Corgies, good dog or bad dog?

[Wolfwood]

Hey all. I'm graduating in May and have for the longest time wanted to get a dog, particularly a Corgie. I was wondering if anyone owns or has owned a Corgie and what their temperments and behavior are like? From what I can tell, based on what I've read, Corgies are really well-behaved and mild-tempered. I've also spent some time with and handled a few and the experiences have been nothing but good. Not to mention, they are so cute! Anywho, any thoughts or suggestions?

Nicholas D.

[mtsgsd]

Hmm. Short version:
It's a herding dog. This means that you'll need to work hard to train it not to try and herd you or nip at your ankles when you don't move where it wants you to go. It's a big dog in a small dogs body. Very strong willed, with high energy. The dog will need something to do besides sit all day, or it will drive you and it's self crazy. This doesn't mean that they aren't good pets. It just means that you need to understand what you are getting into. I think they are great dogs, but I've heard from owners that they can be a challenge for first time dog owners.

[thingstodo]

I think if you like the breed, and you've obviously spent some time with them, they'll mold somewhat to how you raise them.

[*Nikki*]

As a vet tech my experience with them has been like PP said in that they are high energy and strong willed. VERY strong willed. I never particularly like working with them for this reason. They were never easy to treat and could be rather nippy sometimes.

[Fly]

it's all up to you and your training methods..........good luck

[Bossnass]

I have a long family history of having 'real dogs', and grew up with a pack of german shepherds. We also had a great pyrenese, a jack russel terrier, an aussie shepherd, and my parents now have their second border terrier. I've lived in an apartment for the last five years and really wish I had a dog and the space it would need.

My sister bought a corgi puppy, found her very temperamental, and eventually gave her to my parents. She is the opposite of of all the other dogs and have a little good to say about her (not as smart, nice, active, loyal, skilled, trainable, etc). I don't know if that is a function of the breed, being raised by my sister, or both.

However, I have friend that has a 'Cardy-Corgi' that I like much better than my sister's welsh.

[Wolfwood]

Thanks for the responses guys. I still have a while to decide whether or not to get a corgie, but your comments have been really helpful. I wasn't actually aware of the fact that corgies were a hearding breed, which means they might nip and what not. Anywho, thanks again.

Nicholas D.

[Deltona Couple]

My dad has two, and he said it's not the nipping you gotta worry about, it's the NOISE...He said they bark ALOT!...lol

[Wolfwood]

I don't think I'd have too much of a problem with the noise factor. My family currently has a toy poodle who, while amazingly cute and loveable, yips and yaps at everything and anything. As well as a black lab who's barks are pretty thunderous.

Nicholas D.

[shakran]

you're graduating in May, so you're presumably getting a job. Who will be home when you are at work? It's not a good idea to have a dog if no one will be home for 8-10 hours every day. That kind of situation calls for a cat - they don't generally give a shit if you're home or not

[jorgelito]

You may not mind the noise but your neighbors most likely will. My neighbor's are being evicted because their two little dogs cannot shut up. The owners did a horrible job of training them. They are the worst most undisciplined dogs.

Do some more research and think long and hard before you get a dog. It's a commitment. I did my research for 3 years then dog sat and dog walked for another year before finally adopting a stray dog.

It is not necessarily all that bad if a dog has to be home 8-10 hours a day. Just depends. For puppies absolutely not. Older dogs are ok. Also depends on the breed and personality.


Good luck.

[Acetylene]

Yes corgis are REALLY REALLY LOUD. They also need at least an hour of vigorous exercise every day. They are intelligent and can be trained, especially for food rewards.

But here is an important difference that a lot of people don't realize: they are NOT herding dogs. They are DRIVING dogs. They drive herds of cattle and other animals to run in a given direction, barking and nipping to make the animals run as fast as possible. This is very diffrent from the behavior of a herding dog such as a Sheltie or Border collie, whose instinct is to keep people grouped together and circle people. The effect may seem the same (chasing and nipping) but it actually greatly affects their relationship with people.

A driving dog doesn't have to be controlled as much as a herding dog; they mostly just do their thing. As a result, they are much more independent and don't necessarily form the "partner" relationship that other herding dogs form. In some ways this makes them easier as pets: they don't actually need as much mental stimulation and working with you as a border collie would. At the same time, though, it makes them difficult in some other ways: they will be more stubborn and headstrong about things they want to do, and won't always just take your word for it when you tell them "NO". Thus, their training requires what's called "intrinsic reward" so they see the point of what you are trying to get them to do. I've also noticed that corgis are very difficult to make obey off-leash outdoors. In particular they don't like to come when called.

All this said, my cousins love their corgi to bits and find her strong character to be immensely amusing. Her primary owner, John, went to veterinary school and is a dedicated trainer and caretaker of his pet. She is 12 years old and still hale and hearty, due to the regular exercise they give her, and she is very obedient--when she gets the point. She is friendly, loving, and affectionate, and a registered therapy dog at the local retirement home. But they can't let her off-leash outdoors anywhere near a road or other hazard, because she would dash into the road with blind determination if she saw another dog across the road. She also barks nonstop at people in the yard and anyone who comes to the door, and seemingly will never be trained out of it. She's also very dominant with other dogs, and when I bring my own dog over to visit, she will not allow me or anyone else to pet my dog--we must pet the corgi, and only the corgi.

So I guess my point is, this is not an easy dog, but it is a potentially extremely rewarding dog. For your first dog, though, I really don't know if I would recommend one. Jorgelito is correct that an adult dog will be more OK with staying home alone and also is less difficult for a first-timer; if you are cautious about adopting a stray (which has difficulties all of its own) it is often possible to buy an adult dog from a professional dog breeder who has decided not to breed the dog after all. These dogs are often well-trained, can use a kennel, and tend to be good with other dogs.

Good luck!

[lurkette]

Before you decide on a breed, you probably want to read this:

Are you ready for a dog? http://dogbreedinfo.com/ready.htm

The first time ratbastid and I looked for a puppy, we went to the pound, had one all picked out, and had scheduled the adoption. We bought a book on raising a puppy and promptly realized that there was no way we could keep a dog. We lived in a tiny apartment, and I was a grad student. The puppy we'd fallen in love with was going to grow up into a beast of a chocolate lab, who would need lots of attention, training and exercise that we didn't have the time to provide. It wouldn't be fair to the dog, and we didn't have the money to pay if she ripped the apartment apart out of boredom and frustration while we were at work/school.

So: proceed with utmost caution and honesty with yourself. You will be utterly responsible for this little pet's well-being and happiness...do you have the time, energy, money, and interest to do what it takes to have a happy dog? You might want to find a friend with a dog and "puppysit" for a weekend to see what's involved. Also, think hard about whether you want a puppy or an older dog. Having gone through both, I highly recommend getting an older puppy or adult dog who's already been housebroken and crate trained, as long as you know their temperament (see below) and that they've been well socialized to humans and other dogs. Puppies are adorable, and they are more likely to form strong attachments, but they are a PAIN IN THE ASS, no question.

If you decide you are ready for a dog, do some serious research on breeds. www.dogbreedinfo.com has good information on breed temperaments and health (see http://dogbreedinfo.com/pembrokecorgi.htm and http://dogbreedinfo.com/cardigancorgi.htm. You could also look at a "pet selector" like

http://dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

or

http://selectsmart.com/dog/

that will ask you questions about your lifestyle and what you're looking for in a dog, and return lists of dogs that will suit you.

You should also look into temperament testing to see how the animal reacts to certain behavioral challenges. This will help predict how the animal is going to behave once you adopt it. It'll help weed out aggressive or destructive dogs. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIP...emperament.php

If you're getting a pure-breed, go to a reputable breeder and not to a pet store. If you're going with a rescue/shelter dog, be sure they have some kind of "return policy" if the dog doesn't work out.

Getting a dog is a big responsibility. Do your research first and be thoroughly honest with yourself about whether you are ready for it.