# Pembroke Welsh Corgi



## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

Hey everyone. Back again with more questions of breeds  

So I think we decided on getting a dog from a breeder, and my whole family loves corgis! (pembroke) They seem to fit our life style of an active family ( As in hiking, camping, places where the dog can go. ) and are trainable. I heard they DO shed a ton, but only two times a year (when I mean two times a year shedding I mean like a lot more then usual) I know they do have a few health problems, but that's ok. 

Anybody have tips on corgis? 

Thanks!


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

They need a very dedicated trainer. They're smart, so if you aren't consistent in training, they'll walk all over you. They need mental stimulation or they can get destructive. 

They shed all year. A lot. Don't let anyone tell you differently. 

They are noisy. They bark. They talk back. My corgi "talks" to me all the time. He makes grumbly growly noises constantly. If you're not okay with a little barking, then this is not the dog for you. Any corgi owner I've talked to has never been able to 100% train a corgi to not bark. They're a good little guard dogs. They will always tell you when they hear something. 

They're bred for herding, so they're a medium-high to high energy dog. That means one long walk a day plus fetch and games throughout the day. They also nip at heels until it is trained out of them.

They're prone to obesity. But I think that's more owners fault than the dogs. They think that since it's such a small dog it doesn't need as much exercise. Very wrong. They have a very high food drive and will eat any food left out for them, so that means that they need to be on a feeding schedule, as opposed to having a food bowl left out for them all day. 

But because of that high food drive they are very easy to train with positive reinforcement. You can get a corgi to do anything for you with a little food incentive. 

They are very people oriented. MY pup is wayyy more interested in new people than new dogs. That's not to say he doesn't like dogs. He just likes people 1000% more. 

Corgi's are known for FRAPing. They just randomly run around at top speed, barking and playing. Link: Corgi FRAP! 

I adore my corgi, but wouldn't recommend them to anyone who isn't 100% committed. That means lots of socialization, puppy classes, a few small training sessions a day and lots of exercise. 

But when it's all said and done, they're very good dogs. they're smart and clever. They learn quick, and retain what they learn well. Mine is cuddly and likes belly rubs, and follows me everywhere. If you want a dog that you can really grow with, then a corgi is a great pick. 

They can have health problems, so getting one from a good breeder is a must. All breeding stock should have hip, elbow and eye tests. 

Here are a couple good links about them:
http://www.goldengatecorgis.org/articles/truth_article.htm
http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/comprehensive-corgi-guide-resource-for.html
http://thecorgisite.com/index.php/want-a-corgi/is-a-corgi-right-for-you/


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

They need a very dedicated trainer. They're smart, so if you aren't consistent in training, they'll walk all over you. They need mental stimulation or they can get destructive. 

They shed all year. A lot. Don't let anyone tell you differently. 

They are noisy. They bark. They talk back. My corgi "talks" to me all the time. He makes grumbly growly noises constantly. If you're not okay with a little barking, then this is not the dog for you. Any corgi owner I've talked to has never been able to 100% train a corgi to not bark. They're a good little guard dogs. They will always tell you when they hear something. 

They're bred for herding, so they're a medium-high to high energy dog. That means one long walk a day plus fetch and games throughout the day. They also nip at heels until it is trained out of them.

They're prone to obesity. But I think that's more owners fault than the dogs. They think that since it's such a small dog it doesn't need as much exercise. Very wrong. They have a very high food drive and will eat any food left out for them, so that means that they need to be on a feeding schedule, as opposed to having a food bowl left out for them all day. 

But because of that high food drive they are very easy to train with positive reinforcement. You can get a corgi to do anything for you with a little food incentive. 

They are very people oriented. MY pup is wayyy more interested in new people than new dogs. That's not to say he doesn't like dogs. He just likes people 1000% more. 

Corgi's are known for FRAPing. They just randomly run around at top speed, barking and playing. Link: Corgi FRAP! 

I adore my corgi, but wouldn't recommend them to anyone who isn't 100% committed. That means lots of socialization, puppy classes, a few small training sessions a day and lots of exercise. 

But when it's all said and done, they're very good dogs. they're smart and clever. They learn quick, and retain what they learn well. Mine is cuddly and likes belly rubs, and follows me everywhere. If you want a dog that you can really grow with, then a corgi is a great pick. 

They can have health problems, so getting one from a good breeder is a must. All breeding stock should have hip, elbow and eye tests.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> They need a very dedicated trainer. They're smart, so if you aren't consistent in training, they'll walk all over you. They need mental stimulation or they can get destructive.
> 
> They shed all year. A lot. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much! I did manage to find a few good looking breeders so I'll have to look into each one of them. Since they are prone to obesity, do you have to feed them lower calorie dog foods? 
Also, I have a question about the shedding, would a furminator brush be fine for them every day or so? How do you groom your corgi?

Once again, thanks!


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Thank you so much! I did manage to find a few good looking breeders so I'll have to look into each one of them. Since they are prone to obesity, do you have to feed them lower calorie dog foods?
> Also, I have a question about the shedding, would a furminator brush be fine for them every day or so? How do you groom your corgi?
> 
> Once again, thanks!


Mine is still just a puppy, so I let him pack on the puppy food, which is high in calories. But that's because he's still growing. I've talked to his breeder about it though, and when he's grown as long as he's getting exercise he can have a regular food. You just have to ration out what they eat daily. Watson's going to get fed 3 times a day till he's about a year. Then I'm gonna switch him to twice a day as I get him used to adult food. 

Watson is a fluffy corgi, do his grooming needs are a little different. He still has the double coat, but his hair is a little longer. But I was using a Furminator with him for a few weeks. I asked about it here, and it seems that the general consensus is furminators are bad. Instead of gently removing the loose undercoat, it actually rips out the undercoat that's still attached. Which can damage their coat. So I ditched the furminator and now I just use a slicker brush every day or so. He's very used to being brushed at this point, so sitting down with him for 5-10 minutes a day is a nice little cuddle time. Here's they thread about that: http://www.dogforums.com/dog-grooming-forum/332849-long-haired-dog-tips.html


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Mine is still just a puppy, so I let him pack on the puppy food, which is high in calories. But that's because he's still growing. I've talked to his breeder about it though, and when he's grown as long as he's getting exercise he can have a regular food. You just have to ration out what they eat daily. Watson's going to get fed 3 times a day till he's about a year. Then I'm gonna switch him to twice a day as I get him used to adult food.
> 
> Watson is a fluffy corgi, do his grooming needs are a little different. He still has the double coat, but his hair is a little longer. But I was using a Furminator with him for a few weeks. I asked about it here, and it seems that the general consensus is furminators are bad. Instead of gently removing the loose undercoat, it actually rips out the undercoat that's still attached. Which can damage their coat. So I ditched the furminator and now I just use a slicker brush every day or so. He's very used to being brushed at this point, so sitting down with him for 5-10 minutes a day is a nice little cuddle time. Here's they thread about that: http://www.dogforums.com/dog-grooming-forum/332849-long-haired-dog-tips.html


Oh wow! I never knew that about the Furminators. Yeah, that's cool because furminators can get pricey! 

If there are corgi breeders that are purposely breeding fluffy corgis typically bad? And, how much was the breeder charging for Watson? 

Sorry for the questions! But thank you for helping me.

Thank you!


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Oh wow! I never knew that about the Furminators. Yeah, that's cool because furminators can get pricey!
> 
> If there are corgi breeders that are purposely breeding fluffy corgis typically bad? And, how much was the breeder charging for Watson?
> 
> ...


Yes. Fluffies are lovely, but breeding for them is a big red flag. You don't want a breeder that ever breeds for extremes. (Long coat, short legs, giant breed, mini breed) Namely because it usually means that they're just breeding for appearance and not for health and the betterment of the breed. The reason corgis have short coats is because they're herders who are low to the ground, and it's hard for farmers to take care of long coats. Watson gets dirty like crazy. And a normal corgi would just shed off the dirt when they shed. Even if the breeder is just breeding to sell for pets, they should still breed to the standard. 

It's also a red flag because it's a recessive gene, so either way, usually only about half the litter is fluffy. If a breeder is breeding to get fluffies, I would be wary of what they do with the poor non-fluffs. 

His breeder has been breeding for about ten years, at a rate of 2-3 litters a year. And she's only ever had one other fluffy litter. So that's 2 out of about 25ish. 

Watson was $950. She asked for a $250 deposit when they were about 2 months old. I also paid her $70 to drive him to me. (It's about a 6 hour drive, and she has relatives in my town). So with the travel expenses he was $1020. I think the average is usually from $800-$1200 for a well bred corgi, depending on where you are.

And yeah, it's better to just go with an inexpensive slicker. They're cheap, they work well, and they're easily replaceable.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Yes. Fluffies are lovely, but breeding for them is a big red flag. You don't want a breeder that ever breeds for extremes. (Long coat, short legs, giant breed, mini breed) Namely because it usually means that they're just breeding for appearance and not for health and the betterment of the breed. The reason corgis have short coats is because they're herders who are low to the ground, and it's hard for farmers to take care of long coats. Watson gets dirty like crazy. And a normal corgi would just shed off the dirt when they shed. Even if the breeder is just breeding to sell for pets, they should still breed to the standard.
> 
> It's also a red flag because it's a recessive gene, so either way, usually only about half the litter is fluffy. If a breeder is breeding to get fluffies, I would be wary of what they do with the poor non-fluffs.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for helping me! It's good because there are a few breeders around here with welsh corgis, just to find out which of those are actually good and reliable!  
Any other things I should know about corgis?


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Thank you very much for helping me! It's good because there are a few breeders around here with welsh corgis, just to find out which of those are actually good and reliable!
> Any other things I should know about corgis?


Hrm. They can have elbow and hip problems. One of the best ways to weed out a bad breeder is to ask what kind of testing history their breeding dogs have. Do some research on OFA so you can know the correct terminology they should be using. Often times a bad breeder will say they "pass" or "fail" their OFA tests. In reality, the dogs should have a score. Dyspalstic (there are different levels, but a dysplastic dog should never be bred), Fair, good, or excellent. There is some contest on the internet over if it's okay to breed dogs with a "Fair" rating. It's probably best to do your own research on that, and come to your own decision. Watson's parents are both "Good," but I know some of his grandparents are fair. 

I really enjoy their temperaments. All of the mutt dogs I ever had as a kids were goofy and impulsive right up until the end. That's probably a large side effect of bad training though. Watson is very much a thinking dog. I can see his wheels turning constantly. It's really fun to watch him figure out what I'm trying to get him to do during training sessions. He learns so quickly. He has these very serious zen moments when he just likes to stare off into space. He can sit on the couch and cuddle with me, and be ready to run around and have fun at a moments notice. He's stubborn as heck too. He likes to grumble and bark at me when he doesn't get him way. 

But as a type this he's throwing a temper tantrum because I would not let him stick his nose in my boots. He's sitting there barking at me because he wants me to give him back my boots. He's weird. I like his weirdness.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Hrm. They can have elbow and hip problems. One of the best ways to weed out a bad breeder is to ask what kind of testing history their breeding dogs have. Do some research on OFA so you can know the correct terminology they should be using. Often times a bad breeder will say they "pass" or "fail" their OFA tests. In reality, the dogs should have a score. Dyspalstic (there are different levels, but a dysplastic dog should never be bred), Fair, good, or excellent. There is some contest on the internet over if it's okay to breed dogs with a "Fair" rating. It's probably best to do your own research on that, and come to your own decision. Watson's parents are both "Good," but I know some of his grandparents are fair.
> 
> I really enjoy their temperaments. All of the mutt dogs I ever had as a kids were goofy and impulsive right up until the end. That's probably a large side effect of bad training though. Watson is very much a thinking dog. I can see his wheels turning constantly. It's really fun to watch him figure out what I'm trying to get him to do during training sessions. He learns so quickly. He has these very serious zen moments when he just likes to stare off into space. He can sit on the couch and cuddle with me, and be ready to run around and have fun at a moments notice. He's stubborn as heck too. He likes to grumble and bark at me when he doesn't get him way.
> 
> But as a type this he's throwing a temper tantrum because I would not let him stick his nose in my boots. He's sitting there barking at me because he wants me to give him back my boots. He's weird. I like his weirdness.


Thanks for the tip! 

I like thinking dogs, and weird ones hehe. Sounds like my grandma's ACD, she's a thinker and stubborn, but very smart. 
Also, I've found a breeder that uses pine shavings to potty train her puppies. I've been owning hamsters for a while, and I know that pine shavings are bad for hamsters as they have bad oils that can cause respiratory problems.

And of course, hamsters are WAY different then dogs, but I just want to be sure they are safe lol.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Thanks for the tip!
> 
> I like thinking dogs, and weird ones hehe. Sounds like my grandma's ACD, she's a thinker and stubborn, but very smart.
> Also, I've found a breeder that uses pine shavings to potty train her puppies. I've been owning hamsters for a while, and I know that pine shavings are bad for hamsters as they have bad oils that can cause respiratory problems.
> ...


Hrm. That's weird. Unless a breeder is keeping their puppies till 12 weeks, most don't worry about potty training. Just because a dog under about 8 weeks can't really hold it's bowels.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Hrm. That's weird. Unless a breeder is keeping their puppies till 12 weeks, most don't worry about potty training. Just because a dog under about 8 weeks can't really hold it's bowels.


Yeah, I'll have to look into it.

Edit : Can't seem to find the website lol. I was just browsing through some breeders, so


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Yeah, I'll have to look into it.
> 
> Edit : Can't seem to find the website lol. I was just browsing through some breeders, so


Watson's breeder doesn't have a website. It's mostly word-of-mouth around here. But here's their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KalMont-Kennels/180752421969169. It's mostly just updates of past puppies ^_^ Way too far away from you for it to matter though.

ETA: I really appreciate when a breeder keeps relationships up with past clients. It means they're really invested in their puppies futures. Many of the people that buy pups from her end up being repeat buyers somewhere along the line. People love having little corgi herds. She's also discriminating about who she sells pups to. We had a lot of long conversations about what I was looking for in a dog, and she made me fill out a pretty lengthy application to make sure one of her pups would be right for me.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> Watson's breeder doesn't have a website. It's mostly word-of-mouth around here. But here's their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KalMont-Kennels/180752421969169. It's mostly just updates of past puppies ^_^ Way too far away from you for it to matter though.
> 
> ETA: I really appreciate when a breeder keeps relationships up with past clients. It means they're really invested in their puppies futures. Many of the people that buy pups from her end up being repeat buyers somewhere along the line. People love having little corgi herds. She's also discriminating about who she sells pups to. We had a lot of long conversations about what I was looking for in a dog, and she made me fill out a pretty lengthy application to make sure one of her pups would be right for me.


Yep! I usually do kinda look at websites a bit lol. I'm just "browsing" for now, but soon I'll look in different sources. 

I found a very nice website, I'll have to put this one on my list of "good looking" breeders lol.
http://www.dalarno.com/BuyDog.html


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Yep! I usually do kinda look at websites a bit lol. I'm just "browsing" for now, but soon I'll look in different sources.
> 
> I found a very nice website, I'll have to put this one on my list of "good looking" breeders lol.
> http://www.dalarno.com/BuyDog.html


That has all the signs of a good breeder based on their website. But just keep your eyes open when looking for a breeder. Anyone can make a nice website and talk about how great a breeder they are. A breeder should be able to answer all your question about the breed (ask a lot) and should ask you a lot of questions about your experiences with dogs, your lifestyle, and how you intend to raise the dog. 

Make sure to take a look at this thread: http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/7077-finding-good-dog-breeder.html


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

chimunga said:


> That has all the signs of a good breeder based on their website. But just keep your eyes open when looking for a breeder. Anyone can make a nice website and talk about how great a breeder they are. A breeder should be able to answer all your question about the breed (ask a lot) and should ask you a lot of questions about your experiences with dogs, your lifestyle, and how you intend to raise the dog.
> 
> Make sure to take a look at this thread: http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/7077-finding-good-dog-breeder.html


I will defiantly take that thread into toll when going through the breeders.
Thank you!


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## hounddawg (Jan 10, 2012)

Find a food that has lower calcium. We use Dr. Tim's grain-free. Too much calcium can make them grow too fast, which is hard on their joints and backs. You're active, which is great, but that first year it's very important to keep them from overstressing or injuring their growing bones (espcially their long backs) and joints. Don't let them sit on chairs, couches, beds, etc., where they can fall or jump off. Don't take them jogging or running too long before they're a year old.

Also, we found that ours specifically was very high energy compared to other puppies his age that we met. So be prepared for having the unruly child for a bit, just in case. 

Make sure _everyone_ gets involved in training. Right now, my fiance has been too busy. Henry does not generalize well. When I say to do something, he does it most of the time. Fiance gets about 20% response rate. Everyone in the family should do training sessions with him, including going to the classes if possible so they can see and hear the trainer. This doesn't sound super important until the one person who can't get the dog to listen is alone with him when he really needs to "come" or "drop it." 

Our corgi is super people-friendly and super dog-friendly. The problem is not all dogs are friendly toward him. Don't assume that because he's jovial and playful that everyone else wants to play or that they'll read his body language properly. You'll find he gains a lot of muscle weight pretty fast and he is much stronger than he looks. Just be very aware of other dogs and listen to the owners. If you hear "Now behave Fido..." when they come to greet you, walk the other way. Early socialization is important and you don't want it full of traumatic experiences.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

hounddawg said:


> Find a food that has lower calcium. We use Dr. Tim's grain-free. Too much calcium can make them grow too fast, which is hard on their joints and backs. You're active, which is great, but that first year it's very important to keep them from overstressing or injuring their growing bones (espcially their long backs) and joints. Don't let them sit on chairs, couches, beds, etc., where they can fall or jump off. Don't take them jogging or running too long before they're a year old.
> 
> Also, we found that ours specifically was very high energy compared to other puppies his age that we met. So be prepared for having the unruly child for a bit, just in case.
> 
> ...


Yep . I have this problem a lot. I will not let Watson go up to a dog I do not know personally. People may say their dog is friendly. But a lot of people don't know how their dog will react when they have a 15 lb corgi puppy attached to their neck. (Neck biting is Watson's #1 way to try to get a dog to play with them). 

Also, something my dog trainer pointed out to me, you need to be careful about where you let them run, especially as puppies. They shouldn't ever be allowed in a park where big dogs are allowed, because they might spike a bigger dog's prey drive. 

And 100% on the everyone needs to be involved. Watson listens to me about 98% of the time. Because I train with him constantly. But he's 50/50 with my husband, and my husband gets very frustrated with that.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

Thank you everyone!

I have a question about stairs though, would going up and down stairs be painful / harmful to corgis over time?



chimunga said:


> Yep . I have this problem a lot. I will not let Watson go up to a dog I do not know personally. People may say their dog is friendly. But a lot of people don't know how their dog will react when they have a 15 lb corgi puppy attached to their neck. (Neck biting is Watson's #1 way to try to get a dog to play with them).
> 
> Also, something my dog trainer pointed out to me, you need to be careful about where you let them run, especially as puppies. They shouldn't ever be allowed in a park where big dogs are allowed, because they might spike a bigger dog's prey drive.
> 
> And 100% on the everyone needs to be involved. Watson listens to me about 98% of the time. Because I train with him constantly. But he's 50/50 with my husband, and my husband gets very frustrated with that.





hounddawg said:


> Find a food that has lower calcium. We use Dr. Tim's grain-free. Too much calcium can make them grow too fast, which is hard on their joints and backs. You're active, which is great, but that first year it's very important to keep them from overstressing or injuring their growing bones (espcially their long backs) and joints. Don't let them sit on chairs, couches, beds, etc., where they can fall or jump off. Don't take them jogging or running too long before they're a year old.
> 
> Also, we found that ours specifically was very high energy compared to other puppies his age that we met. So be prepared for having the unruly child for a bit, just in case.
> 
> ...


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## SirviRavenWind (Dec 1, 2014)

Stairs can be hard on the smaller breeds, I have cockers and I don't like stairs or having them on beds and couches. Many dogs can do fine though so it could just be me. Hope you find a good breeder! my 3 year wait is almost over for my new female just 3 weeks left.


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## hounddawg (Jan 10, 2012)

chimunga said:


> Yep . I have this problem a lot. I will not let Watson go up to a dog I do not know personally. People may say their dog is friendly. But a lot of people don't know how their dog will react when they have a 15 lb corgi puppy attached to their neck. (Neck biting is Watson's #1 way to try to get a dog to play with them).
> 
> Also, something my dog trainer pointed out to me, you need to be careful about where you let them run, especially as puppies. They shouldn't ever be allowed in a park where big dogs are allowed, because they might spike a bigger dog's prey drive.
> 
> And 100% on the everyone needs to be involved. Watson listens to me about 98% of the time. Because I train with him constantly. But he's 50/50 with my husband, and my husband gets very frustrated with that.


All very good advice from you in this thread, chimunga! 

Yeah, Henry is very "on" when he plays and he doesn't always read the "I don't want to play anymore" cues. So his socialization has been very carefully monitored. I love how friendly he is, but he can get annoying to others lol

chimunga, if you don't mind my asking, how has your loose leash walking gone? Our trainer mentioned Henry's back and forth weaving and side-pulling on walks was part of his herding instinct, so we have to use a gentle leader that attaches around his muzzle. He does NOT like it but I'm trusting her advice and giving it a month or two.


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## hounddawg (Jan 10, 2012)

xChlorineAddict said:


> Thank you everyone!
> 
> I have a question about stairs though, would going up and down stairs be painful / harmful to corgis over time?


I can't answer that for sure, since ours is still only 6 months. But we have avoided stairs. We actually have stairs in our home, but since he never learned how to go down them, he doesn't even attempt to (which was necessary for our home situation, long story). He can go up them, though. They get that quite naturally.

I guess I would say that you have to pick and choose what risks you're willing to take and for what pay off. We plan to do agility with Henry, which involves jumping and other motions that may be harder on his joints and back. However the ability for him to burn off energy, engage his mind, practice focus and listening, have fun, and get healthy amounts of exercise is worth it to us.

So if the stairs keep corgi from being with the family, keep him confined to an area without enough room to exercise, etc., you have to make that judgement call. I would still avoid the stairs and couches/beds for the first year, though. 

One more tip: be really careful walking around the stairs and the house in general if the puppy is loose to run around. They get right under your feet as part of their herding instinct and trip you up a lot. lol


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

hounddawg said:


> I can't answer that for sure, since ours is still only 6 months. But we have avoided stairs. We actually have stairs in our home, but since he never learned how to go down them, he doesn't even attempt to (which was necessary for our home situation, long story). He can go up them, though. They get that quite naturally.
> 
> I guess I would say that you have to pick and choose what risks you're willing to take and for what pay off. We plan to do agility with Henry, which involves jumping and other motions that may be harder on his joints and back. However the ability for him to burn off energy, engage his mind, practice focus and listening, have fun, and get healthy amounts of exercise is worth it to us.
> 
> ...


Hehe thanks for the tip! When my grandma's ACD was a little puppy, she would always try to herd us and nip at our heels!  Good thing she got trained out of it.
Oh and, what is the best vacuum for getting hair out of carpet in your opinion?


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

hounddawg said:


> All very good advice from you in this thread, chimunga!
> 
> Yeah, Henry is very "on" when he plays and he doesn't always read the "I don't want to play anymore" cues. So his socialization has been very carefully monitored. I love how friendly he is, but he can get annoying to others lol
> 
> chimunga, if you don't mind my asking, how has your loose leash walking gone? Our trainer mentioned Henry's back and forth weaving and side-pulling on walks was part of his herding instinct, so we have to use a gentle leader that attaches around his muzzle. He does NOT like it but I'm trusting her advice and giving it a month or two.


Watson's the same way. Another dog will clearly be giving the "I don't want to play" body language, and Watson still tackles them.

He does really well with loose leash walking if we're practicing every single day. He can regress pretty quickly, but in general, he's very good. I just use the plain ol' treat when he's where he's supposed to be, and walk the other direction when he's pulling on the leash. Usually what I do is just use one of his walks to give him his meal. He's so food motivated that he doesn't care if I'm just giving him kibble. I'll just put 1/2 a cup of kibble in a treat pouch and we're on our way. I'll also keep awesome treats on me for when he does really well. And making sure he knows a solid "Watch me" helps A LOT. Whenever I see a distraction coming, I just tell him to "Watch me" and we're usually at 75% attention (as opposed to the Zero I would have otherwise).

And he used to bob and weave in front of me when we were walking. I just started running into him and he learned real quick to stay on one side.


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