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Training any new dog,
including a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, is essential in
making sure both the pet and family members are
comfortable and happy with the relationship.
Generally, training has two main parts: basic
obedience training, which can cover a wide area of
activity; and competition/activity training.
The Pembroke is a very intelligent breed that should
be obedient and loyal, with good breeding and early
socialization by the breeder. This dog can be an
excellent watchdog and guard dog as well. As you
talk with breeders and look at puppies, look closely
at how the breeder interacts with the dogs. Ask what
the breeder and his workers do on a day-to-day basis
with the young dogs, to get a feel for how the
puppies are socialized and trained. Giving the young
Pembroke a good start will also help avoid having a
dog that is over-protective, as can happen with this
breed.
Two areas that should
be the focus of early obedience and basic corgi
training are the tendency to nip at peoples
heels and aggressiveness toward other male dogs. The
Pembroke was bred as a working dog and was often
used to drive cattle by nipping at their feet and
barking. The dog can be trained not to do this,
though it will take some patience from the owner. In
addition, careful training can limit the problems
with over-aggressiveness, as long as you are careful
not to create a Pembroke that is too timid or
frightened. This is usually not a problem with the
Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
If you decide to use crate training with your
Pembroke, try to look at this as giving the pet a
safe haven for those times when it needs to be
alone. In addition, you will give the dog a “den”
that it will naturally want to protect and keep
clean. Should you have to spend an entire day away
from home, make sure your dog has access to water,
food and newspapers. Paper training may be a good
idea if you must spend several hours away.
Pembrokes are the smallest of the AKC’s Herding
Group classification. These small but sturdy dogs
are natural workers, helping farmers move cattle
from place to place and protecting the family home.
These dogs have great stamina and can do well in
competitions such as herding and agility. The first
AKC Champion Tracker was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
With this in mind, you may want to consider training
your Pembroke for competition such as tracking. This
involves teaching the dog to follow human scent. The
track is a predetermined course on which a person
has put personal articles. The dog and handler then
follow the track as partners, with the dog taking
the lead in following the scent. The team usually
follows the track for up to 500 yards in an open,
grassy space for the first level of tracking. There
are longer tracks for higher AKC titles that may
involve cross tracks laid by others.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is good at this competition
because it is built low to the ground and also is a
curious, inquisitive breed. The training is very
positive in nature and the Pembroke enjoys showing
the owner/handler the way along a track. There are
good tracking manuals for those who want to try this
activity on their own, but it may be best to seek
out a good tracking class in your area. You will not
only get the benefit of professional training and
experience, but you also gain the camaraderie of
this cooperative sport.
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