Purchasing a Corgi

[Rinaldo]

Hello All,
I'm new to the Corgi species. I grew up with Labradors and always wanted one as an adult. I have been cursed with being employed in sunny South Florida where the housing market isn't so kind to us young adults. I live in a townhome and am forced to consider a less energetic breed.
The Corgi was a favorite of mine since childhood when I would walk Mrs. B's Corgi every afternoon for a quarter. The Corgi would nip my pant cuff and redirect me if I strayed from the routine path we would take. She was 86 years old when I started walking the Corgi and When I went away to college she was 96.
The Corgi was the pride of her life.

I have several questions which I have partially answered through the search function.
From reading I see that Corgis can be decent dogs for a respectful Child. My Daughter is 6 years old and she isn't into abusing dogs. She occasionally pics them up and pretends they're babies but I think everyone's guilty of that.
She has a habit of running around as all children do and I do not want her to be bitten hard by the dog. Am I stepping into a bad situation by purchasing a Corgi?
I initially wanted to stay within the hunting dog category. However their excercise requirements prohibit me from keeping one in a 1200 sq ft house without a fenced yard. I also have no real business purchasing a hunting dog in South Florida, I do not hunt here and would prefer a more mellow dog anyways.
How are Corgis with regards to discipline and obedience? I know that Border Collies and the majority of herding breeds are very dependable training wise as they need to be to work the field properly. How are Corgis?
Lastly does anyone have a reputable breeder I can contact to discuss options and how to proceed with the adoption/purchase process? I prefer to hear recommendations from this community rather than going by what the AKC lists. Any questions I should ask or traits to avoid?
I want to make the best decision as I intend to live with the animal for 14 + years and want to have a great experience.

Thank you,
Rinaldo

[fogebotom]

First I would check with the PWCCA- PWCCA or the CWCCA Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America . Contact the regional club for your area and make calls using the breeders referral on both sites. Attend local shows and talk to lots of people. Make sure to get references, look at contracts and make sure the breeder is responsible by doing health testing on their animals, offer to take puppies or dogs back at any point in their life. The breeder needs to ask you lots of questions as well as be available through out the life of the dog to answer questions and mentor you.

Couple of notes-corgis, both breeds, are hunting dogs. My foundation male cardigan will flush quail, point and honor a point as well as go to ground like a terrier. You can shoot over him and well, he sort of retrieves and loves water. Don't doubt the little dogs! Not all will do this, but just goes to show you the verstility of the breed.

Kids will be kids and yes, corgis do herd kids. My kids learned when running happened, the corgis went inside to avoid conflict. A good obedience trainer is a must and continued training with the entire family is needed.

Remember also, corgis think they are big dogs in little dog suits. Never under estimate a corgi-either breed!

Good luck
Cindy and the crew at Foggy Bottom

[MyPemCharlie]

<From reading I see that Corgis can be decent dogs for a respectful Child. My Daughter is 6 years old and she isn't into abusing dogs. She occasionally pics them up and pretends they're babies but I think everyone's guilty of that.
She has a habit of running around as all children do and I do not want her to be bitten hard by the dog. Am I stepping into a bad situation by purchasing a Corgi?>

You might consider a dog older than 6 months. Not all Corgis will be nippy, but a lot are. My Charlie left me with scabs from 10.5 weeks up to 4 months old from puppy biting while playing. Now that he's a little over 5 months, he's learning not to bite as often, and not bite down as hard on the now rare occassion he does. As Cindy said, they will likely chase your child and want to nip a heels.

<However their excercise requirements prohibit me from keeping one in a 1200 sq ft house without a fenced yard.>

You'll need to be able to walk the dog at least twice a day, if not more. Corgis are small enough to be ok indoors, but they are still high energy herding dogs. If the dog doesn't get enough exercise, it may chew up everything in the house to release pent-up energy.

<How are Corgis with regards to discipline and obedience? I know that Border Collies and the majority of herding breeds are very dependable training wise as they need to be to work the field properly. How are Corgis?>

Corgis are smart! Should be easy to train...if you don't train your Corgi, your Corgi will train you.

The breeders on this site can direct you. As Cindy has done...start with the Corgi breed clubs in your area.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

[Rinaldo]

Thank you both,
I've shot emails off to the AKC breeder's referral program and the Local Chapter.
I will post back once I hear back and learn more.
You've been very helpful. I really do need to consider this more before I leap into the world of Corgi ownership because I cannot bare to fall in love with a dog and raise him and them it bites too often and my child grows wary of dogs in general. She was traumatized enough going to the Humane Society to see kittens walking by the dogs as they barked and some growled at her.

[gizmosmom]

Rinaldo,
We were fortunate enough to get our Pembroke Gizmo (male) from our local humane society at age 3. We weren't even looking for a dog, but he stole my heart. He was neutered, house-trained, has a chip and tattoo for lifetime license----a real find! He's great with children, but not with other dogs, which is the reason he was taken to the shelter. He's very smart, but as others have said, very high energy. We take him on long walks at least twice a day, and when inside, he loves to play most of the time, and he's now 6.
Anyway, good luck, and check with your local shelter. You never know.
Ellen

[MyPemCharlie]

Originally Posted by Rinaldo

I cannot bare to fall in love with a dog and raise him and them it bites too often and my child grows wary of dogs in general.

You are likely to have the "nipping" problem with a young puppy of any breed. Most puppies have to learn that their play biting hurts us thin-skinned humans. Charlie has been a much worse nipper than my last dog, but he is outgrowing the stage (with training). Most pups should be well beyond biting hard by 6 months at the latest.

You might consider taking a page from Ellen's book and adopt an older Corgi from a shelter or rescue. Even Charlie's breeder had a calm 7 month old pup from a previous litter, which a lady and her 3 young children chose to purchase over the younger pups while I was looking at Charlie's litter. An older puppy or adult dog will most likely have been temperament tested to see how it behaves around children.

If your heart is set on a young puppy, your daughter may actually be the best one to teach it not to bite. The "Ouch! Bad puppy!" would be more instinctive to a child than to most of us adults!

Keep us posted!

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Rinaldo

Thank you both,
I've shot emails off to the AKC breeder's referral program and the Local Chapter.

Be forwarned that the AKC breeder's referral program might not be all that great. I'm not sure who they've got on there. But I'd trust the PWCCA site or the local clubs first.

Also, your comment about hunting dogs. Many dogs now never do what the breed was origianlly intended for. You might find a sporting dog breed that is suitable for your home. Not all of them are as active as the Labs. Goldens for instance make good pets. Corgis are not necessarily "inactive dogs". Many are just as active as Labs and Goldens.

There are other sporting breeds that are smaller than Labs and Goldens too. I wouldn't count them out just because you don't intend to hunt. If that's where your heart is then it's better to get a breed that you really want and not one that might work as a substitue. I'd much rather you and your family be thrilled with the breed you choose.

Peggy

[Michael Romanos]

By a vast percentage, Corgis are wonderful with children. devoted to them, often are their 'brother or sister' and kids are the section of the human race that Corgis just love to play with and look out for including herding. All the better if they come into a family as very young pups and all the better if they are encouraged and deliberately exposed and thrust into mixing with kids - such as taking into a playground or class room of kids.

[glencorgi]

I still sensing your heart isn't into this selection.

Corgis are highly trainable, how easily they are trained, well some obedience folks might chuckle at that. Because they are very bright and catch on quickly, they don't do well with a lot of drilling and repetition. So you will probably need to change training methods being used to Labs.

With children, they can be wonderful or they can be a nightmare. A problem with them seeing your daughter as a "sister" is that a corgi won't necessarily respect her as a human above it in the hierarchy of the household. Incidents with children is one of the top reasons I get dogs into our rescue program. Working with a reputable breeder or rescue who will match a puppy or adult to your household's personality and lifestyle will help avoid those kind of potential problems.

Since your love and heart does seem to be with the hunting/sporting type dogs, there are many smaller ones than Labs which might be a more comfortable choice for you than a corgi would. Sussex Spaniel comes to mind and I can give you an e-mail contact to talk more about those if you would like. There are also the Brittany, Field Spaniels, the Springer Spaniels. Vizsla's are a bit smaller than Labs. There are a number of breeds which would might fit your size and energy level needs and still keep you in the group you love.

Debbie

[Louwants]

A lot of rescues won't place a corgi in a home with small children. I don't think that it's because they don't like kids; more because of the herding they may do when the little ones run. And a corgi can weigh as much as a little one, so it would be very easy for them to knock them down but accident and hurt kids.

[Michael Romanos]

Other than a Corgi as a puppy who might excitedly jump in friendly ernest at a two year old child, I don't see that the vast majority of Corgis pose any problem to kids.

[Rinaldo]

Originally Posted by glencorgi

I still sensing your heart isn't into this selection.

Corgis are highly trainable, how easily they are trained, well some obedience folks might chuckle at that. Because they are very bright and catch on quickly, they don't do well with a lot of drilling and repetition. So you will probably need to change training methods being used to Labs.

With children, they can be wonderful or they can be a nightmare. A problem with them seeing your daughter as a "sister" is that a corgi won't necessarily respect her as a human above it in the hierarchy of the household. Incidents with children is one of the top reasons I get dogs into our rescue program. Working with a reputable breeder or rescue who will match a puppy or adult to your household's personality and lifestyle will help avoid those kind of potential problems.

Since your love and heart does seem to be with the hunting/sporting type dogs, there are many smaller ones than Labs which might be a more comfortable choice for you than a corgi would. Sussex Spaniel comes to mind and I can give you an e-mail contact to talk more about those if you would like. There are also the Brittany, Field Spaniels, the Springer Spaniels. Vizsla's are a bit smaller than Labs. There are a number of breeds which would might fit your size and energy level needs and still keep you in the group you love.

Debbie

I appreciate your suggestions and i understand you're trying to point me in the direction of a breed I'd be more comfortable with. Vizslas are perfect sized and are Hypo allergenic as they do not have Undercoats to shed. However their excercise requirements are not going to be taken care of without a large yard. A labrador actually has less energy then all the pointing breeds which include Vizsla, Pointers, Weimeraners and the Boynkins, actually the only gundog that has less energy then a Corgi is probably the standard Poodle.
While the Brittany is a loving family dog as are almost all Gun dogs, the Brittany has too much energy and requires a brisk hour of running daily to exhaust it's pent up energy otherwise like most gun dogs they become destructive. I'd much rather have a small obedience problem which I can correct over time than an over excited under exercised Dog which I cannot train to correct.
Thus until I have yard and a purpose for a hunting breed I'd rather avoid the problem and stick with a less energetic breed. I'm eventually going to start a small ranch/farm and the Corgi will fit in nicely even if it doesn't desire the herding lifestyle it'll look as though it fits in

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Other than a Corgi as a puppy who might excitedly jump in friendly ernest at a two year old child, I don't see that the vast majority of Corgis pose any problem to kids.

It's not the "vast majority" Michael, but some. I have dogs I've taken into rescue because they nipped a child. All across the country we're seeing more and more dogs being given up due to nipping or chasing a child.

IMO, it's not the corgis who are always at fault but the parents who don't supervise the dogs and kids well enough. Or they allow the dogs and/or kids to be undisiplined and one or both have not learned the proper manners to use around each other.

It's just becoming a common reason as to why a d corgi is being turned over to rescue.

Peggy

[glencorgi]

As I said, many corgis don't respect children and see them as "littermates". When that is allowed, there are some major issues that can develop which do result in biting incidents. There are other examples as well. Michael is rather isolated in many ways from a lot of the realities in the corgi world and so doesn't have the experience that others of us do in issues like these. As rescue chair for my regional Pembroke club, I've lost count of the number of "incidents" with children rescues I have taken in to foster.

I also think Rinaldo is really underestimating the energy levels and needs of a corgi. Everything said about a Brittany can be said of a corgi, and yes I get the rescue calls for the bored corgi which is being destructive - there is now one in a foster home in Newport News, VA for that very reason. Corgis are as much true to their working roots as is being said of the gundogs/sporting breeds. Not taking that into account could be problematic for the breed(s) to be a good fit in your home.

"I'd much rather have a small obedience problem which I can correct over time than an over excited under exercised Dog which I cannot train to correct." With the expectations you have now from the corgi breed(s), you can easily end up with the very same issues. I'd like it explained to me why there are many Brittany's and all of the other breeds I mentioned who has as their main job being nothing more than a loving and loyal family pet? I am good friends with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever breeder. Her dogs can do exactly what they were originally meant to do and do it well, but if their job isn't nothing more than to be a playmate for the children, they relish and flourish in that role as well. From what you are saying, a corgi is also going to be way too demanding in its needs for exercise and energy levels too.

Debbie

[MyPemCharlie]

Originally Posted by Rinaldo

I'd much rather have a small obedience problem which I can correct over time than an over excited under exercised Dog which I cannot train to correct.
Thus until I have yard and a purpose for a hunting breed I'd rather avoid the problem and stick with a less energetic breed. I'm eventually going to start a small ranch/farm and the Corgi will fit in nicely even if it doesn't desire the herding lifestyle it'll look as though it fits in

Can you be a little more specific in what role your dog will play in your life? Are you wanting a house dog which does not require much outdoor time except for going out to pee/poop?

If so, I think you might want to look at some other breeds. This link How to choose the best breed for you and your apartment article recommends low energy dogs: the basset hound, beagle, bulldog and French bulldog, dachshund, Norwegian elkhound, most spaniels and terriers, and even the whippet. Also recommended are any of the high-energy toy breed dogs which are small enough to get enough exercise running around indoors.

Your Corgi will need a minimum of two - 30 minute walks a day for exercise and to keep it from getting obese (and from being destructive). At 5 months, Charlie and I take two - 20 minute walks plus play soccer, and throw/chase toys an additional total of 2-3 hours a day in the back yard. Charlie is then content to sit on my recliner and nap or chew on toys when we are in the house.

With your 6 year old, will you be able to go out and walk with the dog a couple times a day? Do you have the hour a day to spare?

When you talk about eventually moving to a ranch farm, do you mean in 6 months or "someday" maybe in a few years?

Also, is there anything preventing you from fencing in the yard at your 1200sq ft house, or installing a very large dog run where you can throw a ball?

I think a Corgi is a fine choice if you can provide the mimimum outdoor exercise and time for obedience training. Lots of Corgis are great city house or apartment dogs...but they do need to get out everyday.