Bonding

[Chip's Mom]

Any ideas on how to bond with a puppy when you work all day and your spouse is at home with the puppy?

[corgimom]

Chips mom,


I guess I would suggest to you that when you come home, try to set aside
time as soon as possible to play and cuddle with him or walk him,(by yourself) and feed him also. Just some one on one time without Hubby around. I don't
know if you have kids. I am lucky that I am home fully time, but honestly, when my husband comes home from work, Cody is so very excited to see him - sometimes, I think he loves my husband more. He sees me more as the trainer, disciplinarian and my husband more as his "big playmate". However, my other Corgi was always more attached to me more than anyone else in the family because she followed me everywhere. It will be interesting to see, as Cody grows, who he will be more attached to.


Linda

[Chip's Mom]

Thanks - I do all the feeding and play with him each night by myself. Our kids are grown. Digger was strongly bonded with me. He would sit by the door everyday at 4:00 and wait for me to come home - I guess I just miss him alot today.

[corgimom]

Chips mom,

I certainly know how you feel, like I had mentioned before, my Betsy was
the same way. Sometimes when I was on the main floor in the house and
she couldn't find me, she would run up to my husband in the recliner and
look at him like "where is mom" We would always laugh about that - and then
when she would see me, she would get this "relieved" look on her face.

Sometimes I would make a trip upstairs to put laundry away for maybe 5
minutes and I would tell her to "wait" instead of her having to climb the
stairs, but as soon as I went up, she would right away come up and lay by
me. She was never a nervous dog, just very quiet and devoted. I can
see why you miss your Digger as I will always miss mine too.

linda

[Michael Romanos]

My wife. Leigh could effortlessly bond closer with Taylor if she wanted to. He only reserves his special welcome home for her every working weekday. I think it evolved early in the piece in Taylor having to compete with my youngest child for mum's attention - and Taylor has always felt that he is equal to Nathan.

The more you exercise, play and feed your Corgi, the closer he'll become. And when its away on a holiday together in strange places, that can be very bonding. Taylor has also bonded with our microwave -because that's what I use to take any chill off his fresh food at the last moment - and he thinks the oven is a major supplier/provider of his dinner. He just loves hearing the beeps of the microwave - after five beeps he knows its ready steady.

[Chip's Mom]

Thanks for everyone's response. I think I have figured out the problem but not the solution. Chip had completed ignored me for 3 days and stayed real close to my husband. I have a hard time getting out the door without him every morning. When Saturday came along and he figured out I wasn't leaving him, then he was all over me all weekend and followed me everywhere. We played, romped and he came when called and stuck like glue. Is it possible he was just mad at me for going to work?

[corgimom]

Michael, love your comments about the microwave beeps. My Cody will
come charging into the kitchen and sit by the microwave when he hears the popcorn bag popping in the microwave.

linda

[Michael Romanos]

Chip's Mom - maybe he's just accepting.

Taylor is also good at hearing the cream being electrically whipped. He always gets to lick one of the whisks in a race to see who can finish first with clean blades. And he also races upstairs when the toast pops up. Of course he gets his share of that too (but not when its white bread -which is infrequent)..

[Chip's Mom]

Michael - hopefully - All in the life of a Corgi. I will see what happens tonight when I go home.

[corgimom]

I am finding that Cody does not care when I give my other three animal(cats)
attention. He is not mean about it, but whenever I am in the room with him
and I call for one of my cats, Cody will stop whatever he is doing
and come running to me and nudge his way into me, trying to lick my face, so I don't give too much attention to the cat. He does like cats and respects them and tries to play with them, but only one of them(the youngest) is slightly interested.Cody jumped up on the recliner the other day with my 12
year old cat and the cat let him know that he did not appreciate sharing his
space with him


I have to make sure throughout the day that I give each cat some love and attention and Cody always makes sure he is part of that also. Does anyone elses Corgi do that with their pets?

Linda

[Chip's Mom]

If I am giving my other dog attention, Chip is right there for his share also. If I call one dog to come, he comes too. If I make a fuss over his babies (playtoys) he comes running and wants up on my lap. He can't jump on the sofa or chair yet so I have to lift him. Sometimes, he will take them and put them on his bed. He does like all of the attention. Usually I end up fussing with both of them at the same time.

[corgimom]

Chips mom,

I do the same thing - fuss over them all at the same time, but I do make sure
I pick up the cats and give them a little extra loving when I am upstairs and
Cody cannot get up there.

Linda

[Chip's Mom]

That is a good idea. Chip has never seen a cat so I am not sure what he would do. We do have a little dog that is quite old - she is my husband's dog - and he torments her sometimes but then she harasses him also. It makes for a lot of fun. They remind me of siblings with their bickering

[corgimom]

Chips mom

I have two teenagers, I know what bickering is all about.


Corgimom

[Michael Romanos]

Corgis typically, don't enjoy their family making any kind of fuss of other dogs and animals. Taylor feels slighted when I talk to or feed, our budgies. He is sometimes most unhappy when I or anyone of my family make a concentrated fuss of other male dogs. Girl dogs are OK. Cats are OK.