Taking Care of Corgis

Corgis are amazing, smart and active small sized dogs. Many dog owners who own corgis would say that these dogs are ideal family dog. They are great with kids and love to be kept around people. This dog’s origins are still not known, but many breeders would say that they originated in Wales. It’s unbelievable that these dogs where once used to herd sheep, since they are small. Until now, these dogs are still very active and spend most of their time playing and running around. New corgi owners might have a few questions on how they can take care of their dogs. Below are a few basic caring tips for these dogs.

Grooming

When it comes to grooming and keeping a corgi clean, it’s best to give it a bath once or twice a week. Don’t bath them all the time because this will strip their fur of their natural hair. They have double coats. The first layer is usually quite dense, slightly rough in touch and has medium length. As for its undercoat, it’s soft, short and thick. Use a shampoo of medium haired dogs and brush them regularly to keep their shedding fur off the couch or carpet. If problems like ticks and fleas arise, medicated shampoo and powder is a big help.

Exercise and Diet

As discussed, corgis are very active. They love to play and run around to make sure these dogs have an open space, like a lawn or a park, which they can play on and explore. Corgis are smart dogs and they have a tendency to be curious about a lot of things. If something is new to them, they usually would check it out. So if these dogs go out, keep an eye on them. Since these dogs have short legs, they might have problems with walking or running around if they are too big. The ideal weight of these dogs is 27 lbs or 12¼ Kg for male dogs and 25 lbs or 11⅓ Kg of female. Making sure that they stick more or less around this weight will help keep pressure of their legs.

Health

Corgis have a very long lifespan. Normally, these dogs can live up to 11 years.  These dogs are technically healthy and do not have a lot of deceases. However, they are known to be prone to  degenerative myelopathy, which is commonly seen in bigger dogs. Degenerative myelopathy or dm in dogs is a sickness that attacks the nerves of the dog’s lower body. Dm in dogs is not curable but with proper exercise and a good diet, the symptoms can be lessened and the dog can live a normal life.