Corgi Quandries
Q. Do Corgis make good family pets? Are they good with children?
A. For the most-part the answer is a simple "Yes." But (there's always a "but" following any simple "yes"), temperament can be an issue. Some Corgis take life a little more seriously than others and don't think children should be allowed to act like children. Make sure the Corgi bloodlines you're considering have a long history of association with children. Make double certain the dam is child-friendly. She'll pass along many of her likes and dislikes to her pups during the first eight weeks when the litter is strongly influenced by her.
Q. What's with the funny short legs?
A. Corgis are actually a dwarfed breed. They've been bred to have short legs on a relatively normal-sized body. Despite their diminutive appendages Corgis are fast-moving pups. They are keen competitors in speed sports like agility and quite capable of herding and keeping up with huge flocks of sheep. Like many of the smaller herding breeds, Corgis cross over the top of the flocks jumping from sheep-back to sheep-back rather than running around the flock.
Q. Do Corgis dig, bark, chew etc? What are their bad habits?
A. In general, Corgis are pretty well behaved. While they certainly fancy themselves as clever and a bit clownish, they don't tend toward being destructive. As puppies they chew a bit and may retain that habit into adulthood but they can easily be directed to appropriate chew toys. All dogs dig on occasion and Corgis have strong front legs enabling them to be efficient diggers but they don't seem to have a strong digging instinct.
Q. Are Corgis fragile?
A. You've heard of the "big dog in a small package" syndrome? Corgis definitely suffer from it. Not without good reason however. They're tough little dogs and make fabulous companions for active people. While you won't see the average Corgi on a marathon-length run and no dog should be subjected to a full out run to keep up with a bicycle, they can easily keep up on a three to five mile jog, follow a horse on the trail, or whip up a mighty fast game of backyard tag.
