually able to up the lovey stuff again after she got the message. Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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I agree with Beth. 1. she can't slip out of a MARTINGALE(FOR OUTSIDE ONLY). If she gets regular exercise this should also help...maybe she does????
Training...as in obedience classes!
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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It is not that she doesn't like you, you know she does. She doesn't respect you. If you took some classes with her, you might find that the two of you will bond much better and she will respect you. Meanwhile google Nothing In Life Is Free. Many dog owners inadvertently give the wrong signals.
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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on
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She does not respect you. She sees you as simply a source of cuddles and treats. You should take her to obedience classes so you and her can bond and she can learn that you too are boss and not just your husband. Also google NILF and enforce it. You take over feeding and start going with your husband on the walks and walking her too. A more secure collar is also a must.
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Also, I would not describe this as alpha behavior, anymore than you would say a child running wild is alpha. She's just being a brat. "Alpha" behavior in dogs involves actively trying to control someone else and then correcting the other person or animal for ignoring the alpha's rules.
She's simply ignoring you. It doesn't mean she wants to be in charge. It does mean she's learned she has no real reason to listen to you.
Classes will teach you how to effectively reward desired behavior and extinguish behavior you don't want.
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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Can't blame the dog for faulty equipment! A collar or harness the dog can slip out of only gives you a false sense of security. Any smart, young, untrained dog will make the most of an opportunity to run around loose and have fun. The dog cannot understand the danger involved. Blaming the dog is pointless.
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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Taking a dog to a kennel because she slipped a collar is a bit much IMO. Dogs get loose, they run around. It happens.
I would agree with everyone else who recommended the martingale collar and obedience classes.
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Permalink Reply by Cheryl Nickel on
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Please do obedience classes with her........through these classes she will learn to respect you & you will learn how to handle her. Also, a harness is a must.....she won't be able to escape and your walks will be much more pleasant. My Maggie is a very headstrong, sassy & demanding Cardigan; however, she respects me. No matter the circumstances, if she is off leash & I call her to "come" she stops whatever she is doing and runs to me.
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Permalink Reply by Marcie on
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I agree with classes. I would add exercise, exercise, exercise. The time change has made it hard to get a third walk in for Becca. It makes a huge difference in her normally well behaved self.
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Permalink Reply by Michele A. Matzen on
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Well, my Corgi boy when I got him (7mths)was a bit out of hand. OBEDIENCE CLASSES work wonders. I think you bond with the dog. And low and behold he starts to mind you. Corgis are VERY intelligent dogs. Good Luck.
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Permalink Reply by Doglover on
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Thanks everyone for your comments. Alas, we have done most of what's been suggested. We do NILF and have her do a command (sit, stay, roll over etc.) before we give her anything. Took her to a puppy obedience class, and our instructor was horrible, so classes were a complete waste of time, effort, send money. Where do you recommend going to find a good obedience class? We've also used the martingale collar, too, btw.
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