— 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!
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)
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.
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!
Orlando is amazing!!! We've seen such improvement with our dogs in one day. Orlando is a professional who is well educated in his profession. We feel so at peace now regarding our dogs safety and future.
Very informative with training our Draco. Will refer Barkbusters & Orlando to others. We are very pleased with Barkbusters and Orlando very personable.
It was super helpful understanding the dynamics at play in the home and how we are unknowingly contributing to Georgie's belief that he is the leader. I'm looking forward to implementing the tips Carrie showed us!
We had a great session! Our dog is already responding to the exercises and Carrie was great with her. Carrie was very helpful to us humans too with how best to interact with our dog for consistent results. I'm shocked by how well our dog is behaving already and can't wait to see how she improves with continued practice.
Loved working with Jared with our 2 year old Mini Aussie with reactivity issues. As many others have mentioned, there is no quick fix to these type of problems but Jared is great at providing a really unique and thorough perspective to look at your pet's issues! We use his techniques daily and his method of thinking like a dog has really helped us. Beyond that, he is easy to work with on scheduling and follows up regularly. Highly recommend!
We recently had the opportunity to work with Jared. What a terrific trainer! The results we experienced with our dog Franklin far exceeded our greatest hopes. He is much more relaxed, responsive to us, and his behavioral issues with other dogs have mostly been resolved. Best of all, Jared shared his expertise with us to help us continue working effectively with Franklin on our own. Jared's love and understanding of dogs made all this possible. We recommend him highly!
We feel confident in the tools we were given by Pascha and look forward to applying them moving into this season with Polly.
We couldn’t be happier with the progress our dogs have made thanks to Jared! We started our journey with Jared last December, and from the start, he was incredibly understanding of the issues we were facing. Our dogs were experiencing serious sibling rivalry that led to intense fights, so we had to keep them apart. We also mentioned to Jared that neither of our dogs had any prior obedience training, to which he assured us that it would not be an issue and he would be happy to work on that as well.

During our first couple of sessions, Jared focused on basic obedience training, which we diligently put into practice at home. We truly believe that it was this consistent obedience training, along with our commitment, that helped slowly reduce the sibling rivalry. Over time, the fights have been reduced to zero, we no longer separate them and they play together once again! Of course with a watchful eye to make sure no tension arises.

Jared has been so understanding and patient with both us and our dogs, and it really feels like he’s become part of the family. If you’re thinking about giving him a shot, we highly recommend it! Just keep in mind that progress takes time, so be patient with your pet(s) and yourself. It takes commitment from both you and your dog, but it’s absolutely worth it. We still have a long journey ahead with Jared but we couldn’t be more excited for it!

Picture: Our adorable dogs Biscuit (left) & Koffee (right) relaxing next to each other once again!
My dogs responded well to the commands and showed reasonable improvement. The session was engaging and positive. I appreciated the structured approach.
We noticed an immediate change in Kody's behavior. Joshua was great at teaching us the proper body language and tone so our pup would understand. So happy we decided to work with Joshua!
We described our dog's behavior and shared the goals we wanted to accomplish with reactivity and Bark Busters gave us clear insight on how to be successful. Demonstrations were provided and we got the chance to apply those techniques on our dog ourselves with visible results!
I saw noticeable difference in Toby's behavior today - I feel I've been given some great tools to improve our behavior.
Amazing improvement
Trainer worked fast and well with me and my dogs
Trainers are very professional and experienced
Deb is very knowledgeable and our family needed this in depth education. Deb's observations gave us a few quick changes that worked along with our mutual understanding why it is best for our dog to be her leader! Deb agreed to support us going forward and the price was worth it to have her help us.
The biggest lesson I learned today was posture and intensity make a difference.
I was very skeptical that it would work, but within a few minutes, she started responding. By the end of the training, she stopped barking
Josh was great. We saw noticeable improvement while he was here with regards to barking! We look forward to putting the training in to use. Thank you, Josh!
Just had my initial meeting with Deb and 100% recommend! She explained everything thoroughly and took my questions/concerns seriously while giving me guidance on how to address them. She showed me the techniques and I have seen great response from my girl in such a short time and cannot wait to keep working with her!
Judy,
Both Angelina, my daughter, & I cannot believe the difference in US, as leaders, & Millie, as the perfect student since your precious, calm, professional, friendly, fabulous husband Mike arrived this week!!!! Like he said, “No one is late to the party, they just suffer longer than they need to!” … as for Angelina, she will be on track the rest of her life with this approach & ‘tools’ in her mind! She even mentioned it to her sister, who came in last night with her Maine Coon cat, Phoebe, & WOW all around positive changes that she noticed all night long!!!
She loved hearing about it & also amazed what a difference in just ONE session!!!!
I can finally have family and friends come over without my dogs going crazy. My nephew and friends stopped coming over because my dogs would go crazy, barking and jumping up on them. I had people tell me I have little dogs and that’s just how they are. Put them in a crate and get them a collar to buzz and beep to correct that behavior. That’s all you can do. Pascha showed me different. Pascha was amazing. He explained things clearly, and was very professional. He followed up with me and I let him know how things were progressing. The one dog trying to attack the washing machine and vacuum cleaner, done. The bad crazy behaviors are gone. Things are so much nicer now, thanks to Pascha
John was very knowledgeable, personable, and a dog lover. He taught us effectively and efficiently. Now it's up to us to continue the new lifestyle.
Excellent help. Very clear instructions. Immediate results.
It was incredible to see the immediate results. I have a lot more confidence in her ability to live a calm and happy life. John was amazing! I wish I could have him work with my entire family's dogs.
We had a wonderful experience with John and looking forward to continue working together.

Need Dog Training Assistance with your Corgi? Find Your Local Trainer Now!

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