Grammys Corgi Country

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are totally wonderful little dogs if you want a smart, brave, energetic little dog to work with. They love having something to do, and thrive on learning new things that give them a feeling of accomplishment. Because they are so smart, they can be stubborn, pushy, and get into trouble if they aren’t given things to do that keep their attention.

They are also bred to be very energetic because they were supposed to be out in the fields working with animals that they could herd all day. I think, because they were bred to work hard in cold climates, their metabolisms don’t burn fat as fast, or they would have had problems with running out of energy while working under those conditions, so being overweight can be a problem. Because they are so cute and smart, and are always trying to please, it’s easy to give too many treats, and that can cause a problem if you aren’t careful.

Many people get these little dogs because they are beautiful and small, but they don’t realize that Corgis are really BIG dogs in small bodies. They tend to bark with a BIG dog voice and use it a lot, and, unless properly trained, they have a shoulder block that can knock your feet right out from under you… They use it on herd animals sometimes when working with them.

Because they are smart, they NEED someone who is around them, interacting with them… being a fairly constant companion, stimulating them both mentally and physically. They do wonderfully well in activities like agility classes or being helper dogs because of this.

Corgis also have memories like elephants, so you have to be very careful, especially when they are young, to protect them from things that they might learn to fear. For instance, if they aren’t properly socialized, or if they are hurt or frightened by a child or a stranger, they don’t tend to forget it, and while they will totally give their heart and soul to someone they have learned to love and trust, they won’t be very friendly with anyone else… they may learn to tolerate them, but that is all.

They also need someone who will be “Alpha dog” in their lives because if you let them, they will take that spot for themselves and have a tendency to run your life. They really love to be in high places because that is one way that dogs show dominance over others. It also gives them an opportunity to see farther than when they are down on the ground, and they are as curious as a cat (as I’ve mentioned before).

This probably sounds weird, but if you get them another dog as a pet, if they have to be left alone a lot for some reason, it often helps. I don’t think a lot of people realize the responsibility they are taking on when they get a Corgi, and they really should research the breed if they are thinking about getting one… Actually, I think that is probably true for any breed they are thinking of making a part of their family.

May you have a wonderful day with the companion of your choice…

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