Pembroke & Cardigan Welsh Corgi - View Single Post

Bayoucorgi · 02-12-2007, 12:10 PM

Diane, I just made the jump 8 months ago after my last two old Goldens died with 5 months of each other. I had Goldens for 28 years. My reasons to change breeds were very similar to yours. I lived on acreage (actually raised sheep) and don't anymore because I married a city guy and we live in town now. We're in our late 40's and have 3 teens so and wanted a more portable dog. I absolutely had to have a Big dog in a Little dog body - no yappies for me. Goldens have so many health problems and Corgis seemed to have fewer. And I wanted less grooming and ear cleaning.

We adopted 8 month old Liam from the Corgi rescue. I just adore this dog. He's quick and quick-witted and has a genuine sense of humor. He loves my kids and even my non-doggy husband has been converted. It is so fun to see them play their games. I am training him in obedience and dabbling in agility, and we're learning to herd sheep. He loves having a job, but when I'm home weaving or knitting or watching tv, he just 'hangs out' with me lying at my feet (Bonnie is right about the corgi at your feet thing). He's only a little more than a year old so it's amazing that such a wild thing can be so mellow. My cats HATE him and they play cougar chases the fox games that makes us all laugh.

He does shed, but doesn't have the "glamour" coat, so after having Goldens this quick brushing seems like a piece of cake. Despite a rainy winter, he's so easy to towel off and rinse his feet. I haven't had to clean his ears at all (hurray). And he eats so much less and backyard pickup is so easy.

Okay, so if you're not looking for a loud dog, maybe a Corgi isn't the right breed. Liam barks. My husband travels and Liam will check the house periodically when we're alone. He will bark at any sound or disturbance (not necessarily a bad thing). Even in the car he is always watchful and has scared me to death when he jumps up and barks. We have a routine now and he goes out when he wakes up and comes back in for breakfast while the kids walk by for school. He barks like a big dog - it's deep and reasonant and not yippy. But, I've also taught him to be "quiet", and he will not bark and will instead stand at attention and make soft rooorrooo growly alert noises.

And yes, this dog is my companion and shadow. If I get up to go to the kitchen he goes, if I go outside he goes, if I go in the car he wants to go. But we don't let him go upstairs (he liked to go up and steal the kids' stuffed animals) and after telling him to go down and stay down on the bottom floor only twice he learned to stop at the stairs and he'll wait on the mat by the door til I come down again.

I might suggest you contact a corgi rescue and see if you can foster a corgi to take a test drive.

I added Liam in August after my Golden girl died in July at age 13. My husband did not want to add the second dog because my Golden boy was still healthy and turned 14 on Thanksgiving. We weren't sure if the old dog would like a young dog harassing him. Instead it seemed to give the old guy a new lease on life. He became ill suddenly and died December 9. I was so thankful I got Liam because it would have been such a sad and lonely Christmas with no dog at all. I don't think I will ever have another breed than a corgi.

02-12-2007, 12:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bayoucorgi Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 207	Diane, I just made the jump 8 months ago after my last two old Goldens died with 5 months of each other. I had Goldens for 28 years. My reasons to change breeds were very similar to yours. I lived on acreage (actually raised sheep) and don't anymore because I married a city guy and we live in town now. We're in our late 40's and have 3 teens so and wanted a more portable dog. I absolutely had to have a Big dog in a Little dog body - no yappies for me. Goldens have so many health problems and Corgis seemed to have fewer. And I wanted less grooming and ear cleaning. We adopted 8 month old Liam from the Corgi rescue. I just adore this dog. He's quick and quick-witted and has a genuine sense of humor. He loves my kids and even my non-doggy husband has been converted. It is so fun to see them play their games. I am training him in obedience and dabbling in agility, and we're learning to herd sheep. He loves having a job, but when I'm home weaving or knitting or watching tv, he just 'hangs out' with me lying at my feet (Bonnie is right about the corgi at your feet thing). He's only a little more than a year old so it's amazing that such a wild thing can be so mellow. My cats HATE him and they play cougar chases the fox games that makes us all laugh. He does shed, but doesn't have the "glamour" coat, so after having Goldens this quick brushing seems like a piece of cake. Despite a rainy winter, he's so easy to towel off and rinse his feet. I haven't had to clean his ears at all (hurray). And he eats so much less and backyard pickup is so easy. Okay, so if you're not looking for a loud dog, maybe a Corgi isn't the right breed. Liam barks. My husband travels and Liam will check the house periodically when we're alone. He will bark at any sound or disturbance (not necessarily a bad thing). Even in the car he is always watchful and has scared me to death when he jumps up and barks. We have a routine now and he goes out when he wakes up and comes back in for breakfast while the kids walk by for school. He barks like a big dog - it's deep and reasonant and not yippy. But, I've also taught him to be "quiet", and he will not bark and will instead stand at attention and make soft rooorrooo growly alert noises. And yes, this dog is my companion and shadow. If I get up to go to the kitchen he goes, if I go outside he goes, if I go in the car he wants to go. But we don't let him go upstairs (he liked to go up and steal the kids' stuffed animals) and after telling him to go down and stay down on the bottom floor only twice he learned to stop at the stairs and he'll wait on the mat by the door til I come down again. I might suggest you contact a corgi rescue and see if you can foster a corgi to take a test drive. I added Liam in August after my Golden girl died in July at age 13. My husband did not want to add the second dog because my Golden boy was still healthy and turned 14 on Thanksgiving. We weren't sure if the old dog would like a young dog harassing him. Instead it seemed to give the old guy a new lease on life. He became ill suddenly and died December 9. I was so thankful I got Liam because it would have been such a sad and lonely Christmas with no dog at all. I don't think I will ever have another breed than a corgi.