Next dog breed decided?

Barbara!

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#1
This won't be for quite some time, but I think I have decided on what breed of dog I will get next.

A Corgi. I am leaning towards that, but I am also considering an Italian Greyhound.

So, could anybody give me any advice? I know there are a few different breeds of Corgi's... What are they, and what's the main difference between them? If you own them, how to you handle their fur? Those are the specifics, but basically anything you feel I should know before getting a Corgi would be great. Same for IG's.
 

frostfell

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#2
there are only two corgi varities, the Pembroke (no tail) and Cardigan (with tail). im a huge huge huge huge fan of the Cardis, LOVE THEM TO DEATH. and will own one someday. i think theyre the most fantastic perfect dogs ever. get a cardi!!
 

Airn

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#4
Pretty sure there's more difference in the Pembroke and the Cardigan than having a tail.

From what I've researched, I will eventually be getting a Pembroke Corgi. I think they tend to be more friendly and not as reserved as the Card.

"Personality:

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America (PWCCA) describes the breed's personality as "outgoing, alert, active, and very people-oriented," stressing the corgi's need to be "involved with your family or in some kind of work."

Like other dogs bred for herding livestock the Pembroke Welsh corgi is very "intelligent and trainable, but they are also easily bored and do not do well if confined in the backyard with little human contact." The American Kennel Club (AKC) notes that the Pembroke Welsh corgi "responds well to training,†making the breed "an avid competitor in many dog sports, including conformation, herding and obedience."

Or this link http://www.justdogbreeds.com/pembroke-welsh-corgi.html which says
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an intelligent herding breed, yet "Pems," as they are sometimes called, make excellent companions and family dogs as well. They are people-oriented and like to be part of family life. Playful, gentle and friendly, they are great with well-mannered young children, though they might try to herd them by nipping at their heels. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is so intelligent, and is such a quick learner, that he really needs a job to do. This is why they truly thrive on farms. However, if given the proper amount of exercise (and they need a lot), they can live anywhere. They are a truly versatile breed. While many of them are currently working on farms, there are just as many Pems serving as therapy dogs, and performing in the agility ring. A Pembroke Welsh Corgi is usually very protective, and very vocal, so they make great watchdogs. But be prepared: sometimes they like to bark just to amuse themselves. They love to go for walks, and are naturally curious. They are always eager to explore new sights and smells. They are sensitive and in tune with their humans, very sensitive to their moods, and have been known to try to "cheer up" a sulky owner. In fact, many Pembroke Welsh Corgi owners claim their dog has a great sense of humor. A Pem likes to pretend he is a lapdog. They are agreeable in a household: playful, sensitive, and rarely destructive. They housetrain easily."

I'm not sure if that is great information, since it's just a dog breed info site, but most of what they said matches up with other sites, so it must have some truth to it.
 

MicksMom

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#5
Pretty sure there's more difference in the Pembroke and the Cardigan than having a tail...
I don't know about personality, but conformation wise, there is- Cardis are a little bigger and heavier boned then Pembrokes and come in a wider range of colors. But, for most people, the easiest way to tell them apart is that the Pembroke's tail broke off.
 

FG167

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#6
I don't know about personality, but conformation wise, there is- Cardis are a little bigger and heavier boned then Pembrokes and come in a wider range of colors. But, for most people, the easiest way to tell them apart is that the Pembroke's tail broke off.
Cardi temperament is more shepherd like, Pemmie temperament is supposed to be more Lab like. However, Pems are far more popular so there are some terribly nervy, snarky, badly bred ones to be aware of. They're both great breeds if gone through a reputable breeder. I have two Cardis so that is my personal preference.
 

MicksMom

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#7
Cardi temperament is more shepherd like, Pemmie temperament is supposed to be more Lab like. However, Pems are far more popular so there are some terribly nervy, snarky, badly bred ones to be aware of...
Sadly, that's one more "labby thing" about them.
 

SizzleDog

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Cardi temperament is more shepherd like, Pemmie temperament is supposed to be more Lab like. However, Pems are far more popular so there are some terribly nervy, snarky, badly bred ones to be aware of. They're both great breeds if gone through a reputable breeder. I have two Cardis so that is my personal preference.
I would never compare a Pembroke to a Lab. If anything, they're basically like little cattle dogs. Cattle dogs with chopped off legs. ;)

I have seen more bad Pembroke temperaments than good ones. They're very tough little dogs, and a less than stellar breeder can turn that toughness into a nasty little dog very quickly. Revy's breeder (and co-breeder) consistently produce very good temperaments, especially if you're looking for a high level performance dog. If I was to ever get a corgi again, I'd go back to them.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#9
I would never call the pems I have worked with "Labby", they're forceful, barky, snarky, and well... cattle dogs. lol I have never dealt with cardis but I've been around a lot of pems, or tailless noisey dictators, as I call them and while most of my labs are forceful and rude there is a clear difference, ime.
 

joce

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#10
Every corgi I have met has been ALL herding dog and all go go go. Gizmo my pem reminds me a lot of blitz our cattle dog personality wise, she just doesn't go as long as he does lol!

Would never describe them as labish ever!

They can be nippy, I know so many females that are bad with other females. See a lot get rehomed because they are not good with kids but this is likely a training thing.

Hair is my issue. I have had a lot of dogs and even a husky but nothing compares to that corgi shed :eek:

There is a big show here every year that has a big corgi base and the cardis seem to be more relaxed to me. Almost bought the cutest one a couple years ago and now I won't let myself go!

The husband loves them. He wants a cardi I think as his next dog. He loves blitz and wants some drive but a little less intense. I have to wear him out for him.
 

Laurelin

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#11
I have been around quite a few of both and I greatly prefer Cardis. I think part of the reason though is they're less common so the ones I know are all sports dogs. More of the pemmies are pets.

To me he pemmies are cattle dog esque and the Cardis are shepherd esque. The Cardis are happy dogs with some drive. Very willing little sports dogs but not super fast. I'm sure some could be but a lot are very heavy. I see more pemmies that are fast comparatively but both breeds are somewhat slowed down as sports dogs ime due to the shorter legs. Not saying you don't see them doing well in sport, you really do but the short legs can be a hindrance depending. pemmies seem a little sharper to me and very vocal.
 

FG167

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#12
Would never describe them as labish ever!

Hair is my issue. I have had a lot of dogs and even a husky but nothing compares to that corgi shed :eek:

There is a big show here every year that has a big corgi base and the cardis seem to be more relaxed to me. Almost bought the cutest one a couple years ago and now I won't let myself go!
*shrug* could be the ones I knew were more Labby in temperament - super outgoing, happy, friendly, just nice little pet dogs. I don't know any personally in working homes so perhaps that is why.

Eden sheds more than any dog I've ever owned. No matter the size. The most hair EVER.

I don't know if I can compare the Pems I know with my Cardis since it seems the Pems I know are different than the norm but in general, my Cardis are more relaxed in public and not as demanding go-go-go BUT they are drivey. Eden has INTENSE prey drive and has killed and eaten small critters and Poppy has a more serious, guardy side to her.

I have been around quite a few of both and I greatly prefer Cardis. I think part of the reason though is they're less common so the ones I know are all sports dogs. More of the pemmies are pets.

Very willing little sports dogs but not super fast. I'm sure some could be but a lot are very heavy.

Not saying you don't see them doing well in sport, you really do but the short legs can be a hindrance depending. pemmies seem a little sharper to me and very vocal.
I don't know any Cardis as pets, only working/sports dogs so my familiarity with the breed is in those venues (herding mostly, then agility, a few in flyball etc).

Yup, Eden running at her fastest is barely fast enough to get under time for AKC Open agility - and that is when she is clean as clean can be as well. She is running as fast as she can, but she's just not fast LOL She can run 6 miles though with me at a decent clip and pull the whole time. We get snarky comments almost every time we bring the girls to sporting events where there are other Cardis - about how they are too skinny and Cardis are not meant to be that skinny etc.

Eden is a pretty fun little sports dog because she's slow - it allows us a lot of clean runs and to be very successful - we even place since her height class is usually much smaller than some of the others (like BC heights).

Cardis are WAY vocal as well. WAY. Barking is a way of life in this household with all of these herders and the girls are the loudest in general.
 

SizzleDog

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#13
See, I've seen the opposite - the cardis I know around here (performance included) are more "labby" than the pems. They're also a bit faster in Agility, but that might be because of the tail.

Revy catches birds from the sky, she's a critter killer through and through. The pems I know are "on" all the time, very go-go-go and very intense little monsters. ;)
 

SaraB

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#14
All I have to add to this is that I know some kicka** cardis in agility (one of which we trialed with this weekend) and I know some kicka** pembrokes in agility (one of which just went through my weave class and I might have attempted to steal her once).

My boss has one of each. The cardi barks a lot. The pembroke didn't used to (he was a foster failure) but now does. The snarkiness and barking is really something to get used to.

ETA: These dogs aren't just "fast for a corgi" they are fast. Competitively fast in USDAA.
 

Dizzy

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#17
I have nothing to add except corgis (of either variety) are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more popular abroad.

I'm not even sure if I have even MET a corgi in real life.

Eta. I just asked the other half if he's met any, and he said years ago. Considering we are in Wales, you don't see any.
 

milos_mommy

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#18
I've never met a well-bred corgi, but most of the byb pemmies I've met have been right terrors...if I had to pick a dog NOT to get from a byb, pembroke welsh corgi might be #1 on that list.

The rescue corgi mixes I know are pretty nice, but really high energy.

Never knew a cardi.
 

Emily

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#19
I can only speak for Cardigans, but:

They bark. A LOT. Keeva is not a "spook/bark at every little noise" dog, but she absolutely barks if people approach/pass our house. She has a huge bark for her size too.

They also bark when playing and when excited. Keeva runs circles around me, wiggling and barking, to welcome me home from work.

You need to be ok with barking to own a corgi, for sure. Some are quiet but many are not. They also like to grrr and growl, which can be pretty entertaining sometimes.

You can expect a lot of cattle dog traits out of a well-bred corgi of either breed. That includes some degree of guardiness, possible dog reactivity, motion reactivity, a desire to control the movement of other animals, etc.

Being dog snarky, pushy, etc is pretty common, but rarely are they so dog reactive/aggressive/same sex aggressive that they can't manage to get along with household dogs. So bossiness, some resource guarding, etc, is normal, but out and out dog aggression is not.

You absolutely need to make inquiries about temperament, big time. As others have said they are strong-natured dogs and that can go sour quickly. My Cardi is not HA at all, really. She does guard the house and such but I don't worry about her at the vets, and she's never shown aggression towards me or my family at all. She's snarky and bossy as all hell with other dogs but has never truly fought with or hurt one - though I believe she would if pushed, so I don't let her get pushed. ;)

Keeva actually doesn't shed THAT much, it's like... less than a GSD but more than my Mal? She has a proper coat per the standard (double coated with a ruff and thick pants, fox-brush tail) but she's closer/slicker coated than is popular in the show ring, so that could be why she doesn't shed too badly. I know Pems (and some Cardis) who shed like crazy. Her coat is delightfully self-cleaning and all weather. She never gets cold and handles heat just fine.

I don't brush her often, maybe like once a week with a rubber curry comb. I do bathe and blow her out with a forced air dryer every 4-6 wks, which IME helps the shedding enormously. IMO the trade off for the shedding is the complete lack of matts, resistance to burrs/stickers, weather proofing, and general ease of care. Although expect that you will be wiping that little belly off a lot, lol.

You need a very good sense of humor to own a corgi of any breed, LMAO. They are... enormously clever and comical. Keeva is wicked smart and very much a thinker, compared to my Mal who gleefully does what I ask her to just because. She's the kind of dog you can see weighing options constantly, lol. She also makes me laugh everyday, with her enormous ego and sassy attitude (and hilarious nubby legs). She likes to take whatever she's chewing on and "throw" it, and then pounce and act like she can't quite grab it, then bark, then zoom, then pounce on it again. LOL Hilarious little dog.

We call them Bad Short Dogs for a reason. If you like the sound of that, a corgi might be for you.
 

FG167

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#20
I can only speak for Cardigans, but:

They bark. A LOT. Keeva is not a "spook/bark at every little noise" dog, but she absolutely barks if people approach/pass our house. She has a huge bark for her size too.

They also bark when playing and when excited. Keeva runs circles around me, wiggling and barking, to welcome me home from work.

You need to be ok with barking to own a corgi, for sure. Some are quiet but many are not. They also like to grrr and growl, which can be pretty entertaining sometimes.

You can expect a lot of cattle dog traits out of a well-bred corgi of either breed. That includes some degree of guardiness, possible dog reactivity, motion reactivity, a desire to control the movement of other animals, etc.

Being dog snarky, pushy, etc is pretty common, but rarely are they so dog reactive/aggressive/same sex aggressive that they can't manage to get along with household dogs. So bossiness, some resource guarding, etc, is normal, but out and out dog aggression is not.

You absolutely need to make inquiries about temperament, big time. As others have said they are strong-natured dogs and that can go sour quickly. My Cardi is not HA at all, really. She does guard the house and such but I don't worry about her at the vets, and she's never shown aggression towards me or my family at all. She's snarky and bossy as all hell with other dogs but has never truly fought with or hurt one - though I believe she would if pushed, so I don't let her get pushed. ;)

Keeva actually doesn't shed THAT much, it's like... less than a GSD but more than my Mal? She has a proper coat per the standard (double coated with a ruff and thick pants, fox-brush tail) but she's closer/slicker coated than is popular in the show ring, so that could be why she doesn't shed too badly. I know Pems (and some Cardis) who shed like crazy. Her coat is delightfully self-cleaning and all weather. She never gets cold and handles heat just fine.

I don't brush her often, maybe like once a week with a rubber curry comb. I do bathe and blow her out with a forced air dryer every 4-6 wks, which IME helps the shedding enormously. IMO the trade off for the shedding is the complete lack of matts, resistance to burrs/stickers, weather proofing, and general ease of care. Although expect that you will be wiping that little belly off a lot, lol.

You need a very good sense of humor to own a corgi of any breed, LMAO. They are... enormously clever and comical. Keeva is wicked smart and very much a thinker, compared to my Mal who gleefully does what I ask her to just because. She's the kind of dog you can see weighing options constantly, lol. She also makes me laugh everyday, with her enormous ego and sassy attitude (and hilarious nubby legs). She likes to take whatever she's chewing on and "throw" it, and then pounce and act like she can't quite grab it, then bark, then zoom, then pounce on it again. LOL Hilarious little dog.

We call them Bad Short Dogs for a reason. If you like the sound of that, a corgi might be for you.
Such an excellent description and everything fits at least one, if not both, of our girls. :)
 

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