Corgis on guard

[Michael Romanos]

Had a strange call from a local woman who wants a Corgi for her elderly but active, living alone mother who has had five Corgis in her lifetime. She said she wants a Corgi for her mother as a guard dog and didn't want a pup but a older dog - perhaps rescued or unwanted by an owner or offered for rehousing from a breeder.

I told this woman that Corgis are not guard dogs. They may bark at approaching strangers but they are not going to protect anyone from anyone and they are not going to scare many people away. And then I asked what kind of Corgi did she want for her mother - an ill tempered Corgi who might wish to bite anything in sight including the new owner. No said the woman not one of those.

Then this woman didn't want to pay for a Corgi or pay little. I said who is going to give a Corgi away. Once in 20 years you mignt find a Corgi at a dog pound or with the SPCA in New Zealand. But a dog available for rehousing by a breeder is unlikely to be given away free.

I think this woman has got the wrong breed in mind.

[Philbiker]

I think you underestimate the value of a bark. For many would-be intruders, any bark at all is enough to dissuade them from causing trouble. Dogs are unpredictable, and even though they may be the cutest guys in the world who just want to play, the sound of that "bark bark bark" alone is a powerful deterrant.

[Chip's Mom]

I agree with PhilBiker - when Chip lets out that guard bark, it sounds like a great big dog is in the house.

[Fluffypants]

I agree - a dog barking is the same premise as a car alarm. The car alarm is not going to HURT the would-be thief, but it will draw attenton to it, just as a dog barking will draw attention to a would-be home invader. Most of the time, the noise will be enough to frighten them away.

[glencorgi]

Philbiker, you are absolutely right. Not only is the value of a corgi's bark being underestimated, the heart of corgis is being sold very short as well. Corgis are great alarm barkers and often that is deterrent enough. Michael has told stories of how Taylor has become agitated in the night, something just wasn't right outdoors and he was let out to investigate what was afoot.

Where we lived before my husband was doing a brick patio and a fellow up the street offered to help him load up some bricks and then unload them at our house. Ti, my husband's "girl" was in the dog yard when they returned. She took an instant dislike to the fellow (and she is normally a typical Pembroke and everyone is her friend), never took her eyes off of him and even emitted a low growl now and then. MDH took note of her character assessment and got the fellow out ASAP.

In Deborah Harper's The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi she relates the story of a break in at a family's home. Their Pembroke went nuts barking and carrying on and when let out of the bedroom where she was sleeping with family members; she went charging after the burglar. In the dark, he couldn't tell what size dog had attacked and he went running out the front door, corgi going after him literally on his heels. The burglar ended up running into a tree and knocking himself unconscious. When police arrived, the corgi still had him by the ankle.

I often joke that most of my Pembrokes would bark their heads off if someone was breaking in, but once inside IF the burglar threw the ball for them, they'd show him where the good stuff was hidden. My Cardigans, however, most of them would guard the hearth. Jesse, my youngest nephew's Cardigan, has always been very protective of him and would come between my nephew and his friends IF they began to squabble, as children are prone to do, in play.

While I know this is probably not what your inquirer had in mind, Pembrokes have also been successfully trained and titled in Schutzhund work. One that I know of also does some therapy visit work and she is a very sound in temperament corgi, not a vicious frothing at the mouth, bite everythng in site Pem.

I don't find the request or the intent anywhere near the realm of the absurd, just in line with a part of their original duties as all-round farm dogs in Wales. Now the "free" part, maybe not realistic, but other than that I find nothing out of line in the request. The mother has corgi experience, is active and the right corgi would offer her companionship in addition to a little extra security, if nothing more than a good warning system.

Debbie

[Philbiker]

Maybe a Corgi mix like my Newman would be more likely if she doesn't want to pay for a Corgi. In the USA we have Petfinder.com, I don't know what kind of resources you Kiwis have. If she's familiar with the breed, there may be lots of personality traits that the mix will display. Newman has a lot of CWC as well as Basset Hound personality, he's absolutely wonderful.

[Fluffypants]

He's B-E-A-UTIFUL PhilBiker!

(sorry I'm )

[Jane Austen]

I got my Duchess free from a breeder who needed to find her a second "forever home". She is a good watch dog as far as barking.

[yonae12]

You really do have to look hard to find a Corgi in the local humane society shelter here too, compared with say border collies, labs and terrier type dogs. I looked at adoption first myself.

On the guard dog topic, I also wanted a guard dog but the more I researched Corgi's I came to the conclusion they bark to protect rather than bite.

Although Ein is still a puppy, he is showing loyalty to me and the family and barking at things that he sees are 'out of place'. I wouldn't expect him to defend me in a confrontation once he is older, but it seems like his personality is heading in that direction where he would. Maybe that is something I would like to believe. But I also think it depends from dog to dog no matter which breed you choose on their personality, training and genetics on if they make a great "guard dog" who would defend.

[disraeli]

Rhys is quite the little watch dog. He barks at strange sounds outside and, if he sees anyone outside the apartment, he lets out his "big" bark. I was on the phone with a credit card rep the other day and Rhys decided to bark. The guy said, "That's a big dog, huh?" and I said, "Actually, he just THINKS he's big."

But once inside, all strangers become friends. But I don't know what he would do if someone came in who was NOT let in by me.

[tandemgal]

Good Job with Sassy!


Philbiker - my granddaughter & family have a mixed basset and schnauzer...basset body and coloring but schnauzer's more square face with bushy eyebrows & whiskers... I need to take his picture someday and post for you to see... his name is Kisses and he lives up to his name.

[Clogs]

A friend had two dacsies - OK, they're not corgs, but are similar sized dogs - who went for a burglar who broke into her house. He cut and ran, with the dogs after him. He tried to climb over the 6' fence at the back; the dogs lept up as one, grabbed onto his feet - one for each, and literally hung there until the cops arrived. Not bad, eh, for "small, non-guarding" dogs.