8 Reasons Why NOT to Get a Corgi (Don’t Ignore These!)

So, you’re asking yourself why not to get a corgi. Or “convince me not to get one.”

That’s a good thing to do!

Trying to convince yourself NOT to get a corgi can rule out some common things you’d normally overlook when you’re deciding whether or not to get one.

So let’s take a look at some reasons not to get one.

Last updated: 3/7/20.

1. Corgis can bark excessively

Their barking is a known drawback of the breed.

From the corgi Superdog to the furry butt to the sleeping on their back, corgis have a lot of things that are cute.

These popular dogs have a lot to fawn over that it’s easy to overlook the negatives.

But the barking? Not so much. Probably because it’s hard to excuse.

The infamous corgi bark is noted as “yappy, annoying, shrill, and high-pitched.”

This can be enough to make you crazy especially if the puppy was poorly raised and socialized- then it’ll really bark at everything.

By nature, corgis are trained to bark and this comes from their roots of herding cattle and sheep. Both Pembroke and Cardigan corgis are guilty.

They bark to push the animals and alert the owner of various events during the herding. This breed is very alert and intelligent, so it has no problem understanding what’s going on.

Although corgis aren’t known to be sensitive dogs (can “read” their owner’s mood), they can still be very alert and bark at anything that seems off or strange.

The corgi bark is something you should already be aware of if you’ve done any research. They bark. And the barking is hard to stop.

You can reduce the amount of barking by proper training and also socialize the dog to sights and sounds at the critical weeks 8-12.

After this, it makes it a lot harder to get the corgi used to new objects or beings.

Since corgis bark at things they find strange, the less things that are strange in the world means the less they bark.

And you can do this by socializing the dog by exposing it to anything and everything after it gets its puppy shots.

This can help control and reduce how much they bark. But don’t expect to completely eliminate the barking. Some individual dogs can end up being silent.

Some will fit the stereotype and bark at thin air. There are always exceptions. But to be on the safe side, you should be okay with dealing with a yappy dog.

Check out the parents if you’re buying a puppy. See if they bark or if they’re calm. If you’re adopting, the dog is likely already an adult or adolescent.

So you already know what you’re getting. If it doesn’t bark nonstop at the shelter or rescue, it probably won’t bark at home.

That is until you discover some triggers you never knew about. There’s always that risk.

2. Corgis can shed a lot more than you expect

Corgis have a thick double coat that lets them dive into cold water and withstand cold temperatures.

These dogs will shed so much that your entire home and all the furnishings will be covered with corgi fur, AKA corgi glitter. Yup.

You best be okay and not complain about this, because this is no joke. Corgis will shed nonstop until your floors, couches, beds, and kitchen are coated with fur.

That’s even if you practice proper grooming and professional grooming- they’ll still shed excellently.

Don’t think that you’ll just brush the corgi for a few hours a day and you’ll be okay. It won’t work.

You need to be ready for nonstop fur everywhere. If you don’t have the time to vacuum weekly or groom your corgi daily, you’ll be having corgi fur for dinner.

Every single night.

So be prepared. Some corgi owners had no idea of how much they shed so they had to give up the dog.

Don’t be this person. If you’re going to be “okay” with the shedding, commit to it. Don’t change your mind halfway through and foring the corgi to be rehomed.

3. Corgis are stubborn

Even though corgis are known to be happy dogs that please their owners, don’t expect your corgi to be a lap dog that listens to your every command.

Because of their high IQ, they think for themselves, especially when it comes to males vs. females.

Females are known to be more independent and only listen to commands when they feel like it. Of course, this is a generaltionalization and there are alwasys expcetions.

The point is that corgis are bright dogs.

And think for themselves from this inborn intelligence. That’s where the problems can come into play. They know how to calculate if a risk is worth it.

For example, you may spot your future corgi puppy chewing on the furniture. You exclaim “no!” and the corgi will look at you with its mouth hard pressed on the sofa.

After a few seconds, it’ll continue to chew the furniture because it decided that your punishment isn’t worth the reward it’s currently receiving.

Corgis will do this to everything. If the reward aint worth it, they can be extremely lazy and ignore commands.

Corgis are extremely motivated by food. If a treat is involved, they’ll work extra hard to please you.

So that may be off putting to some owners- the dog is motivated by internal needs rather than the owner.

Again, this is a stereotypical trait. Not all corgis are like this. This is called being stubborn.

And stubbornness can make things like corgi training, housebreaking, and even brushing teeth a chore. If the dog fights or resists, it can drive you up the wall.

That brings us to our next point.

4. Corgis love food

Because they like food, they’re prone to overeating which leads to overweight corgis.

This means your corgi will work extra hard when there’s food in the area. If you have an especially stubborn corgi, you may be excited that it’s actually listening to you when you feed it.

Perhaps it’s finally doing the “sit” command when you toss it a treat. But when there’s no food, it doesn’t care and couldn’t be any more aloof.

This can be a double-edged sword because on one hand it’s listening to you.

But on the other, it’s leading to the dog being overweight. You may not be able to stop tossing it treats over and over because it just keeps following every command. So happily.

This makes training your corgi a mixed bag for extra stubborn ones.

The other drawback about their love of food is that they can overeat quite easily. If you have no idea how much to feed your dog and you never cared to research, this will lead to an overweight corgi.

They’ll eat and eat even when they’re naturally supposed to stop. You may even notice your corgi’s midsection bulging with food.

Corgis are very bad at judging when to stop eating and that’s where you come in. You need to control the amount of calories going into your corgi on a daily basis- twice a day.

Please educate yourself on this and the correct amounts you should be feeding your dog.

Never feed until it’s full because that’s just asking for problems. Corgis will beg for food with their facade of willingness to please for food.

You’ll have to restrain yourself if your dog has had the daily limit.

5. Corgis are independent

This goes hand in hand with the brightness of the dog.

Again, these dogs think for themselves.

This means when they do tricks, listen to commands, or play, that’s their ulterior motive. If the action doesn’t help them reach their motive, they don’t care and will refuse to listen.

Or get bored and do something else. This is especially apparent when a corgi loses interest and walks off.

For some owners, this may be a con of the breed.

Coris have their own needs and motives and aren’t afraid to show it. They don’t necessarily put their own want aside to please the owner.

Again, this doesn’t apply to all corgis. But it’s definitely noticeable and is a common trait. Corgis aren’t as motivated as other breeds to please their owner.

They themselves come first, then the owner if it helps them get to where or what they want. And it’s probably either food or play time.

6. Corgis aren’t cuddlebugs

Corgis were bred for their ability to herd animals and are considered a herding breed.

This means they’re intrinsically “required” to be out in the fields and working.

A corgi staying at home all day will become depressed, destructive, and show other behavioral problems.

This is why exercise is so vital and critical to a happy corgi.

If you plan to keep your corgi indoors all day and give it light exercise, it may become destructive.

They need to engage in daily exercise, both mentally and physically. This breed is not meant to sit at home in your lap all day for cuddles. But after a day out of hard work? Yes.

If you can’t commit to daily exercise for the dog, this could lead to some nasty behavioral problems down the road.

Corgis need to work and feel accomplished before they can settle down for the night and become the cuddlebug they are.

So as long as you can provide this requirement to them, they can snuggle bugs.

But if you plan to just keep the corgi inside your home all day as a lapdog, that’s a big no-no. They’re working dogs. They need to work to be happy.

Allow the corgi exercise outdoors and mental training with commands to keep it happy. And sane.

7. Corgis can be aggressive

This is a hotly spoken about topic as many owners find their corgis to transform from a sweet corgi to angry nipper:

• Aggressive Corgi? (bites, vet, breeder, shaking)
• What to Do With an Aggressive Corgi?

Corgis are mildly aggressive by nature, as they’re trained to nip at the heels of cattle and other animals to herd them.

Some people may mistake this as an aggression problem, but that’s about the extent of it. Really. But corgis will exhibit this nipping behavior even with adults and small children.

This can appear as biting or corgi aggression. They have a strong drive to herd. This can be seen especially when the owners are separated into different parts of the house.

The corgi will run from room to room trying to herd everyone together. The corgi nipping is one thing to be aware of.

Otherwise, they’re very happy dogs.

8. Corgis need to get moving

These dogs are a raging ball of energy and need to deplete it on a daily basis. They don’t seem to calm down even as an adult!

This means you, a dog sitter, or someone else needs to give it the daily runs and walks it needs. Take it to a dog park and allow the corgi to get strenuous exercise for 30 mins, twice a day.

Run, walk, jog, bike, play fetch, or do whatever else to keep it exercised.

A simple walk won’t be enough. Corgis need exercises that make them run for all their worth to exercise all their muscles bred for herding.

Then comes the mental exercises. You need to teach your corgi tricks, command, and other puzzles to keep it occupied and using that dog smartness.

You can do this through clicker training, treat puzzles, and other various stimulating games you can search for online.

There are endless amounts of them that you can use for free, such as these.

Consider doing an agility course.

This trains the dog and makes it exercise at the same time so you’re knocking out two birds with one stone.

If you’re a couch potato, a corgi may not be the best fit for you.

The same goes for people who are constantly busy or not home.

The corgi will need a dog sitter or you’ll have to find time for the dog’s commitments.

Think of it as an excuse to finally put on those running shoes and pedometer.

Further reading

A video that you can check out covering some of the basics:

Still want a corgi?

Check out pros and cons!

So now you have some of the basic reasons why NOT to get a corgi, I hope this makes you consider your decision more clearly.

The perfect dog would be one that brings you years of happiness without sacrificing the dog’s happiness or health.

If you think you can handle all of these reasons, then you just may be on your way to petting a furry butt.

Check out more corgi care articles.