There are a lot of things we can tell you about Corgis. These cute little puppies have an amazing history behind them. But with such a great history, and the addition of the current popularity, people are bound to have hundreds of questions about these fluffy pets!
But the one question that we really need to answer right away is this: Are Corgis lazy dogs?
Now, why are we in such a hurry to answer this? Well, two reasons. First of all, a lot of people want to know; which is understandable! Folks want to know whether their potential pet will be running around non-stop or lounging around all day long!
The second reason is that the question is blasphemy! So let us just get it out of the way now:
NO – Corgis are in no way lazy dogs. On the contrary, the Corgi is a proud working dog that is anything but a couch potato. This can be confirmed by pretty much anyone who has had these lovely and energetic creatures in their household. But what if you were expecting a lazy little Corgi? What does this mean for you?
Well, let’s find out. But, first, we’ll touch up on that great history and why the Corgi is the opposite of lazy. So strap in, and let’s get this show on the road!
Are Corgis Lazy Dogs?
Corgis are dogs that have been around for a very long time. Much longer than people might think! Because of their short legs and cute posture, people tend to feel like they’re a breeding product done in the last couple of centuries.
Well, prepared to be shocked because the Corgi is actually about three thousand years old!
That’s right, the cute short-legged dog that brings a smile to everyone’s face when it skips across the street has been making people happy for thousands of years now.
And in that time, the Corgi has built up quite a resume. The breed is famous for its excellent skills in herding, helping around the farm, and even guarding the household!
This may all come as a surprise, as the Corgi is commonly mistaken for being a toy breed that’s made for the showroom. We admit, though, those cute little legs and tails can bring home the gold in our book any day of the week.
But you can see why we respond the way we do to the “are Corgis lazy” question. It’s just preposterous!
So what does this mean for you, the dog owner? Well, it means that you need to consider that the Corgi has a lot of energy inside of it. And you need to help it get rid of it. So exercise and mental stimulation is simply a must in your Corgi lifestyle!
And we’re not talking about taking it for an extra walk here and there; it takes much more work than that. Sure, we do admit that those little legs get tired quicker than in some other breeds. But the Corgi can handle a lot more work than you might think. Heck, it’s what they were made to do!
The Corgi needs physical exercise, mental stimulation, and a good dose of socializing to function properly. If you have a big yard and other dogs, the first and third problems pretty much resolve themselves. But you still need to make sure your Corgi is solving a problem here and there.
“Problem-solving? What the heck does that mean?”
Well, remember how we said that the Corgi was working around the farm for all those years. We weren’t kidding. And when they weren’t doing that, they were taking care of pretty big herds all by themselves.
Handling such situations means that they have to think on their feet a lot of the time. Because of this, your Corgi will have a difficult time if you expect it to just run after a ball and then sit around in the sun for hours on end. They need a challenge!
And if you don’t give them that challenge, or to be more precise, if you don’t help them handle all that energy – you’ll have one annoying puppy on your hands!
Keep a Corgi inside all day, and you’ll figure out how they managed to control animals in herds that are ten times their size. They will be nipping at your heel and cornering you with loud barks, and menacing tail shakes in no time!
How To Keep Your Corgi Stimulated?
You can use many methods to make sure that your Corgi is stimulated, both physically and mentally. We make it sound a bit more complicated than it is, really. First, you need to make sure that your Corgi knows how to socialize because a trip to the dog park is a lifesaver if you live in the city.
We mentioned already that the Corgi is best suited for a big yard and doggy friend in the household. Well, there’s a good reason for that.
See, Corgi like to think. They want to make little missions for themselves. If your Corgi is locked up in the house alone for most of the day, the mission they come up with will probably not be to your liking.
These include activities such as chewing up your couch, running in circles around the room, ripping up your clothes and shoes, and many other lovely little projects that these cute creatures can come up with.
You really can’t blame them. They’re not purposefully doing these nasty things. They just have too much energy inside them, and they feel the need to act out because of it. Barking and howling can also be considered a fun activity in the mind of the bored Corgi!
So how does having more dogs in the house help? Well, if your Corgi has a dog friend around, all those destructive behaviors suddenly turn into friendly competitions and playtimes!
Corgis will try to take a group over; they will sometimes manage it, sometimes not. They will chase other dogs, they will corner them for fun, and they will run away when it doesn’t work. With these options, your Corgi will be thinking about the other dogs and what they should do all day long!
But let’s just get something straight. We might have made it sound like all this is just a way to make your Corgi tired and stop it from being annoying. If that’s the impression we gave, we apologize. The only thing that all these tips are here for is making your Corgi happy!
A happy dog is a healthy dog, after all. And if your puppy is not socialized correctly, it won’t be truly happy; simple as that!
Sure, you can spend all day with a Corgi inside, and it will seem like it is perfectly fine with the situation. But do this for a few days, and you’ll notice something. Your dog always has the energy, and it is getting more and more annoying!
Becoming annoying isn’t a personality trait though, it’s a cry for help! So if you live in an apartment in the city with your Corgi, make sure it has access to other dogs and a nice park where it can run around!
Why It’s Important?
Keeping a Corgi stimulated and making sure it doesn’t have any pent-up energy has many health benefits. Yes, you read that right; its health is on the line! Corgis need to exercise and socialize so much that there are actual health risks to them not having that opportunity.
Obesity
Corgis have a pretty darn big problem with obesity. This is because they’ve become incredibly popular pets, but for all the wrong reasons. People get Corgis to show them off and then don’t properly take care of them!
Corgis gain weight quickly. Not just Corgis, all smaller dogs have this problem. It’s simple; it just takes a lot less food to fill a Corgi up than it does for, say, a Labrador to start feeling full.
A well-organized diet and exercise plans are crucial to your Corgis health. Obesity makes way for many problems with the joints, hips, and even the heart!
Destructive, And Self-Harming Behaviour
Remember how we mentioned that your Corgi would get destructive if it’s locked up in a house alone all day? Well, it’s not just your shoes that are at risk; your dog could harm itself if there’s too much pent-up energy inside of it and if there’s no way to get rid of it.
Licking, for instance, is a stress-relieving method for dogs. Well, there are numerous cases of Corgis licking their paws and legs so stressful that they make wounds and leave bare damaged skin open.
These are extreme cases, but the fact that they exist should be considered a scary warning.
Another way that they can hear themselves is by putting themselves in dangerous situations when alone. Knocking heavy objects on themselves and getting stuck in hazardous places while having the need for destructive behavior are just a few.
His harm is not always self-inflicted, though. A Corgi that never learned how to socialize will rely on its primitive instincts when in contact with other animals. This means that they can display aggression toward other dogs because they don’t know what to do when they meet them.
They’re strong puppies for their size, but putting your Corgi in such a situation is incredibly dangerous and can end badly!
Final Words
Just in case we haven’t made ourselves clear by now, we’ll repeat it one more time. Corgis are not lazy dogs! And they shouldn’t be treated as such.
If you’re reading this with the intention to get a Corgi, we have a piece of advice. First, if you live in a small apartment, try to consider that the Corgi might just not be the right dog for you in this situation!
Don’t get us wrong, if you have the time to take them outside and to the park regularly so they can exercise and socialize, go for it! But just note that it has to be a daily occurrence. Sure, if it’s 100 degrees outside, take a break, but you get the point!
But if you already have a Corgi, take this article and try to learn from it. Of course, your Corgis happiness and its health should be the number one priority!
