Puppy found her "Voice"

[FoxysMommy]

Well, Foxy is growing up. She's 7 months old now and all of a sudden has realized what vocal cords do. Ever since we brought her back from the kennel, the barking/growling/whining/howling has escalated each day. We are at a loss for what to do. She seems most interested in barking/warning all real and perceived bugs/animals/people that are near our home.

My biggest concern is if there is something wrong with her as often times it seems as though she's barking/warning nothing at all.

Do you think she is bored? Stressed? Depressed? I walk her twice a day for a total of about an hour and 20 minutes and play/train her on top of that.

Also, this past weekend she was EXCEPTIONALLY clingly with me...she wouldn't let me move two steps away from her before she was up and right there with me, even when she was laying on the couch completely tired. I went in the garage and closed the door behind me once and she got very upset, crying and acting upset my fiance said. The clinginess seemed to abate last night somewhat, but not totally.

Do your corgis always "talk" so much? Is this to be expected, or do I need to correct this behavior? Help!

[Jeni D]

While I'm sure someone will come along with more knowledgable advice, I wanted to let you know that Dudley is a real talker as well. He has now started going out the door and immediately barking, even if nothing is there. He also happy barks at people, more of a whiny, come see me bark.
And, my favorite bark is his, "boof" bark--a low bark that is kind of just pushed out the side of his mouth. This is normally what he does if he is getting a little excited and I tell him to lay down. He also clings to me, waking up to follow me around. Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this one

[corgimom]

Dogs have a keen sense of hearing and she could be barking at something that she hears but you have no clue as to what it is. I remember you put her at your vets kennel for 10 days? How long have you since been home now? Did they say how she acted when she was there?

When she starts howling, or barking, can you try and distract her with a treat and get her to do something like sit or lie down or maybe focus on learning a new trick?

As for the clinginess, I am not sure what to do there; does your fiance help with her care in regards to feeding, playing and letting her outside? I am sure that some Corgis talk more than others. My last Corgi was exceptionally quiet and Cody is more vocal; however, he doesn't bark in the house just to bark.

Linda

[FoxysMommy]

Originally Posted by corgimom

Dogs have a keen sense of hearing and she could be barking at something that she hears but you have no clue as to what it is. I remember you put her at your vets kennel for 10 days? How long have you since been home now? Did they say how she acted when she was there?

She's been home for just over a week now. The people at the the kennel LOVED her and told me she could come back anytime, so she was exceptionally well-behaved there as far as they were concerned.

I have noticed some "backsliding" since she came home, though, in her manners.

For one, there is the barking and noise making; that's new since the kennel stay.

For two, we had been doing well learning not to jump on people as part of saying "hello" but now she's back to jumping up on everyone and scratching with her claws, etc. The whole deal.

For three, she pooped in the house last weekend...she hasn't gone in the house in MONTHS and she never showed her "sign" of needing to go. I just walked into the room and there it was. VERY unlike her.

My fiance doesn't do much for feeding/care of her, so he misses out on being followed by the "Sheriff."

[Jhemphill]

Maxi is a talker, he is contently on alert for sounds and movement in and around our house. With 4 dogs in the house not much is missed and we go on High Alert several times a day. This weekend my son-in-law got a call on his cell phone and was coming down the stairs and must have thought he lost his signal, because he said Hello on the stairwell and it echoed, one of the dogs went running to the back door barking and Maxi went to the front door which was the correct direction since the stairs come down to the front door. Maxi, Medjai and Muggie all do the puff bark, sort of like a horse, it is done when they are not sure that they should go into High Alert, but are still warning what ever the threat is that it should stay away. It is funny to listen to them puff bark, they puff on at a time right after each other. We usually do not see anything, but they sure hear, smell or see something that they feel needs a warning.

[corgimom]

Since she was in a kennel for 10 days, she probably got used to just "pottying" in her run - I am assuming they did not take her out as you would if you were home.

Linda

[FoxysMommy]

Originally Posted by Jhemphill

Maxi, Medjai and Muggie all do the puff bark, sort of like a horse, it is done when they are not sure that they should go into High Alert, but are still warning what ever the threat is that it should stay away. It is funny to listen to them puff bark, they puff on at a time right after each other. We usually do not see anything, but they sure hear, smell or see something that they feel needs a warning.

Puff bark!! I love it! That's exactly what it is, too. That's more of what she's been doing than full-scale barking. To me it sounds like she is saying "chuff," but I didn't think anyone would know what I meant if I said "she's been chuffing a lot lately..."

[Jeni D]

The puff bark sounds the same as Dudley "boof" bark. I agree that she is pottying in the house now because she got used to it at the kennel. When we take Dudley to the kennel or even to the in-laws, he inevitably has an accident when we get back home. I think Foxy just probably needs to get back into the habit.

[LuvMyFluffy]

It sounds like she learned some new words at the kennel. My dogs teach each other to bark, my Gracie barks like her mother Lucy did. Now Gracie has become a "big mouth", she is very vocal. She gets in trouble lots for making too much noise while out in our fenced back yard. She's also my dog that chases all the varmits, rabbits, squirrels, whatever. She'll sit an stare up in to the tree looking for squirrels. Gizmo and Sammy could care less.
I have noticed Gizmo gets much more vocal when we've had lots of company coming and going. He thinks every car door closes is an opportunity to bark.
When we've had say a busy holiday or weekend of family over, he tends to do this. I'll reassure him nobody is here by opening the front door to look out. Then I close all windows and doors, so he relaxes. It seems to make him content knowing he doesn't have to "stand guard".
He has some of his own specific barking sounds, like the one others mentioned, I call it a "huff". This is usually because you are ignoring him, and he wants his toy thrown, or needs to go out. Then there's the "rooster crow", this he does when he's startled from a deep sleep, or maybe someone at the door. There's also a whine that almost sounds like "mmm", that just means "you're forgeting about me". There's a happy greeting and playing bark, those are just plain loud and continuous. He'll also do that when you clap.
Now, I don't know about the other corgi owners, but mine follows me everywhere. I wouldn't quite call it clingy, it's just something they like to do. He could be sleeping, I get up to use the bathroom and he wakes right up and follows me there. I've heard other corgi owners saying the same thing, they like to follow.
Corgis are smart, you can either train them, or they can train you.

[Gizmo's mom]

Gizmo has started barking more-- the first five, six days we had her she barely made a sound, but now that we've had to leave her on her own more (not more than four 1/2 hours at a time) she's been a little fussier. She whines if left alone too long, but I think the barking usually indicates she really has to "go." I pointed that out to my fiance and since then we've been trying to not to discipline her or show displeasure at her trying to tell us she's gotta go to the little corgis' field.

She's only just over ten weeks so we keep her close to us when we're home, and crated when we're not, so she can't get into anything, so we haven't had a chance to notice any neediness or lack thereof.

[Gizmo's mom]

Originally Posted by LuvMyFluffy

Gizmo and Sammy could care less.
I have noticed Gizmo gets much more vocal when we've had lots of company coming and going.

Hehe, another Gizmo? I thought we were being creative. Our Giz is a girl though.

[Lady's Daddy]

It's funny this came up because I would always tell people that Lady bearly ever barks or makes noises. For the first couple of months she didn't then seems like all of a sudden she "figured out how". Now she does it quite often. She'll bark and woof when she hears different kinds of noises. Often noises that I don't even pay attention to. She also gets up off the couch whenever I do to see what I am doing. It makes me feel kinda sad when she is trying to sleep and I get up to get something to drink or whatever and she immediately gets up. She is very busy minded. She'll also bark at what seems to be imaginary things outside when I take her to potty.