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  • From: paxamicus AT earthlink.net
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Livestock Guardians
  • Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:51:20 -0400



The truth is I have
three rescue corgis

I've been meaning to ask you about them. I LOVE herding dogs. I had a
German Shepherd as a kid, and as an adult I've had Shelties, border
collies, and now I have an Aussie. I have been really looking at
corgies as a potential future dog. I especially like the Pembroke Welsh
variety. I know they are yappers like Shelties-I'm okay with that, what
else can you tell me? I LOVE smart dogs...where do they fit on the
intelligence scale compared to other herders?


Oh, my house elves, I do love my girlie girls. You might regret asking.

Corgies like every other breed have been "beautified". This AKC sanctioned habit of breeding for looks and not content has effected them, too. The dumbing down of smart partners to pampered ornament. That said, the ones I've been lucky to know retain enough character that they are for me a real pleasure to be around.

They are stalwart, sturdy, strong, busy, determined, brave, funny, cheerful, vocal, and independent (read stubborn). They keep themselves busy, and not in the bad way a bored BC can be "busy", I mean they take in interest in everything around them and will occupy themselves rather than lying around. They give themselves jobs and do them faithfully. Insofar as they understand their jobs, whatever they are, they are extremely canny about getting them done. They are loving and affectionate with their own people, but they have that reserved streak (some people call it the "he's a one person dog" thing) that keeps them from being slobbery over effusive attention hounds. They can be a bit dim about changes in routine, that is, although they are exceptional in their own little rounds, they remain so dedicated to them that it's not always easy to get them to do something differently.

They can be snappy if you don't catch it early. They can be overly shy. Their backs have a tendency to give out in old age, and it's heart breaking because their brains are still going strong. They can have terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible teeth. They are flat footed so even if you are religious about manicures you can hear them clicking around all over the house. And then there is their chattiness....they talk to you, that's all there is to it. If you are interacting with them, every single line of an ear or head cock is talking back, so when they actually make a noise, to me it's just an exclamation mark in the ongoing conversation, but to some people it just sounds like yapping, I guess. I don't consider them unnecessarily noisy, but then, I wouldn't expect a friend to sit around in my kitchen without saying anything, you know?

I love this pic of Sweetpea (who is the self-appointed driveway guardian) and Marmalade the cat. http://www.hopefieldfarm.com/freeimages/dogs/sweetpea/uhoh.jpg She chases him, he chases her, I yell at them both to knock it off, I get this...









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