Corgi, the royal dog, can be a wonderful addition to your family. The loyalty alone will make you cherish this cute ball of fur.
You may not know this – but Corgis can get hyperactive, very hyperactive. To put it simply – Corgis are dogs that need to be engaged in some activity pretty often, and there is no way around it.
Corgis just aren’t dogs that can chill for hours on end. If your Corgi gets bored and you cannot give him attention at the moment, he may resort to eating shoes or furniture.
To prevent your Corgi from ruining stuff around the house, you need to keep your pup busy. Are there some tips and tricks on how to keep a Corgi busy? Continue reading to find out!
The Welsh Corgi – Overview
The Welsh Corgi is a dog breed that has existed for a long time. Now, there are two distinct breeds of the Corgi – the Pembroke and the Cardigan.
The Pembroke Corgis are a little more popular now, thanks to the Queen who had over 30 Corgi pets in her rule. The two breeds originated from different areas in Wales, and therefore are different in their appearance and character.
The Corgis, both Pembroke, and Cardigan, have recognizable short but strong legs, a fox-like head, and an elongated body. The difference is – the Cardigans have a long, puffy tail, and the Pembrokes usually have a short curly tail or no tail at all.
Every Welsh Corgi was once a working dog. Corgis herded cattle and kept the cattle safe from potential predators. Corgis have a keen sense of hearing, so they can hear danger long before humans do.
Corgis are heeling herding dogs – they would nip at the heels of the cattle to get them to move. Thanks to their short legs, they can escape when the cattle would try to fight back.
Corgis were very cherished as working dogs, and some laws in Wales provided severe punishments for those who would harm or steal a Corgi puppy from his family. These laws are a testament to how important Corgis were to their family.
The Corgi is a very loyal dog due to his instincts. He’s very intelligent, affectionate, and loving, so he’s a great addition to any family. Corgis love to entertain their owners, and they have a great sense of humor, too.
Corgis can be an endless source of entertainment in the household – that is for sure. However, you need to keep in mind that your Corgi needs to get as much attention as he gives.
However a great breed, Corgis can be stubborn and disobedient at times. This is due to their instincts – Corgis were once working dogs and they were very independent. Because of that independence, there will be times when your Corgi still thinks he knows best.
Good training can get rid of this behavior partially, but not completely. Your pup will still sometimes act like he’s got a mind of his own, and if that doesn’t work for you – reconsider the Corgi as your pet!
How To Keep A Corgi Busy?
Since Corgis have a lot of energy, they need to do things to spend it all. Frequent playtime and walks to the park may be key to keeping your Corgi busy, but it could not be enough.
If you have a Pembroke Corgi, keep in mind that they have a bit more energy than Cardigans. While the Cardigans can certainly enjoy sitting at their owners’ feet and just relax – Pembrokes cannot do that regularly.
What is mutual for both breeds of the Welsh Corgi is intelligence. Corgis are brilliant, and they can be taught lots of things, even helping you out.
All this comes down to good training. If you never had a puppy before, it may be difficult for you to train your Corgi. If that happens – consider hiring a professional dog trainer.
They may be able to train your Corgi properly. However, check if the trainer had previous experience with training Corgis. Training Corgis is highly specific because Corgi puppies are very disobedient. If the professional trainer has no experience with this breed, they may not be able to help you out.
All in all, you need to provide your Corgi with some activities. Your Corgi needs to be intellectually stimulated – exhausting your pup with various activities is not enough.
Furthermore, Corgis can get lonely and bored when no one is around. Loneliness can lead to anger, and your Corgi may try to ruin things around the house.
There are many things you can do to keep your Corgi busy. We will discuss ways to keep Corgi busy when he’s home alone, and things you can do together. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Train Your Corgi Trail Tracking
Training doesn’t have to stop once your dog grows up – you can just teach him new things. Because of Corgi’s past as a working dog, he can be taught to track trails.
This activity can be fun for both of you, but remember to start small. Find a field or go to the woods nearby and lay out scent trails the day before you take your dog tracking.
Lots of practice and making more challenging trails will provide your dog with the fun times he needs. At some point in the future, you will practice with your dog the same way you would practice for a real competition.
Also, it will help your dog understand what a real competition is if you decide to enroll him at some point. Competitions may be demanding in more ways than one, but your dog may truly enjoy participating if you start trail tracking at an early age!
Walk Your Corgi
When you don’t want to spend time thinking about possible activities, take your Corgi out for a walk. A good walk through the park or the woods (if possible) can tire your Corgi for the day, so he will nap throughout the afternoon.
Walking your Corgi puppy before you go to work is also a good idea. When you tire him out, he will likely be opposed to biting into your furniture and pillows. Burning off that energy may be the key to keeping your Corgi from damaging stuff around the house.
Let Your Corgi Watch Television
Watching TV may provide your Corgi with some effortless entertainment. Sometimes, we don’t have the time to find something fun for our Corgi to do while we are away, and that’s fine.
Turn on the TV before you leave and switch to a channel like Animal Planet, and turn up the volume as well (but not too loud, keep your neighbors in mind). Sounds of nature and animals may stimulate your dog’s brain enough to keep him calm when you’re not around.
Make A Window Seat For Your Corgi
Making a window seat for your Corgi is a source of effortless entertainment for him. All you have to do is make/build a place high enough for your Corgi to look out the window.
Don’t just pick any window – pick a window that looks to the street, so your Corgi has something to look at. If your Corgi can see you when you’re coming home to him, even better!
Then, he will likely wait at the door for you to enter your home. However, keep in mind that your Corgi can bark at various things he sees outside. Ask your neighbors if they heard your Corgi barking. If he barks a lot when looking out the window, it might be better to draw the blinds or curtains before you leave for work.
Organize A Scavenger Hunt
Organizing a scavenger hunt is a good idea for multiple reasons. Making your Corgi hunt around the apartment for his food may be a great way to leave for work without your pet noticing.
Corgis can get anxious when they see that their owner is leaving – and a scavenger hunt is ideal to keep him entertained while you’re leaving through the front door. Hide piles of kibble or toys stuffed with food all around.
A few pieces of kibble hidden in the places where your pup hangs out usually will make your Corgi search around the house for more. You can also hide a full meal or a stuffed toy before you leave to help your dog associate your leaving for work with positive, happy emotions.
There are special, puzzle toys you can stuff with your dog’s favorite foods or treats. Biting into the toy will give the Corgi just a taste, and using these toys is great for scavenger hunts, among other things.
Organize A Hangout
If your dog is being impossible these days, hanging out with someone while you’re away should give your dog a sense of safety. Corgis need to feel that they are cared for, and being left alone makes them feel bad.
If that’s the case with your Corgi, consider leaving the Corgi with a friend or a family member they are acquainted with. If that doesn’t work, there are specialized doggy daycares where you can leave your pup for the day. The doggy daycare is full of other pets your pup can play with, and he will feel better about you leaving him!
Also, you can hire a professional dog walker to take your pup for a walk during his alone time. Corgis love walks to the park, and once again, your Corgi will associate you leaving with positive emotion.
After all, the goal is to make your Corgi busy so he doesn’t make a mess. If he is looking forward to a walk, he will not feel inclined to make a mess!
Get Your Corgi A New Toy
Getting new toys may provide your pup with the extra fun he needs to keep busy. Sometimes, your dog gets bored with the toys he already has. It’s not likely, because most dogs love even their worn down toys, but it can happen.
Moreover, a new toy may help your dog feel less anxious when he is alone. So, the first toy we would recommend is a stuffable toy.
You can stuff the toy with a special treat, for example, peanut butter. Many dogs love peanut butter and think it smells great, so a toy with peanut butter may give them the fun they need.
It can take up to a few hours before your dog can eat up the peanut butter inside, so you can rest assured that your pup isn’t running around and making a mess. To prolong that period, you can freeze the toy after you stuff it, so it will take even more time for your dog to eat the peanut butter inside!
Furthermore, there are some dog puzzles and various other interactive toys that keep your pup busy and stimulate him intellectually. You can look online for these toys or visit a well-equipped pet store.
Adopting Another Dog
If you are worried that your Corgi gets very lonely when you’re away, another dog can give the Corgi companionship he needs to feel better and to keep busy. Of course, when adopting another pet, there are more things you need to keep in mind than with any other source of fun.
Adopting a puppy from the shelter or purchasing a new furry baby can give your existing pup someone to hang out with, instead of being all alone. Before you take the new pet home, ensure that the new puppy has had all their vaccinations and has been examined by the vet to make sure they’re healthy. Some rescues will even allow you to foster a puppy for a while to see how it would fit in with your family!
Also, when deciding on gender, the general rule is to pick a puppy of the opposite gender. Two female pups may get in a lot of fights and even harm one another. Two male dogs together can either fight until they hurt each other, or they could be best friends – but you can never be sure what is going to happen. That’s why the general rule of thumb is to pick opposite genders because the likelihood of them getting along is great.
When rescuing a dog, pick a dog that is younger than your Corgi at home. An older dog entering your family can create tension between the pups, no matter what their gender is. Also, you should get a new puppy only after your Corgi is over one year old.
If you have two small puppies at home, training them or leaving them alone for hours can be a nightmare. They will likely get together and make a mess you can’t possibly imagine. That’s why you should wait until your Corgi is fully trained before you decide to get him a friend.
Conclusion
To conclude, Corgis are prone to house-breaking when they are home alone. To prevent them from making a mess, you need to keep your Corgis busy.
Luckily, there are a few very effective ways to keep your Corgi entertained. From getting your pooch new toys to getting a friend for your Corgi, the possibilities are endless!
If you don’t have the time to figure out a new fun thing for your Corgi to do, even a long walk will work. Your Corgi will nap for the rest of the day and he won’t even think about chewing on your throw pillows!