— Breed of the Month —

The Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an adorable, agreeable small dog whose size conceals generations of herding instincts and traits associated with much larger breeds. The American Kennel Club ranks the Corgi as the smallest dog in its herding group and the 13th-most popular breed in the United States – an unsurprising ranking for an intelligent, tenacious, family-friendly dog that is equally loving and dependable.

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Breed Traits and Characteristics

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Corgis. 

 

  • Height

    10-12 inches

  • Weight

    Up to 20 pounds (male), up to 28 pounds (female)

  • Life Expectancy

    12-13 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Double/Short

  •  100 Affectionate with Family
  • 60 Good with Young Children
  • 80 Good with Other Dogs
  • 80 Trainability Level
  • 80 Energy Level
  • 80 Barking Level
  • 80 Shedding Level
  • 20 Drooling Level

History

Some find it hard to believe that a dog the size of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi was bred for herding cattle, but its deeply entrenched instincts that back centuries: it is believed that the cattle dogs that were brought to Wales by the Vikings in the 9th and 10th centuries are the true ancestors of the Corgi as we know it today. (It is also possible that they may have descended from a line of dogs that were brought to Wales in the 12th century by Flemish weavers.)

Corgis possess all the vital traits to be extremely efficient cattle dogs: tenacity, determination, and high intelligence. Both the Pembroke and its close cousin, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, descend from the line of northern spitz-type dogs. Initially recognized as one breed, the Kennel Club of the UK decided in 1934 to recognize the Pembroke and Cardigan separately. The American Kennel Club followed suit in the same year and in 1936, the Pembroke was first shown in the USA. The official AKC breed standard is maintained by the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is perhaps best known for being Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s preferred breed of dog. Queen Elizabeth II of England was given her first Corgi by her father, King George, in 1933, and the breed has been a fixture in her life ever since.

Corgi Personality & Temperament 

Pembroke Corgis are highly intelligent, outgoing, and friendly dogs. Strong and athletic, Corgis are happiest with moderate daily exercise – they especially love herding and chasing, the same activities they engage in as working dogs. Their pleasant disposition makes Corgis a great fit for families, and their protectiveness if they sense a threat to their family or social group makes the breed great watchdogs. Their determination can sometimes turn into a stubborn streak, however, making early, consistent training beneficial to avoid future behavioral issues.

Corgis have become more and more popular in the USA, and for good reason: they are great family dogs, with keen intelligence that means they take to training well. This same intelligence can be a challenge for their owners, however, as Corgis do not relinquish leadership easily – after all, the same determination, tenacity, and independence that serve them well as herding dogs can also make them a challenge to handle.

If you are thinking of purchasing a Corgi, it is especially important to source from an ethical, responsible breeder who is breeding for not only looks, but health and temperament as well. Rescues are also great options for prospective Corgi owners. Contact your local Bark Busters trainer today to learn about great breeders and rescue organizations near you!

Corgi Physical Characteristics

Muscular, long, and low-set, Pembroke Corgis differ from their cousin, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, in several respects: Pembrokes typically have docked tails compared to long tails for Cardigans (though some countries have banned the practice, making the difference more difficult to spot); additionally, the Cardigan has a slightly larger head and comes in different colors than its Pembroke counterpart.

Class & Color

Class

  • Herding Class

Color:

  • Red
  • Fawn
  • Sable
  • Brack and Tan
  • (All colors may be with or without white markings)

Size

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are small but powerful dogs with surprising agility given their size and short legs.

  • Small
  • Height: Height: 10-12 inches
  • Weight: up to 30 pounds (male); up to 28 pounds (female)

Life Expectancy

Pembroke Corgis maintain good genetic health, especially when purchased from responsible breeders, though some can suffer from inherited conditions like hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and other rare conditions.

  • Pembroke Welsh Corgis typically live between 12 and 13 years.

Corgi Common Behavioral Issues

The common issues with Corgis are normally barking, chasing, leash-pulling and sibling rivalry. They can be bossy with other dogs, with a desire to rule the roost. Early training makes a real difference when it comes to managing the strong herding instincts possessed by Corgis, which may transfer to everything they do. Good management is especially important around young children, who may be nipped during overexuberant play. The Corgi is not malicious, but it can get itself into trouble if left on its own to run the show.

If you are struggling with your Corgi’s behavioral issues, contact your local Bark Busters trainer. Our trainers are available both in person and through live interactive virtual sessions to help establish a pattern of consistency, resolve any and all issues, and help you nurture a relationship with your Corgi built on mutual understanding, trust, respect, and love.

Corgis have never been known to walk away from a fight, but the generally won't start one. It is important to socialize them properly from an early age to avoid behavioral issues.

Aggression is not normally an issue with Corgis, though they can become leash-reactive if allowed to lead on walks. Training can help curb their potential to nip at heels if they get excited – call your local Bark Busters trainer to learn more.

Prevention is far more preferable to a cure – early basic obedience training is absolutely vital to ensuring your Corgi understands and follows your rules.

All dogs need a special place to call their own. By selecting a place for yours to eat and sleep away from high traffic areas of your home, you can set good habits early in its life.

We are standing by to help you develop a consistent, compassionate approach to good behavior for your Corgi. Learn more about our services and schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with one of our trainers today!

Connect with Us!

Need help training your Corgi? Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

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Corgi Health

Health

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are generally healthy, though some may inherit hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, or Von Willebrand Disease.

Corgis need daily exercise to stay healthy and happy. Consider walks or jogs, but be mindful of their short legs, which can hinder their ability to keep up at faster speeds.

Corgis are very intelligent and need mental stimulation. Consider a puzzle or chew toy that stimulates a dog’s natural desire to chew.

Corgis benefit from structure and direction, including proper socialization from a young age with people and low-energy dogs.

Grooming

Corgis possess a weatherproof short undercoat with a longer, coarser outer coat of varying length. Pembrokes do benefit from a once-daily brushing with a comb and slicker brush to minimize their tendency to shed, which increases in spring and early summer. The American Kennel Club also recommends occasional baths to loosen dead hairs (though Corgis should be completely dry before brushing), regular nail trimmings, and routine ear checks.

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Hear from Bark Busters Clients Who Have a Corgi

Dan is a lifesaver! Zoe is a 5 year old strong willed Corgi who constantly was barking, pulling, jumping and overall not listening. After the first lesson with Dan, my boyfriend and I saw a major improvement with how she was walking and she was starting to understand that she was no longer in charge. After our second lesson with Dan, my boyfriend and I saw a new well - behaved Corgi. She understands how to walk with us, she grasps that certain areas of the house are not her space but my boyfriend's and mine, and she is understanding the commands when we tell her not to bark. I did not think it was possible to see her improve and the fact that she did and turned the corner so quickly was very impressive! This is all thanks to Dan!
Jenny F.
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I had purchased a new Corgi puppy last year and had some big issues with her that I could not deal with on my own. My vet recommended Bark Busters and I could not be more grateful for how much their training helped me to be able to keep my dog. Their training is kind and helpful...I would highly recommend this company! - (Google Review)
Cindy R.
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Steve is great! He is wise, professional, honest, and great at what he does. It's only been a few days since our first session and have seen a huge improvement with our 2.5-year-old corgi, Herbie. His biggest problem behaviors (barking non-stop when we have guests and jumping up to steal food) have subsided and we're looking forward to seeing more improvements as we continue with training.
Emily A.
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Deb from Bark Busters totally changed my relationship with my dogs. I have two dogs, one is 4 years old hound mix and the other is 7 months old corgi mix. There has been some sibling rivalry, some aggressive behavior around feeding time (coming from the corgi towards the hound), and the typical barking, jumping, etc. I took a dog training course with the hound but when I tried training the corgi he wouldn't listen, just wanted the treat. Deb came to our home and totally flipped the script on how to handle my dogs. It's only been one week and we still have some work to do in certain areas but I noticed my dogs are a lot more relaxed and when your dog sitter texts you saying "Holy *beep*! What did you guys do? They didn't jump on me when I came into the house!" I find that a great success and the steps to the right direction! Thank you, Deb!
Cory W.
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One Month Later—Still Blown Away

I wanted to wait a full month before writing this because I didn’t want to get too excited too fast… but I can say now, without a doubt: Patrick and Bark Busters are absolutely incredible.

If you don’t read any further, just know this—Patrick is the real deal. His guidance and the Bark Busters method made a noticeable difference in our home right away. But—and this is important—you have to do the work. There’s no shortcut. It takes consistency, every day, every moment. But if you’re committed, the results are real.

We have two Labs—one’s 3 years old and the other was 8 months when we reached out for help. We thought the older one was well-behaved because he was “calm,” but in hindsight… maybe not so much. Meanwhile, the puppy was jumping, barking at the door, overwhelmed by visitors, and hadn’t even been introduced to our older dog yet.

Patrick showed up and within minutes he helped us start “speaking dog.” The transformation with our puppy was almost immediate. He gave us tools to lead with clarity—not by being harsh, but by setting limits and being consistent. By the time Patrick left, the energy in the house was completely different. The dogs were calmer, and we felt more in control.

And yes—there’s homework. Every day. But it’s doable. And Patrick is always just a call or text away if you need help.
A month later, things are better than we could have imagined. The dogs are now introduced, they play together, hang out calmly, and we’ve set real boundaries that make everyday life much more enjoyable. Just this week we even realized our “well-behaved” older dog may have been part of the problem all along—turns out we had some habits to break too. Patrick helped us see that, and now we’re working on recall and public behavior with both dogs.

Bottom line: if you’re struggling at all—whether it’s big issues or just small things that are adding up—call Patrick. The Bark Busters system works, and Patrick really knows what he’s doing. We're so grateful we made the call.
Marie-Laure & C.
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We had our first session today, 6/11/2025. Michelle was great to work with. Easy to understand and immediate results.
We are looking forward to practice what she taught us and looking forward to improvement daily.
John C.
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We have enjoyed having Ryanne come to our home. She really listens to our concerns and issues with our French Bulldog. We have seen incredible progress in just a few weeks. We especially enjoy the overall training methods of no shock collars, treats or severe punishment. Our dog seems much more happy and we are too! We look forward to our training lessons.
I would highly recommend Bark Busters and Ryanne.
Wendy V.
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Bark Busters has been a game changer for our Keith! We, self admittedly, let Keith run the house - I mean, with a face like that, can you blame us?! As our puppy grew up, there were more instances of behavior that was unbecoming of a gentleman. I had a dog growing up who snipped at people and it got to a point where my mom “took the dog to the farm” and I was going to make certain that did NOT happen with Keith. From session 1, he’s a completely different pup and it’s been made easy with Ryanne’s help. 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Benjamin T.
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Bark Busters home training is the best. My two dogs have Improved so much it is just Wonderful to watch them learn so easily with the skills the trainers have taught us. The trainers are patient and kind and understanding.
Cindy J.
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Great improvement in my dog in a short time.
Ray G.
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Orlando is very knowledgeable, compassionate and showed us how to be pack leaders.
Annamarie & Robert C.
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John was absolutely very informative and educated in dog/pet behavior. He was very patient with all our questions. It was an absolute pleasure to learn from him!
Noa S.
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Michael and Lydia have been really wonderful to work with, and our pup Sunny just loves them! We wanted to get in-home training help with our pup when we first got her because we could tell she was going to be stubborn, sassy, and have lots of opinions. We knew she needed boundaries, but we had no idea where to begin, even after all of the research and YouTube videos. Doing your own research only goes so far until you need a professional to help you with YOUR specific dog and their personality! I was initially hesitant to hire Bark Busters with the one-time flat fee for the dog's entire life, but once I met Michael at our first session and he taught me how to understand my dog and how to gain authority in my home while still giving her all the love and attention she needed, I was so sold. They focus on training that is sustainable and is highly effective without the use of harmful items like shock collars and electric fences. Truly any time we have struggled with any behavioral issues with Sunny, Bark Busters is just a call, text, or audio message away. They are great communicators, so very patient and kind, you can tell they always know what they're doing and how to gain control over the dog in countless scenarios. They walk you through every step, and they focus on teaching YOU how to train your dog well in and out of the home, rather than just doing the training FOR you. They are always there for us when we need them. I already recommend them to our friends and family, and will continue to do so! We love you, Michael and Lydia! Sunny's and our quality of life have improved SO MUCH since you started helping us! Thank you!!!
Emory N.
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Lee was great! He opened our eyes and gave great examples that explained a lot of things about our two dogs. My daughter came over later after Lee left, my husband said"BAH" and they didn't jump on her or start barking. Our dogs so different now. Can't wait for Lee to teach us some more.
Diane L.
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I started working with Bark Busters 8 years ago when my dog was experiencing separation anxiety. The knowledge, ongoing support and training helped my dog to reduce his anxiety in a short period of time. I was incredibly pleased. Recently, as our dog has aged, he has been resorting to barking when we leave the house, because I was so please in the past, I reached out to them a gain. I received an immediate response and the advice and support was incredible. I have in interesting situation because I live in both the US and Canada. During the time of my dog's struggles, I worked with both a trainer in Canada and the US. I cannot express how please I was with both trainer's support. I have worked closest with Pat Conn in the US. What a wise and supportive person he is. As you can imagine, when you know your dog's barking is disturbing your neighbors, it is stressful. Pat not only gave me incredible guidance (consistently), but he also reduced my stress. I highly recommend Bark Busters and would be happy to answer any questions that someone may have.
Stephanie C.
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I reached out to Tommy feeling overwhelmed, heartbroken, and honestly scared about the direction things were heading with my 3yr old English Bulldog. What started as subtle behavioral changes had grown into serious issues—aggression, overstimulation, and a complete breakdown in communication. I felt lost.

From our very first session, everything started to shift. Tommy gave us structure, clarity, and a completely new way of communicating with our dogs that brought an immediate sense of calm into the home. The chaos we were used to—dogs fighting over toys, barking, ignoring commands—was replaced with peaceful routines, respectful behavior, and visible relief in everyone, even our older dogs who used to stay out of the fray.

One of the best parts? The support doesn’t end after a session. Tommy provides a detailed plan, tons of practical tools, and follow-up that truly feels like a partnership. The Lifetime Guarantee means we’re never on our own, and that kind of reassurance is invaluable when you’re dealing with complex behavior. He checks in, answers questions, and genuinely wants to see our household thrive.
Jesssamyn
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We have been amazed by the progress our 2.5 yr old rescue dog and 5 month old rescue puppy have had with our 2 training sessions with Michael so far! In just the initial session, our 2 dogs went from excessive barking and jumping when guests would come to our house to being calm and quiet. We have learned how to "speak dog" and help our pups feel more comfortable and less reactive. We can now have guests come over without the extra stress of dogs that may bark and lunge towards the guests the entire time. We are so excited to see additional progress as we continue our work with Bark Busters.
Kelly & M.
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Sarah is simply amazing! Her approach to dog training is incredible. Today she came to help us work on our dog’s jumping behaviors, and by this evening, our dog hadn’t jumped up on anyone! She is patient and very thorough in explaining the techniques that she is teaching us and she answers all of our questions. She’s very quick to respond to text messages and to set up appointments when we need her to come for a visit. I am so glad I took the recommendation. I was given to call Bark Busters for training.
Jacquelyn R G.
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good friends of mine I used there company for the first time they did excellent and taught me new things about my dog
My wife and I are very pleased I highly recommend
Dominique c.
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Very eye opening. Once we understood more of how a dog thinks and what we need to provide to our fur babies everything started to flow! Improved behaviors Day 1!
Ramos R.
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We gained excellent insight into why our dog behaves and responds to us the way she does and what we can do to change that.
Jeffrey B.
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The first lesson with Jeri outlined the training process and established responsibility for using the bark buster technique for modifying dog behavior. After just one lesson I could see improvement in my puppy’s behavior. Some of my dog’s behavior will be difficult to modify because of physical limitations, but I’m confident in the long run that consistently using the program will yield the desired result. The first lesson presents a lot of information, but it all made a lot of sense and now it’s a matter of execution.
Theresa W.
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Deb was wonderful to work with! She has incredible insight to what a dog thinks and needs. In less than a week I have already seen great improvement with my dog.
Christine E.
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Natalie with Bark Busters is terrific to work with and has made a huge difference in only 2 visits. She very helpfully explained the reasoning behind some of his behaviors and showed us how to immediately make a correction. Not only have we seen a difference in Blayze, but our confidence and comfort levels have improved as well. Highly recommend Natalie as well as Bark Busters as a company - they stand behind their lifetime guarantee.
Cheryl R.
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Natalie has completely changed the game when it comes to puppy training. Skipper is walking well, learning not to jump, and overall learning commands so quickly. We love how she’s tailored the style to us and makes it a positive experience all around!!
Megan V.
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Wow. I mean.. WOW. I was a bit skeptical at first at the price and short amount of time frame but once Pat told me I wouldn’t pay unless I saw major results in the hours, I was sold.

Fully prepared to not have to pay, I was utterly shocked at how efficient this man is. God really blessed me finding this trainer because he not only was beyond efficient in the duration of training but teaches something that REALLY works. Not gonna give away his secrets… but you’ll have to book with him to find out ;)
Alex
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So insightful and changed my perspective on training and my relationship with my dog. Saw a big difference in just one session.
Taylor S.
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Derrick is the best! We met him walking at the District. We had just adopted our dog who was severely abused. We had trouble controlling her in public. Derrick noticed me struggling and quickly offered advice in a very nonjudgmental way. He spent a lot of time with me - at no cost just because he cared. We did several follow Ups with him. He came to our house and kept in contact with us. He gave me several ideas that’s other trainers did not. He truly loves animals and is a great people person! I highly recommend him.
Michelle G.
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