Bunch of questions

[monkeyman]

Hey all!
Well I am looking to get my first dog out on my own. I'm finishing up school this spring and moving out to salt lake city at the end of August. After looking over all the various dog breeds I think I am set to go with a Pembroke Corgi pup as my first dog, but I had a couple of logistical questions first and hoped you guys would be able to answer them.

My first question is how Corgis are in apartments. I'm going to be getting a dog friendly apartment out in Salt Lake but I want to be sure whatever breed I get is okay in an apartment and won't get too restless. I plan on taking him/her for plenty of walks, visits to the local park for frisbee, etc, but I know some breeds are more high string then others and need a good amount of run space at all times.

The second question I have concerns the drive. I live on the east coast so I will be taking all my wordly things to the other side of the country and the drive is going to be fierce. How do Corgis tend to like cars? My parents have a lab and a beagle and I know the lab absolutly loved the car while the beagle was not overly fond of it. Add to that the corgi will be a pretty young puppy at the time, I plan on getting him a few weeks before the trip. I will be making frequent stops to give him walks, let him drink etc and he'll ride up front in the passanger seat next to me so he won't be stuck in a cage, but will this be enough?

Finally, how loud are Corgis as puppies? Unfortunitly the apartment I am in now doesn't allow dogs. But since I imagine it would be a lot easier to find a breeder around here (i've looked around salt lake and couldn't find any within a few hundred miles) I plan on getting him a couple of weeks before I leave he'll have to stay here for a few weeks. It's not the end of the world if the management finds out, I'll just say he's a friends. I'm leaving in 2 weeks anyway so its not like there is anything they could do. Just the same I would prefer to avoid it if possible and wonder how likely it would be that they'd be really noisy and the neihbors would notice.

Alright, thats all for now. Sorry for the long post. Thanks!

[Jane Austen]

Wouldn't it be preferable to wait till you were settled into an apartment in Salt Lake than to travel all that way with a puppy? You said there were breeders within a few hundred miles. Chances are that there are dogs available out there closer than you think. As you said the logistics are horrendous in making such a journey.
Corgis love to ride in cars, but I would not like to have a dog unrestrained in the front seat. That is a safety issue. There are safety seats like child seats that offer more protection. I have Duchess unrestrained in the back seat hoping I never have to stop short. Good Luck

[tandemgal]

removed by T-Gal

[monkeyman]

No name for her yet. I just contected a breeder today about putting a deposit down on a litter she has that'll be ready to go in the middle of August or so, that'll give me a good chance to come up with a good name.

Yeah, I plan on taking it good and slow on the trip, allowing enough time so that we can stop at every other rest station that we pass so I can take the puppy for a walk and let him/her do their thing and let out some energy.

My parents beagle at home loves to run for hours so I am quite used to leashing him before I go anywhere near a door.

That is one question I asked in another thread and maybe I'll ask here. How easy is it to train them to not run away off a leash. As I mentioned with teh beagle, we were never able to train him not to take off outside, but I would really like to toss a ball around or a frisbee with the corgi. Also from a safety standpoint, if I should forget to close the door immediatly when bringing groceries in or something I'd hate to have him take off and possibly get hurt. Can they be trained without too much difficulty to come on command outside or is the instinct to run too strong?

Thanks for the info!

[corgimom]

monkeyman,

I agree with Jane - wait until you get there. I am sure you can find a breeder
closer to you - check on the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Regional Club website
for your area you will be living in. It is hard enough to adapt with a new
puppy and potty training and then to travel all that way with him. You will
be trying to unpack and settle in while trying to potty train. I am tired for
you just thinking about it.

I think you will love the Corgis. I have a 5 month old. He does not bark
much inside unless he is chasing one of his big balls, otherwise he is pretty
quiet. He does like to play so you will need to walk him, like you said you will.

Good luck to you, but seriously, if I were you, I would wait until you get
there and settled .

[glencorgi]

monkeyman writes:
>Well I am looking to get my first dog out on my own. I'm finishing up school >this spring and moving out to salt lake city at the end of August. After looking >over all the various dog breeds I think I am set to go with a Pembroke Corgi >pup as my first dog, but I had a couple of logistical questions first and hoped >you guys would be able to answer them.

First I would suggest you do a little more research, perhaps visit with some corgi people and decide if a Pembroke is indeed the right breed for you. <http://www.emrys-corgis.com/> under the "Looking For a Pup?" link will be a good start to get you thinking.

>My first question is how Corgis are in apartments. I'm going to be getting a >dog friendly apartment out in Salt Lake but I want to be sure whatever breed >I get is okay in an apartment and won't get too restless.

Corgis "can" be fine apartment dogs and as a breed are quite adaptable. Some however, can be rather verbal and have caused problems with neighbors and apartment associations with their barking. In some extreme cases owners have been threatened with eviction. Now these were extreme cases. Having a signed lease on the dog friendly apartment might be the most prudent beginning. They aren't as easy to find as one might think and because of legislative matters that are popping up like wildfire across the country, things can change very quickly.

>I plan on taking him/her for plenty of walks, visits to the local park for frisbee, >etc, but I know some breeds are more high string then others and need a >good amount of run space at all times.

Corgis do need a fair amount of exercise, however with their build and long backs, frisbee is not an activity I recommend. I know a several with back injuries due to frisbee. You will not want the most outgoing boisterous puppy in a litter - that one will not work for your upcoming living arrangements. Be sure to work with a breeder who will match the puppy to your lifestyle and living arrangements.

>The second question I have concerns the drive. I live on the east coast so I >will be taking all my wordly things to the other side of the country and the >drive is going to be fierce. How do Corgis tend to like cars?

Generally corgis enjoy being where their owners are, which will include riding in the car. Not all are comfortable doing this. I am going to repeat the suggestion already made and urge you to wait until you have reached your new home, gotten unpacked, settled, caught your breath from all the changes you'll be experiencing yourself BEFORE you get a puppy.

> My parents have a lab and a beagle and I know the lab absolutly loved the >car while the beagle was not overly fond of it. Add to that the corgi will be a >pretty young puppy at the time,

EXACTLY! You, yourself will be going through a number of changes and adjustments. A puppy just leaving its litter and dam needs to go into a well settled environment to make its adjustment with the least amount of stress possible. As an example Breeders (those breeders with a capital B) do not place puppies during holiday seasons. There is far too much going on, too many people in and out, too many distractions to start a puppy out on a solid foundation and appropriate time being able to be spent with it. In your case you have a move, settling in to an apartment, job searching/new job, the list goes on and on ... the duration of which will be far longer than any holiday season. Not the right time to take on a puppy.

>I plan on getting him a few weeks before the trip. I will be making frequent >stops to give him walks, let him drink etc and he'll ride up front in the >passanger seat next to me so he won't be stuck in a cage, but will this be >enough?

No, <IMO> and to be frank; I cannot think of a responsible or reputable Breeder who would send a puppy to a new home with this being how it would begin it's life there. Sorry. You said above the drive was going to be "fierce." A baby puppy is going to need a lot of stops for bathroom breaks, to be fed and then more stops for bathroom breaks. Then there is the issue of the diseases you can be exposing a puppy to at the rest stops and other areas you might stop at. Depending upon the breeder's vaccination schedule, your puppy may not have adequate antibodies built up to such things as parvo for example. Parvo is life threatening in a puppy, treatment is expensive and many puppies do not survive. Parasites are also another concern. So how would deal with emergency veterinary care on the road? For the record, being in a crate is the safest place for your puppy to ride. Crates are NOT bad things. Many a crate has saved a dog's life when they have been involved in an accident. Finding pet friendly hotels to stay in when you stop for the night is another consideration.

>Finally, how loud are Corgis as puppies? Unfortunitly the apartment I am in >now doesn't allow dogs.

Depending upon the age the puppy is let go from the breeder, the younger the puppy, the more noise it is going to make - whining, crying ... and likely a breeder who would sell into this type situation - puppy is going to be pretty young.

> But since I imagine it would be a lot easier to find a breeder around here >(i've looked around salt lake and couldn't find any within a few hundred >miles)

I can give you the name of a reputable and responsible Breeder in the Salt Lake area. I happen to know she is in the preliminary stages of planning her next litter as well. Timeline wise - by the time she will be ready to let these puppies go to their new homes, should coincide with you be settled, into a routine, have gotten some structure in your new life and in a better position to know if a Pembroke is the right breed for you and if you are ready to add a puppy to your life and home. She can also give you the name of a couple of other breeders. They have also started an Utah Corgi list and are planning picnics.

>I plan on getting him a couple of weeks before I leave he'll have to stay here >for a few weeks. It's not the end of the world if the management finds out, I'll >just say he's a friends. I'm leaving in 2 weeks anyway so its not like there is >anything they could do. Just the same I would prefer to avoid it if possible >and wonder how likely it would be that they'd be really noisy and the neihbors >would notice.

Not noticing a corgi puppy would I'm afraid be downright near to impossible I'm afraid. <VBG> While I can understand the excitement of planning and beginning a new life and wanting a dog to share this with you; I don't feel the "plan" you have come up with is in the best interest of a puppy and giving it a structured, solid or healthy foundation to begin a life as your companion. Again I will join with others and urge you to wait until after the move to get a puppy.

Debbie

PS:
>I just contected a breeder today about putting a deposit down on a litter she >has that'll be ready to go in the middle of August or so,

You will be putting down a deposit on a litter that has not even been bred yet. There are no guarantees the breeding will take and or if there will indeed actually be a litter. I would be very leery of a breeder taking deposits this far in advance on something Mother Nature has the last word about.

As far as your leash question and not running off - corgis are highly trainable, that does not translate to always being easily trained; but for the most part they are quick learners.

Another thing for consideration on waiting - you don't know what your new apartment will be like. Are there going to be stairs? Puppies shouldn't do stairs until they are around a year old and the growth plates have closed. On a single floor? There may be a way to block off an area to safely confine the puppy for the times you are having to make lots of trips in and out such as bringing in groceries, until you get solid training underway. A breeder who is willing to take your deposit on a litter that is only in the planning stages now I'm sure would have no problems shipping you a puppy after you have had the opportunity to get settled.

[monkeyman]

Yeah, all those considerations make a lot of sense. I knew it would't be ideal which is why I asked for opinions. If anyone knows any breeders in the Salt Lake area and could pm some info I'll likely contact them and let them know I'll be looking for a pup in 6 - 8 months when I get moved in. Otherwise, I'll try to look up an area corgi club out there see if they know anyone.

Thanks again!

[darci]

I think Debbie just said in her post she had some contacts of good breeders
I would start there.

[corgiguy]

Monkeyman,
I think people are largely over reacting here. A puppy will not bond with their enviorment in a couple of weeks to the point of being traumatized by a move like that. The bond that they are going to establish is with you and the people in your home. Their primary concern is going to be that they are close to you and riding up front next to you will definetly accomplish that.

Puppies love to see new things, they love to explore new enviorments and soak in as much as they can of the world. A cross country trip like that will likely be primarly highways which means minimal turns and stops. This will produce a pretty stable enviorment.

The biggest thing you need to do is stop frequently and give your pup a chance to stretch his legs, use the bathroom, etc. From what I have read it sounds like you are more then willing to do this.

As for catching illness on the road, that seems like nonesense to me. There is nothing which says that what the puppy will be exposed to will be any different then what he may get while being taken for a walk in a neibhorhood. What about what he'd be exposed to when being taken to the vet? Or for obiedence classes? A statement like that serves no other purpose then to scare him.

MM, I would suggest that you try and add an extra day or two onto your trip so you can drive shorter days and take more frequent stops. A trip like that shouldn't take more then three days normally, so stretch it to for and find a pet friendly hotel for the night. Play with your puppy in the room, let him be close to you, take him for walks and let him rest and you should be fine.

Good luck and enjoy your the pup

[darci]

I mean no disrespect but thats why you limit a puppies interaction, walking where other dogs have been etc. until he has had all of his shots. You wouldnt take a youngster to an obiedence class, or around any other such environments until all shots are completed.
Parvo can be very serious and fatal.

And if I am not mistaken (others may know more) parvo can live in the dirt/yard for several yrs. Only a bleach solution can kill it ( The virus ).

Again I am not trying to start an argument I just want this gentlemen to be well informed and educated so he can make an informed choice.

[corgimom]

MOnkeyman,

If figures that Corgiguy would give you this advice, afterall, he wants to try
cannabis on his dog. I hope you really consider this move of yours and wait
until you get there and settled in before getting a puppy - you sound like
a level headed guy who wants to do the right thing - it's not like there are
no other Corgis out there. Just wait and get one once you are settled in and
you will be so glad you did.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by darci

I mean no disrespect but thats why you limit a puppies interaction, walking where other dogs have been etc. until he has had all of his shots. You wouldnt take a youngster to an obiedence class, or around any other such environments until all shots are completed.
Parvo can be very serious and fatal.

And if I am not mistaken (others may know more) parvo can live in the dirt/yard for several yrs. Only a bleach solution can kill it ( The virus ).

Again I am not trying to start an argument I just want this gentlemen to be well informed and educated so he can make an informed choice.

For when I get the pup in Salt lake City...
How do I avoid my puppy getting Parvo? From your description it sounds like it could be anywhere. What steps should I take to avoid it? The apartment I am going to be living in is a dog friendly apartment, which I imagine would draw a lot pet owners. I wouldn't want to expose him to a communal area for his walks until he has had his final set of shots it sounds like, so where would you recommend I take him? I could probably drive him to the park and find a remote area, but I'm worried about house breaking. I guess I could just take him out extra early so he has plenty of time.

What about when I take him to the vet for those shots? Is there anything I should do to ensure that he doesn't get something from the other dogs there?

How about the apartment itself? It'd be reasonable to assume that a previous dog owner lived there. Is there something else that can kill it? I am hessitant to bleach the carpet if its not white for fear of draining the color. What about my car? My beagle and lab have ridden with me extensively as recently as a few months ago. The pup could easly catch something from that too.

Finally, at what age can I get the second set of shots? I'll likely be getting the puppy somewhere between 8 - 12 weeks old as that seems to be when most breeders release them.

Thanks a bunch!