Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alex on July 19, 2009 at 8:04pm

Yes, we have read that Corgis tend to be bossy but we should be okay with that.
A pet with an attitude is great, haha.
Like most of you have pointed out, training classes should help us.
We are planning on enrolling the pup into obedience classes and etc.
In regards to classes, how does one pick the right classes? We've seen those type of classes being offered at Petco but are they reputable?
Thank you all for the very informative replies.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 19, 2009 at 8:17pm

I would go to a few classes with different trainers (ask permission first!) BEFORE you get the puppy and watch them. Also you can ask around when you see people with well-behaved dogs if they use a trainer, or ask the vet you are planning on using. Sometimes private trainers also train at Petco and stuff; they can be good or bad. Keep in mind too that what is perfect for one dog might be awful for you. Someone might train Schutzhund, for example, and be super at that, but after dealing with highly intense dominant dogs all the time, they might be too forceful a trainer for a Corgi.

I would look for someone who uses positive reinforcement training, and gentle corrections like small leash corrections, firm "ah-ah's", and the like. Personally I would run from anyone who is doing alpha rolls in a general puppy class, or pulling the dogs up by their necks to choke them. It is possible that such heavy-handed techniques might rarely have a roll in trying to reform a dominant-aggressive dog that is otherwise going to be put down and all else has failed, but personally I don't feel it has any place in puppy training. I would also look for someone who uses a lot of enthusiasm when they praise a puppy, and doesn't just say "good dog" in a regular tone of voice, but that's just me.

Keep in mind that no trainer will exactly meet your philosophy. When we had Jack for his Canine Good Citizen classes, the trainer told me that I should give the "stay" command more forcefully, like I really mean it. I give the majority of my basic commands in a normal tone of voice unless the dog is actively misbehaving, and that works for me, which is not to say it would work for another person and another dog. So I did it briefly to humor her and then went back to my way. Were my way not working, I would have been more open to her advice.

So ask around, watch a few classes, and go with someone who makes both the puppies and the people look like they are having fun! Puppy training is a blast, or it should be, and anyone who looks grumpy and cranky while doing it would not get my vote.

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Permalink Reply by Jenn on July 19, 2009 at 8:29pm

Dakota is my first dog and she is a Corgi... She's been amazing. Judging from her, I cannot quite understand why Corgis would not be a good first dog (I do understand each dog is different). She is so intelligent and easy to train. As long as you have the time to put into them, I personally thing Corgis are a great place to start!

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie, Greg, Starbuck on July 19, 2009 at 8:31pm

Starbuck is the first dog I've owned as an adult, and she's the best. My boyfriend and I live together, and we both took a week off to get her acclimated to being with us. We were concerned about her becoming depressed without her littermates. We aren't fully crate training her because it fits our life style not to. By that I mean that while we're not home she's in her crate with a blanket and a couple toys, but any other time she's out. She sleeps with us as well. We make sure that one of us is home every six hours (at the very most) to let her out to potty. We really try to keep it under 4 hours, but with work sometimes 6 is all that's possible. As for the weekend, yesterday was the first time we spent the whole day out... and we won't be doing that again for a loooong time. Poor thing tried her hardest to hold her tinkle, but she just couldn't do it. As for training, I actually just asked this question because she just finished her vaccinations. I think what matters most is the trainer and how they train (positive reinforcement vs not). PetCo is fine so long as you like the trainer. I don't like classes being held in the middle of a store, so we'll be doing a private training place.

Like any puppy, a corgi requires more attention than you could ever imagine, especially at first. But they'll give you more love than you could ever imagine also. We definitely compare her to a toddler. I nanny, and though her mom may not want to hear this, the toddler's needs and Starbuck's needs are pretty similar. haha

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 19, 2009 at 8:36pm

You bring up a good point about being left: an adult dog can generally be left alone all day, but a puppy can't.

Until Jack was a year old, I came home every day at lunch to let him out. If it is not possible to do so, it is ideal if you can get someone you trust to stop home for you. And if it is really impossible, you MUST leave the puppy in a big enough confined area that it can eliminate at one end, and sleep and play in another. Confining a pup in its own mess is a sure way to start a problem, and it's just not fair to the dog.

Even with an adult, the one downside is if your dog gets an upset tummy and you don't know it when you leave the house in the morning, you might come home to a mess. Yuck!

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on July 19, 2009 at 8:47pm

Go to a breeder that has some experience. The breeder should match you with a pup suited for a first time owner. I have had three corgis and two of them would have been fine for a first time owner. Sparty, on the other hand, has always been a challenge and probably would not have made in a home without dog experience. My two easy corgis were chosen to fit with a dominant male. Do some research on breeders by you. There may be some people on this site that can help.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 19, 2009 at 8:51pm

Too true! When we got Jack, I explained to the breeder that I had some experience with dogs and tend to be pretty firm, but my husband is an ol' softy and might not always enforce the rules. On the other hand, we live very near a busy park, and all summer there is a parade of dog walkers, joggers, people with strollers, teenagers coming back from little league, and all the rest going by our street. The army reserve even runs drills there. So I didn't want a dog that would be so submissive that it would be rattled or insecure with all that activity.

We asked for a female. She said if we really wanted a female we could have one, but she had two pups that she felt would be perfect for us and they were both males. She brought Jack out first and we took one look at his little blaze and the numeral 1 on his white ruff, and fell in love. And he fits our home perfectly. I would describe him as happy-go-lucky. Neither dominant nor especially submissive.

When people are talking to the breeder, the best thing they can be is honest about their experience and lifestyle.

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Permalink Reply by Alex on July 19, 2009 at 9:04pm

In regards to breeders, do you usually search for breeders around the area and contact them one by one? Or is there a more efficient way that I am not aware of?

Also are there any other sites or books that we should be reading prior to getting a dog or even after getting a dog?

And yes, if we were to leave the Corgi by her/himself during work hours, we will be designating a pretty big space for the pup to play, pee/poop, and sleep. I would not dare leaving the pup in a small confined space, that's just cruel and one of the major reasons why we have waited this long before adopting a dog.

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Permalink Reply by Heather and Ella on July 19, 2009 at 10:47pm

Both my husband and I had a dog growing up (his was a poodle as a toddler, and mine was a beagle/terrier as a teen), but Ella is our first dog as a family. Corgis are great dogs with wonderful personalities, but I would warn you about the shedding - if you don't like it don't get one.
Have you considered a not so little puppy. We got Ella when she was 8 months old, and she was past the baby stuff. She did still need potty trained and taught how to walk on a leash. She was a "left over puppy" from a litter, and in need of a home.
I know many corgi rescue groups have dogs available, and then you wouldn't have to go through the little stage.
Also to see corgis in action, perhaps you could find someone on this site in your area willing to meet up with you.
Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Ginny and Diggory on July 19, 2009 at 11:34pm

We had other dogs when I was growing up, mostly labs with very docile natures, but Ginny is my first dog, and I've had a blast with her. Compared to the labs, she's definitely a little more pushy, and wants to do things HER way... can't tell you how many times in a day we go through the "leave the cat ALONE" routine...

Corgis are VERY smart. Ginny was by far the star of her training class. Training class was great, because it helped me learn some positive approaches to get her to do what I wanted her to do. Highly recommended for this breed. Their intelligence can get them in trouble if not directed positively.

They are pretty active dogs, and pretty good for the moderately active lifestyle. We go to the dog park several times a week, she loves playing with bigger dogs, too. She's great to go with me on hikes. Very nimble for having such short little legs. At home, she's pretty mellow. Likes to play with her toys, work on her chewies and cuddle. As I type this she is laying on the ground licking my feet. Apparently mommy wasn't home enough today for her liking. Or else I must taste good. Who knows.

I haven't had any problems with excessive barking. She will sound the alarm if she hears something in the middle of the night, but I actually like that. She sounds like a much bigger dog than she actually is. My fierce guard-corgi.
To reiterate... corgis shed. A lot. First thing you need to buy is a furminator. We go outside and furminate her every other week or so, and it really cuts down on the amount of hair in the house.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Alex on July 20, 2009 at 12:02am

We will definitely be purchasing a Furminator. We saw that the other day when visiting a local Petco and read some reviews about it.

Given all of the information provided we are pretty sure that Corgis is what we will want to adopt. Now comes the hardest obstacle, finding that Corgi =(

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 20, 2009 at 7:07am

Start with the PWCCA.org website and do a search by state. We simply started with the breeder closest to us physically off that list. Many of the smaller breeders don't have websites, so you can start with websites but don't let that be your only source.

I made a list of questions (what do you breed for, what health certs do you do, are your pups raised inside, at what age to you let them go, etc). Expect them to ask you lots of questions to.

I e-mailed the first breeder on the list, and she wasn't planning a litter til the end of the year, but she had 5 adults of her own (a retired female that she'd shown and bred, two young adults she was just starting, an adult female she'd gotten from someone else and was planning on breeding, and I can't remember the other dog....) plus one teenager she was watching while a friend was out of town. She asked us if we wanted to come meet her dogs anyway, so we could see the range of temperaments, and then we asked her if she could recommend someone who might have pups available. She recommended the kennel we ended up getting Jack from.

The breeders all know each other, and there may be some competition out there, but they have a better feel for who is having good healthy pups. So if you talk to someone and you like them but they don't have a litter, don't be afraid to ask for a referral.

Also, if you are meeting a breeder, please disregard the condition of the house and pay attention to the condition of the areas where the dogs are kept! Some dog people, like some horse people, let their own homes fall down around them while they pour all their attention into their critters. So if the dogs inside area, and kennels if they have them, are spotless but the rest of the house is a wreck, just turn a blind eye.

A small breeder may only have inside areas and a fenced yard. Someone with a larger group of animals probably has outside runs too, for convenience (if you have 7 or 8 dogs, you just can't leave them all loose together when no one is around, and if you have a stud dog or two you need to have a way to separate out females in heat from the males). So kennels are ok, but they should be spotless and the dogs should be allowed inside too. Pups should usually be raised inside.

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