Taking care of a new puppy involves a lot of different steps. But there’s more to it than just walking your new dog every day.
You want to make sure that you’re taking care of all their needs, and preparing them for the rest of their lives.
Part of that, is making sure that you’re engaging in corgi puppy training from the very beginning.
Getting Started
The first thing you need to know is how to get started training your Corgi. The great thing is, these are very smart dogs and they’re excited and eager to learn as well. But they can take a little bit of extra work to get them trained up properly. So, make sure that you’re starting out young and getting them ready to go.
8-16 Weeks: The Growth Stage
When it comes to their first two months you’re really not going to get anywhere with your corgi. Sure, you want to spend time with them if at all possible but they should be with their mother and their siblings during this time. So, it’s not until they get to about eight weeks that you’ll start working with them on anything in particular.
Goal #1: Socialization
Socializing your dog to other people (not just other dogs) is important during this period. They want to be around people, which makes this part of the process easier. It’s important that you are actively working with your dog to make sure they’re comfortable around strangers.
Busy areas are a great option, such as the park or even a city street where they can see the hustle and bustle of people.
Goal #2: Grooming
Proper grooming is essential for the health of any dog, so you want to make sure that you’re getting your dog used to the grooming process as early as possible. This is especially important with corgi’s that have a double coat and need regular brushing.
Daily brushing is a good idea, and regular baths are essential as well. The unfortunate part is that you want to make sure that your dog is fully dry before you let them go back to their normal activities and that means using a blow dryer.
Getting your dog used to the sound the blow dryer makes and then to the feel of it is important. You also want to be very attentive and caring during the time that you are using a blow dryer on your dog. This will help them associate the experience with rewards and positivity.
Goal #3: Environment
The environment that you live in is important to your dog. But how do you make sure that they feel comfortable there? You want to concentrate on things that they will be exposed to throughout their life, such as long car rights or even going to different locations.
By taking them on those rides or exploring those different areas while they’re younger you’ll help them feel more comfortable with all of those things when they’re older as well. You’re setting them up for success, especially if those places are going to be loud.
Goal #4: Fun
It’s important to get your dog started with exercise and fun right from the start. You don’t want them to be too lazy as this will keep them from being healthy. So, start out with fetch. This is a great game to get them moving and to make sure that they have some fun at the same time.
Fetch will keep your dog in prime condition and help keep them from getting overweight. Just remember that they are small so you want to throw the ball a distance that they can reach and continue to play for a little while.
16 Weeks – 6 Months: The Puppy Stage
This is the part where your dog is really considered a puppy, but they’re also able to do things and learn new things. So, you want to start working on some of the more extensive training at this point so they’re getting ready for adulthood.
Goal #5: Crate Training
If you’re going to crate train your puppy you want to start at this period of their lives. House breaking is important at this point as well. That’s not to say you can’t start earlier, and many dogs may be well into these stages by the time they get to 16 weeks.
Remember, consistency is the most important thing and making sure that your puppy knows when and where to go to the bathroom is a big part of that. Also, remember that you’re still dealing with a puppy and they may still be prone to accidents.
While your dog doesn’t want to go to the bathroom where they sleep or in the house if they’ve been taught that’s wrong, they do need you to be patient. There may be accidents and there may be times they just can’t wait as long as you might think.
Goal #6: Basic Training
There are plenty of commands that you can ultimately teach your corgi, but you want to start with some of the basics like ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ ‘heel.’ These are going to be easier to start with and then you can evolve to other types of commands, which might be a little more complicated.
The more you work with your corgi the better off they’re going to be and the faster they’re going to learn. This is true about getting started early as well. The earlier you start the faster they’re going to understand what they’re supposed to be doing.
Goal #7: Exercise
Getting plenty of exercise is important for a corgi as this breed of dog is prone to overeating and getting overweight. So, make sure that you’re keeping them engaged mentally and physically in order to keep their bodies in good shape.
Regular exercise is essential and that means taking them for regular walks, playing at the park or in the backyard, and definitely games. All of this will help them keep the weight off (as will cutting back a little on the feeding).
6 Months – 1 Year: The Late Stage
This is where your dog is going to know just about everything that you want them to know. By the time they get to 1 year old they should be fully housebroken and they should know the general tasks and skills you want them to know. So what is there?
Goal #8: Involvement
You may want to get your dog involved in actual sports that are designed for dogs like them or of their breed. These sports are played all over the world, so you can often find something that will get your dog excited, engaged, and definitely getting more exercise.
