Everything you need to know about Corgi Puppies

SIZE | Medium
COAT LENGTH | Short
ENERGY | Low

Description

Welsh Corgis (usually just called 'Corgis') are a short-medium haired, medium sized dog breed. They have two distinct varieties: Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Cardigan Welsh Corgis. The latter is slightly larger and has a long tail as well as some other visual differences, but they are both generally quite similar in temperament and behaviour.

Neonatal

During the first 4 weeks of your Corgi's life, they should spend most of their time with their mother and litter-mates. It is highly unusual for the puppy's owner to care for them during this time and is best left to a responsible, reputable breeder. Your puppy's body will double in weight as their muscles, organs and bones develop.

Nutrition
During the neonatal stage, your Welsh Corgi puppy will get most of their nutrition from their mother's milk. At around 4 weeks you can introduce few dry kibbles mixed with warm water.

Health
During this time it is important to monitor your Corgi for any infections, diseases or birth defects. Puppies are unable to urinate or defecate by themselves initially, so their mother helps them but may additionally require your assistance.

Keep your vet's contact details close by and educate yourself thoroughly on this stage of puppy development. By the end of this period, your puppy will be mobile and will explore the world mouth first — be sure to keep choking hazards and toxic foods out of their reach.

Behaviour
During most of this time your Corgi will be asleep or inactive, but they will soon be playing with their brothers and sisters. After 3-4 weeks they will go through as much sensory development as a human baby does in a few months. It is important to avoid disturbing the puppies' mother as she will be likely be protective, but some interaction with the young pups is normal so they become used to human touch.

Weaning

When you take your Welsh Corgi puppy home (usually at around 8 weeks) you should shower them with stimulation and attention. This is a formative time for your puppy and will be when they learn to walk, play, bite, hold their bladder, and interact with others. Your puppy will be eager for your attention and will follow you around hoping for snacks, otherwise they may nip at your toes.

Nutrition
During the weaning stage, you should slowly introduce into their diet a nutritionally complete dog food which is appropriate to your Corgi's medium size and young age. Corgis tend to be greedy eaters and love getting into snacks, so care should be taken to avoid feeding them too much or they will become lazy. Do not give them human food or they will become demanding. You should also familiarise yourself with lists of toxic foods and plants to avoid.

During this time, the puppy’s immunity is not completely developed and hence he/she will be prone to digestible upsets. Hence is it important to support your puppy’s developing immune system with PURINA®️ PROPLAN®️ PUPPY, a formula enriched with colostrum, which is proven to support their immune defenses.

Health
During this time you should provide your puppy with a small, shallow bowl of clean water and refresh the contents frequently. I should be relatively easy to keep your Corgi puppy clean as they only need a weekly brushing, but the double-coated Pembroke variety will require more frequent brushing during shedding seasons.

Behaviour
Due to the changes in their environment, your Corgi puppy will likely be under a significant amount of stress. It's important that you socialise your puppy as soon as possible by exposing them to a number of different people and locations. Corgis can be stubborn and set in their ways if you allow bad behaviour to persist so correct poor behaviour quickly by setting good routines.

Puppy

By the time your Corgi reaches puppyhood their personality will be well developed, so you will have a loyal and affectionate companion. Your Corgi will quickly learn the sound of the fridge opening but you will have to resist their smiling face and comically large, pricked up ears or they will expect a treat every time you open the fridge.

Nutrition
Your Corgi puppy's diet should be based around a high quality, nutritionally complete puppy food. It is important that you do not overfeed your puppy as this breed is highly prone to obesity and lethargy which usually go hand-in-hand. Corgis are an energetic breed who love to run about, but will happily destroy your house instead if bored.

It is important to choose puppy food, which is made for corgi’s size & has the essential nutrients and minerals for his/her growth & development.

Health
Despite their short stature and uncommon shape, Corgis have the stamina of a cattle herding dog. They will happily go for long walks or play with a stimulating toy for hours if you allow them. Grooming should be relatively easy with a short daily brushing session, however, special care should be taken to inspect their large ears for infection. After around 8 weeks your puppy will be due for some vaccinations, so they will need a checkup at the vet and to arrange for boosters after that.

Behaviour
Welsh Corgis are a happy breed who love getting attention from their owners, however, they were bred to be cattle herders and this means that they love to be busy. Giving them jobs like obedience training, hiking, chasing a ball, or fetching things will stimulate them physically and mentally. While training can be easy due to their superior intelligence, Corgis can be stubborn and are prone to ignoring commands if they decide they would rather do something else. However, they are easily upset by yelling and harsh tones so be sure to use positive reinforcement for good behaviour instead.