Pembroke Welsh Corgi: temperament, training and care

At a glance

Temperament

• Bold and clever
• Herds by nipping heels
• Loves food

Training tips

Redirect heel nipping to a toy on a rope: give the herding a target.

Pembroke Welsh Corgis usually pick things up quickly, which also means they learn bad habits quickly. Keep sessions short and varied, and reward the calm behavior you want to see more of.

Start with a marker word, sit, come and leave it. For a puppy, see the puppy training guides.

Exercise and energy

A healthy adult Pembroke Welsh Corgi typically needs around 60 to 60 minutes of activity a day. Walks alone rarely cover it: add sniffing games, training and play so their brain gets tired too. Puppies need much shorter sessions while they grow.

See how much exercise a dog needs and our games and enrichment ideas.

Health to watch

Things the breed is known to be prone to. Ask your vet what to check for your dog.

• Back. A long back is easy to hurt: use a ramp for sofas and cars, and carry them on stairs. See: Broken Bone or Sprain.
• Weight. Gains weight easily: measure meals and count the treats.
• Hips and elbows. Prone to joint problems: keep them lean and ask the vet to check the joints each year.