What Are Corgis?
Corgis have become increasingly popular among pet owners in recent years due to their celebrity status on the internet. They are short with a long body and have muscular thighs – similar to a dachshund. They also have a thick double coat of fur.
This combination of features makes the Corgi look comically delightful and, in the eyes of many prospective pet owners, absolutely lovable. They come in a variety of colors, including fawn, sable, black and tan, and red. They’re usually 10-12 inches tall, weigh between 25 and 40 pounds, and live around 12 to 15 years.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was originally bred for cattle herding, hence their unique stature. They were first bred in the Pembrokeshire region of Wales. Corgis are one of the smallest breeds of herding dogs in the world, making the origins of the breed just as unique as their appearance.
The Temperament Of Corgis
Corgis are an exceptionally affectionate dog breed and do well with all sorts of families, making them an ideal pet for most homes. One of their most popular personality traits is that they make great watchdogs. While they aren’t particularly formidable, they have a loud bark and aren’t afraid to use it!
That said, Corgis are rarely – if ever – aggressive. They’re extremely intelligent thanks to their herding roots and love “working” with a family – when you’re doing chores they will happily follow you around.
Corgis love attention and don’t do well when left alone for long periods. A normal workday isn’t likely to cause anxiety for your Corgi, but leaving them alone for days at a time can create undue stress for them.
Grooming Routines For Corgis
Corgis have a double coat, which means that they shed a lot of hair all year round. They have two shedding seasons – the spring and fall – where they will shed even more severely. While grooming won’t completely prevent loose hair from spreading across your house, it will help.
A typical grooming routine for a Corgi should involve light brushing daily. This will keep your dog from getting too hot and completely covering you with hair every time you go to pet them. During their heavier shedding seasons, bathing them will be a more effective way to manage their grooming needs.
Corgi Energy Levels
Because Corgis were originally herding dogs, they are wired to run and play in large open spaces all day long. Since Corgis make better indoor pets than outdoor pets, they won’t have the same kind of space to play in when kept in most people’s homes.
This means that your pet Corgi is likely to be rambunctious and energetic at all times. Your Corgi is going to need regular, daily exercise to stay happy and emotionally sound. Otherwise, they might start engaging in destructive behaviors to compensate.
Because of their high levels of energy and intelligence, they make great dogs for herding classes and agility courses. Though it’s important to remember that because of their short legs they won’t be able to keep up with you during a long run or bicycle ride.
Trainability
Corgis are an extremely trainable breed thanks to their high intelligence, love for attention, and eagerness to please. However, they can be pretty bossy and independent in spite of their small size, so make sure that you are always firm and patient with them.
Like any dog, leash training them early on is a must. They will also need to be socialized early on to avoid having issues with interacting with other animals and people. Once you’ve got each of these out of the way, you can move on to general obedience training.
Additional types of training that can be helpful for Corgi owners are training them to stop barking on command and to let go of things when they are biting them. You can train them to stop biting things by playing tug of war with them and teaching them when to release what they are playing with.
