Soon to be a new Corgi owner, need help

[newcorgiowner]

Greetings y'all,
So I get to go pick out my puppy tomorrow, yay! Anyway, it occured to me before I drive up and pick her out that I have absolutly no idea what I am looking for or even how to make such a choice. I mean I know that I could pick out the cutest one but I figure that'd be a bad method of selection.

What I am looking for in my full grown dog is kind of a mix between frisky and sedate. Like I want a dog I can take to the park and play catch with, go for runs and walks with, etc. But on the flipside I don't want her to bug me all the time when I am trying to relax around the house (well...apartment). I know a lot of these things come from training and up bringing but I imagine some our genetic as well.

So what traits should I look for in the puppy. I think she's 6 weeks old at this point and I can pick her up in two weeks to take home. What questions should I ask about her, what tests should I do (play with her, pick her out of the group and have her walk around) etc. Are there any signs to look for in terms of health problems? What should I check out in the parents?

Thanks for all the help, I'm kind of lost in the woods at the moment.

[Jane Austen]

That is an excellent question. Personally I lead with my heart and not my head. Underlying personallity is more important to me than looks. If you spend some time with them I think you will find the perfect pup for you. But then I tend to think a puppy doesn't come through with their temperment right away. Especially if you are not familiar with the breed. Someone like Debbie may be able to pick out aspects of personallity because she has been around so many. Which doesn't really help you unless she is present, but she will be around to give you advice.
Let us know what happens when you visit the litter.
Can you give us a little background on your family? A lot of us feel like friends and we welcome you to the site. Jane
.

[tandemgal]

removed by T-Gal

[corgimom]

Corgiowner,

Welcome to the site - very exciting for you awaiting your new baby. Here are my two cents.

When I went to look at the litter Cody came from, all 5 puppies ran up to me and greeted me all wanting my attention(which was a good sign), none were shy or overly aggressive. I did take the time to spend time (ALONE) with each individual puppy that was available. I Think that was important- to see how that puppy reacted to me without his siblings being in the same room. I also got to meet both parents and interacted with each which showed me how their personality was - not all breeders own both parents. I also looked carefully at the gait on how they moved in case I would see any indication of problems. Hopefully the breeder that you are getting your pup from can show you the OFA papers that shows the hips of both mom and dad were checked out to be okay, along with the eyes.I am assuming that the breeder also discussed any health guarantees with you.

Go for the puppy that your gut says is the right one, not the one you think is the prettiest or most handsome. The breeder knows more about their personalities and should be able to direct you to the one that is the best fit for your family. The puppy should be alert and playful and not overly aggressive or shy.

I will make note that my pup was 8 weeks old when I first saw him and I was not able to take him home until he was 11 weeks.

As T-Gal said, if it doesn't feel right, there will be other opportunites.

Congratulations, hope all goes well.

Corgimom
Linda

[darci]

Welcome to the board, so exciting getting your new corgi.

I ditto all the above advice and also would like to add, I always lay the pup on his back check his ears, mess with his feet, raise his gums and look at his teeth, he should be fairly OK with this. A pup that fights will be more difficult to trim nails etc.

But above all if you trust and have a good breeder they should be the one to help you make a choice of which pup best suits you and your lifestyle.

[Michael Romanos]

Newcorgiowner - Here is something you almost certainly can't do : take a six week old Corgi pup for a walk because it is highly unlikely any at that age would have gotten use to a leash.
Here is something also to reflect upon - what you have in mind may not be among the litter you a going to see. So you might have to wait for another opportunity.
What you probably don't want is any Corgi pup that appears shy or timid or acting lethargically. The one thing most likely to grab your attention is colour of the coat and the coat's markings eg for a red and white - exactly where the white is and if the white areas are nicely in place and evenly distributed eg blaze, socks ( white on feet). The next thing most likely to take you attention is which of the pups makes play in your direction - the one who rushes up ahead of the pack and says pick me, pick me. You need to have made some prior study of Corgis - just by reading is sufficient - in order to try and avoid any pup with obvious faults such as an under or over bite or splayed feet or a pup that even at six weeks cannot walk in a straight line ie crabs across the floor. What you also want at six weeks is a plumpish pup, sparkling eyes, alert and alive expression and body language , boldness, and a certain solidness that reflects good bone structure. By all means pick up and handle each pup as much as you want- and if any get angry, growley and harshly nippy - avoid them. Make certain the pup you might choose has excellent hearing by making very soft noises and is not clumsy but well balanced.

[corgimom]

Good advice Michael and Cindy. I didn't think of adding in "to check their hearing", and to see how they would tolerate being on their back; and I admit that was something I did not check when I picked my pup.

linda

[newcorgiowner]

Just picked out my puppy!

First, thanks everyone for their advise, it was a big help in not just getting startled by amazing cuteness of each one.

I do have some questions after seeing them though. After leaving my girlfriend and I were talking about it and we relized that with our work schedule (we both work full time, 9-5) it'd be nice to have a friend. There was one other puppy left unclaimed out of this litter so we were thinking about getting it so they could play together.

Don't worry about my ability to take care of them. I've been raised around a lot of dogs my whole life. I've never actually had to pick out a dog which was why I was looking for help, but I am more then capable both financially and emotionally of taking care of two pups.

Anyway, the reason I didn't choose the other female pup and went with the one I did was because the remaining pup seemed to be slighly overweight. Kind of plump on the sides. Not huge or anything, but definetly bigger then the other ones. She also seemed to walk with a little less...balance (?) then the other puppies. None of them seemed to be 100% stead on their feet, when I would put them back on the ground they'd still tumble over a little, but it seemed like a puppy kind of thing. They all could and did run around and were all very inquisitive and friendly. No one nipped or hid (except under the picnic table ocassionally, but I think that was as much to get in the shade as anything) and they seemed to follow us around when we walked to talk with the breeder.

Do you think this walking/overweight problem is something to be worried about or is it a normal puppy thing? I've got pictures I'll upload when I am done with this post. The breeder seemed very reputable and assured me that they were all in good health. We got to meet the mother and she was incredibly sweet.

[corgimom]

Corgiowner,

I really cannot answer your question. I do recall reading in another thread where someone said that if you get two pups together at roughly the same age, they may bond more to each other than to you?? Does anyone recall reading this?? Others will have advice for you.

I just was reading some info off the Official Pembroke Corgi web site and it said that most reputable breeders will not sell you two puppies from the same litter because the puppies most likely will be more bonded to each other rather than to you. It also said that the more dominant puppy will inhibit the more submissive puppy - Deb will be able to give more advice on this one.

If you got two, what are your plans for them when you work - both in the same crate, or seperate ones, or putting them in a small room?

linda

[newcorgiowner]

Pics!!
I posted some pictures of the corgi I picked out on Flickr...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6844738...7594177303871/

[Michael Romanos]

Don't worry about Corgis being what you consider overweight when they are only several weeks to a few months old. Much better fat than slim at these stages.
I would be concerned at puppies with very noticeable tracts of pink on their noses. You should be able to stand a pup of six weeks on a table for closer inspection and to be able to feel their bone sructure for sturdinesss. With a bit of propping by one of your hands, you should be able to coax a pup into a standing position on the table. If they can't stand up straight on all fours for a short time then that is a concern. There very well might be a calcium deficiency.
If the puppies walk or run crab-like, then that is a worry. Big-eyed,sparkly-eyed, alert and alive and full of action is what you really want to see in a Corgi pup. So if you saw them when they are half asleep or half awake, call again just before a feeding time. That would be good, to ensure that the pups are really stacking into their meal.
I am not a believer in getting two Corgis the same age at any time. You're experienced enough to know that you don't leave a pup or even eight pups on their own all day at aged two months or six months and you may have to engage someone to check on her/him/them during the day (at least once) for food and recreation.

[glencorgi]

Yes, that would have been me who cautioned against getting two puppies so close to age or from the same litter. The bonding issue with humans is just one concern that can happen. As Corgimom noted from the PWCCA site: "most reputable breeders will not sell you two puppies from the same litter because the puppies most likely will be more bonded to each other rather than to you. It also said that the more dominant puppy will inhibit the more submissive puppy." I'd also advise against getting two females.

For the most part, dogs don't really need canine "friends" - the humans become their pack. IF you get the second puppy get it because YOU want the dog, not because you believe you are fulfilling some need in a dog. I'd suggest reading some of the thread started by Woogiebear about the trials and tribulations of having two young puppies.

What type hints or things the breeder did that made her seem reputable? I'm only asking this for informational purposes only and because it might help someone else in their search for a breeder and a puppy.

Debbie

[corgimom]

NewCorgiowner,

Did the breeder mention as to why the nose had so much pink?

Linda

[newcorgiowner]

Corgimom,
Yeah, I asked her about the pink and she said that it was pretty common at that age and that the color was still coming in. Something about it happening occasionally when there is hair/skin overlapping or soemthing, i forget exactly what she said though about it.

It actually doesn't look nearly as pink in person as it does in the picture. I think it might have something to do with the angle or the way the light is highlighting it.

[corgimom]

Maybe Deb or Michael could respond more to that answer regarding the pink
nose.

linda