How to Adopt or Rescue a Corgi

Corgis are so cute that most people think they are small fluffballs. Well, that’s quite true but they’re also herding dogs and you’d be surprise to know that some of them have an assertive personality. People usually refer to them as “a big dog wrapped in a small package.” Keep in mind that Corgis were bred to herd cattle. This breed is quite stubborn and need to be dealt with the same level of control you would expect if you are keeping with a larger dog breed like a Great Pyre or German Shepherd breed. You wouldn’t let a dog that size get away with growling and refusing to get off the couch when you ask it to. It is quite the same with a Corgi – yes they like a big dog trap in a small dog’s breed. So before you think about rescuing a corgi, it’s important that you first know a couple of factors when it comes to keeping dogs. Ponder and consider the factors below to see if corgi is the right dog breed for you before you decide to adopt or even acquire one.

Is Rescuing a Corgi Right for Me?

If you want to rescue a corgi or any dog breed, it’s essential to do a little research. We highly recommend that when you adopt or rescue a herding breed like a Corgi, you must first evaluate how this “small fluffball” will fit you and your family’s lifestyle. You can use breed selectors online to help you out especially in knowing what matters most to you, and if a corgi will fit that category.

Generally speaking, Corgi purebreds are not always available compared to other breeds in the rescue community. While it is certainly not impossible to find purebreds for adoption, it may entail waiting for many, many months before one becomes available for rescue. This is why it’s highly advisable that if you want to rescue one, you have to register with the official breed rescue channels within your area of vicinity to widen your possibilities.

Rescuing Corgi Mix Breed

You should also be open to adopting a Corgi mix because in this way you can open yourself to more possibilities. In most cases, you could get a dog that’s about the same size of a purebred Corgi with some of the Corgi qualities including its personality. Corgi mixes often make very nice pets. I’m not saying you rescue a Corgi mix but to just give you an idea, that’s usually what goes on in most Corgi rescue community. On the other hand, if you really want to rescue a purebred Corgithen your best bet is probably a reputable breeder. There are also many Corgi rescue organizations that only work with purebreds.

Gender

When it comes to picking the gender, there’s quite a huge demand for a female breed because many people think that females will be less dominant thus make a better pet. This is true with many dog breeds – but not so much with the Corgis! It’s actually the opposite! Female Corgis tend to be the more dominant gender. Believe it or not, they are usually the pack leader and not the males so as a result, they are more testing and generally more stubborn than males but then again it will still depend on their own personality. I know this sounds like somewhat unusual because males are usually the more dominant in many canine breeds, but with Corgis, the males are sort of the “teddy bears.” If you are concerned about the inclination of a male to mark his territory, this is not a problem with a neutered male. Some who have been neutered very late in life could show more of a propensity to sniff and mark while outside, but they are not a housetraining problem at all so you don’t have to worry about this issue too much.

Corgi Rescue Caveat

Many Corgis end up in a rescue because they asserted themselves with their owners and the owner didn’t know what to do. If the dog is allowed to remain in charge, the situation escalates and the dog can become quite unruly and also aggressive.

Purebreds also end up in rescues and usually need some kind of training or remedial work. They need to be taught how to properly behave, and they must be clearly shown that they are not the leader of the pack, and that their position is under that of the owner. This is work that often needs to be done by someone experienced with Corgis and/or the temperament of an assertive herding breed otherwise the behavior will last be instilled upon the dog for a long time.

Handling Assertive Corgi

Unfortunately, many Corgis are put down when they reach a point at which the owner can’t control them. In many cases these dogs might have been saved if they’d had the opportunity to work with someone more familiar with the breed and some effective techniques in handling an assertive Corgi. Do take note that none of these techniques ever include physically or emotionally abusive tactics.

Corgis are extremely intelligent dogs and respond to positive praise for behaviors well done versus any sort of punishment. This is certainly not about punishing the dog, or working with professional trainers who use punishment as a technique where Corgis/ Corgi mixes are concerned. This remedial work is not easy work in some cases, and may even be dangerous if approached without proper caution and knowledge. This is why some rescue centers that tend to be quite choosy when it comes to selecting a new parent. This is because they are already very aware that some of these dogs have already had one experience in which the match between dog and owner wasn’t the right one for either party. The good thing is that many rescues now ensure that the same sort of mismatch doesn’t happen again. They do this by evaluating the dogs on an individual basis because through this way they can have a pretty good idea as to which ones are a bit more assertive and which ones are more submissive or mild – mannered, so to speak. They can easily gauge if the qualities of the dog matches the kind of personality the potential adopter has through reviewing the owner’s application and talking about their former experiences with dogs. This is the kind of process you can expect when rescuing a Corgi.