Exercising Corgis

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by bailey

Has anyone tried running with their corgis? My Bailey is almost 1 and I wanted to start running outside now that it's gotten a little warmer but I don't know if he'll enjoy it as much as I would considering I like to go for 3 mile runs. I tried it the other day and he started lagging behind and it wasn't even a mile and then he plopped down on his belly in the turkey position on the grass. Lol! Some times i'll try to tug him and then he'll roll onto his back and get dragged a little bit on the grass. Anyways, I'm wondering if he just needs to build up his endurance to go on a jog or if this isn't a good idea with a corgi.

Heidi,

First, over a mile is too much for any dog until they are a bit more mature. I've learned that until the dog is about 2 you should not do more than a mile with them. So not yet.

And it will depend on the surface you're running on. Pavement/cement is hard on joints for dogs just like with people.

And yes, a dog will need to build up endurance just like a person would. You can't just start out running a mile or three with a dog that's only been used to a walk around the block.

Peggy

[Michael Romanos]

I would not slow jog a healthy, trim Corgi for more than 10 minutes which is roughly a mile. Anyway Corgis are not dogs to take on jogs. Quite a few other breeds are and a guy I know has taken two different breeds of dogs on marathons (26 miles) he has completed inside 3.5 hours. Corgis would much prefer off-leash romping where they can start and stop, scent and play catch up or wait until the handler catches up.

[Chip's Mom]

First of all - this is an excellent thread. I would compare our corgis with the short legs to quarter horses. They are fast for short distances.