View Full Version : Welsh corgi question
canuck
10-03-2007, 02:09 PM
Hello,
New member here. I am "trial-ing" a corgi pup (10 wks old) to see if he is the pup for my husband and I. We had a flat-coat retriever up until last year when he died of cancer (1 year ago exactly, in fact). Anyway, we know the breeder of this pup and the parent corgis seem quite well behaved, despite limited training (the owners are also very busy vets and have limited time to teach obedience). Here's my main concern: I have a cockatiel in my house and I definitely do not want him to become a squeaky toy for the pup. I also have a flock of pet chickens (in a pen) outside, but on occasion, they may escape from their pen and again, don't want them to get mauled or killed. Is a corgi the right dog for me? This pup seems very very mellow and friendly, but I am still worried that I am not making the right decision. I don't want to keep him too long (my husband and I are bonding with him) if he needs to go back to the breeder. In fact, I have a line-up of admirers that would buy him from me in a second if I decide that I can't keep him.
Anybody with any experience with a corgi on a farm? I also have horses and cats, and so far, he hasn't been upset by or bothersome to either of those...
Thanks for any advice...
travis
10-03-2007, 02:13 PM
As a family we have always had Curlies,but now and again my parents had other breeds for company for the Curlies,one of these breeds was a Corgi a red and white boy,my dad breeds horses he would go every weekend with my dad and the Curly to look after the horses,he was always really very well behaved,I also had a rabbit as a child which he never bothered with I think it was because they were there before him,and he just got used to them being part of the family,Good luck
mermaid2708
10-03-2007, 02:19 PM
all i can say is ofcourse you must only keep the pup if it is going to be the right thing for you but please do so quickly before HE bonds with YOU, as if you decide its not he will be back to the breeders then onto another new home...making a lot of change for the little fellow in his short life...im not getting at you, far from it, its nice to hear that you are taking the responsibility of taking on the right dog for you so seriously...but i just feel for the pup.
canuck
10-03-2007, 03:32 PM
Hi again,
We're trying to make the trial period as short as possible, whilst still trying our best to get a good "feel" for the pup. We got him on Monday afternoon (today being Wednesday) and I think we'll keep him for at least a week in order to really know what we're in for! Thanks for the advice, though. He really is a cutie pie and is doing his best to behave! Any further experience with corgis is also appreciated...
KatzNK9
10-03-2007, 04:02 PM
Hello and welcome to the forum. Great to have you with us. Corgis are very good obedience dogs. I knew a trainer years ago who had several of them & they are quite amenable for training. No matter the breed, you will have to train your pup to respect the other animals. Having such a young puppy is quite an advantage in this regard. Start socialization very early & correct your pup if he starts to take chase.
Katz is right, there is no reason why this pup should be a poor choice with chickens or a cockateil. As with any dog it is down to the owner to put in the work training, managing and supervising until such point as the dog is totally reliable around your stock. Herding breeds do usually have an impulse to chase stock, but on the other hand they were selected for generations for a lack of actual kill instinct and also for their trainability since they were required to work closely with their human counterparts. I have dogs (including a very working breed type ACDxBC), horses, cats and live next door to sheep and cows. Never ever allow your pup to rehearse the behaviour you want to extinguish - ie don't leave him alone EVER where he has access to your birds whilst in training. It is much easier to prevent a behaviour from developing than to get rid of an established habbit.
canuck
10-04-2007, 12:01 AM
How would I go about correcting such a young pup? I don't want to scare the life out of him, but my birds (cockatiel and chickens) are very very important to me and I need to make sure that he learns they are off limits. That is the biggest reason I'm hesitating with this little guy. He has been such a good little pup this whole time- he is not yappy or nippy- he's quiet but just a little bit mischevious... He's already learning his name too!
KatzNK9
10-04-2007, 12:05 AM
At this young age, I'd consider trying something as simple as using your body as a barrier by stepping in and "claiming" the birds/chickens. Hold your hand out & say "NO". See if you can cause him to back away with your body posture.
I'd do some training with the pup (nothing much, just basic sits) while on leash & take him to the area where they are & make him maintain calm.
If he's persistent, I'd get empty soda cans & put a few pennies or rocks inside, tape over the hole & use them as noisemakers to startle the pup away from the chase. You also might want to consider spray bottles & squirt him when he starts to "zone in" on the birds.
Candice
10-04-2007, 06:27 AM
Every breed you get your going to have to train as a pup.
Corgis have no kill drive, they aren't that type i don't think, he sounds beautiful. Any pics?
canuck
10-04-2007, 10:23 AM
Here he is...
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/crazychick100/ollieoct307A.jpg
KatzNK9
10-04-2007, 10:31 AM
Awwwwwww, he's adorable & that's a lovely photo in the leaves.
I hope you choose to keep him as you've probably got the ideal situation here. You've got a breed amenable to training. He's at the best possible age to start training. Any & all breeds will need to be taught to respect other pets so I wouldn't even take that into consideration.
I suggest you enroll him in some puppy socialization classes & then continue on into regular obedience classes after that. Train him that your indoor & outdoor birds are family members & make sure he respects them.
happysaz133
10-04-2007, 10:33 AM
Aw he is gorgeous!!! As he is so young there's no reason why he wouldn't be trainable to live in harmony with your birds. Wishing you the best of luck.
Katybud
10-04-2007, 02:02 PM
What a cutie. Looks like my little Toot.Corgies are in the herding group .Very smart they do will in obedience and agility.We have birds Macaws when there on there stands the dogs are out side if the weather is good or in there crate the birds are out about hour at a time about 3 times aday .Mine don't bother the birds when there back in there cages .He might want to herd the chickens can you supervise
his time out around the chickens tell he is old enough to know there off limits with some training I think you can teach him to leave them alone
canuck
10-04-2007, 08:50 PM
Hi all,
Thank you for all your input. My husband and I have discussed little "Ollie" at length and we have decided (NOT an easy decision) that it is better if we don't keep him. I'm glad I had the trial time with him, but the main factors in our decision are: the chickens- will he chase? Will I have to tie up the dog or be always paranoid that he might get at my flock? 2) my cockatiel in the house. It would kill me if I came home to find a dead bird- I love my indoor birds too. The cockatiel has had free roam of the house (with clipped wings) for 15 years and it's not fair to cage him all day just so the new pup can roam 3) will he be good around the horses ( I board 80 horses and cannot have a dog that chases them at ALL) and potentially a new baby if that happens in the next couple of years?
Believe me- this was a difficult decision to make. However, the breeder said she understood completely and will take him back. I'm hoping a friend of mine, who is madly in love with the pup, will take him out to her brand new acreage where he can romp about like he did here.
Sigh. http://kelseyinfo.co.uk/yabb/Templates/Forum/default/embarassed.gif
Again, thanks to all for their input. I think this is the best decision for everyone, including the pup...
mermaid2708
10-04-2007, 09:11 PM
thats such a shame...he is a cute wee fella, but im sure you made the right desision for you.
KatzNK9
10-05-2007, 12:25 AM
I'm sorry it wasn't meant to be.
Katybud
10-05-2007, 04:06 PM
Hope he finds a good home he's so cute
happysaz133
10-05-2007, 04:29 PM
Hope he finds a good home, sorry you weren't able to keep him. :(
Candice
10-05-2007, 05:45 PM
Thats so stupid, so your never going to get a dog that means, every dog will need training as a puppy, dumbest thing ive ever heard, sorry but this is just stupid.
Cheetah
10-06-2007, 11:39 PM
That's such a shame. The "leave-it" command would have been a powerful tool for preventing your corgi from giving chase to anything. I can call my corgi off of squirrels, rabbits, etc. and make him avoid my own bird, and even horses (which he saw for the first time a few days back, but left alone because I asked him to).
All puppies have to be taught such things - they'll never know it from the beginning.
KatzNK9
10-07-2007, 01:24 AM
No, I disagree. It is not a shame. It is good to find out early that the birds are more important than any dog was ever going to be in this household. Better to learn that early than to make a mistake and have an unwanted dog. Not everybody is meant to be a dog owner & that's OK. I have to commend the OP for giving enough consideration to pass on this dog rather than have it be a 2nd class citizen in the household.
CorgiDad
11-01-2007, 02:05 PM
I'm glad the breeder took Ollie back. Chickens over Corgis...hmmmm-very interesting.
mermaid2708
11-01-2007, 02:09 PM
I'm glad the breeder took Ollie back. Chickens over Corgis...hmmmm-very interesting.
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_5_17.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxmk788MXGB) mmmmmmmmmm...chicken!!! (sorry!):)
KatzNK9
11-01-2007, 02:36 PM
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_5_17.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxmk788MXGB) mmmmmmmmmm...chicken!!! (sorry!):)
Priceless!
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_5_17.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxmk788MXGB) mmmmmmmmmm...chicken!!! (sorry!):)
Hahahaha!!
CorgiDad
11-01-2007, 02:41 PM
Shades of Col. Sanders!!:eek: