5 Reasons Why Corgis Are (And Are Not) Great With Kids
You’re looking for a family dog that is loyal, safe, and fun to be around—and you want to know if a corgi fits the bill, right?
Corgis make great companions to kids thanks to their small size and affectionate nature. They’re also very playful with bags of energy, which means they’ll keep your little ones entertained for hours.
But as well as all the reasons why corgis are great with kids, it’s important to look at some of the reasons why a corgi might not be suitable for your family.
Before we dive into the reasons why corgis are (and aren’t) great with kids, first let’s take a look at the top 10 family dogs.
10 best dogs for kids and families
- Labrador
- Golden Retriever
- Pug
- French Bulldog
- Beagle
- Collie
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Poodle
- Boxer
- Bichon Frise
Corgis don’t typically top the ‘best family dogs’ lists, however that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be considered.
Here are 5 reasons why corgis make a great addition to any family.
5 reasons why corgis are great with kids
1. They love to play
Despite what some people think, corgis are not lazy. In fact, they’re highly energetic dogs that love to catch a ball, run around the park, and spend as much time as possible playing with their owner.
This is great news for children that also have plenty of energy to burn. Together, corgis and kids can tire each other out!
2. They’re very affectionate
Corgis love to play, yes—but they also love to chill. Cuddling is one of their specialist skills.
Just be warned: the sight of your children and your corgi snuggling up together might just make your heart explode. Too much cuteness!
3. They’re adaptable
One of the reasons I love owning Winston the corgi is because he’s so adaptable. I can bring him (almost!) everywhere and put him in almost any situation (a new country, a new mode of transport, a new social setting) and he isn’t fazed.
Most corgis are pretty relaxed dogs. As long as they’re with their family, they’re happy.
4. They’re the perfect size
I know that size matters when considering what dog to welcome into your family. You don’t necessarily want a giant dog like a Doberman or German Shepherd, but nor do you want something too small that might get stepped on, like a Chihuahua.
Enter the perfect sized dog: the corgi. They’re small enough not to terrify your kids and big enough not to get manhandled.
5. They’re gentle
Most corgis have a lot of patience. I’m not suggesting that they’ll put up with screaming children that grab at them—no dog would enjoy that. But gently pulling at their ears or tails (which lots of children are prone to do) doesn’t faze them too much.
If it does, they tend to pull away or avoid the child altogether.
5 reasons why corgis aren’t great with kids
1. They can be noisy
Corgis can be prone to barking. Excessive bark-er or not (I’m lucky that Winston the corgi is relatively quiet), when your corgi does bark, it will be very loud and potentially a bit scary for little ones.
I don’t think this is reason enough not to get a corgi as your family dog, but it’s definitely something to bear in mind… for your own ears, if nothing else!
2. They can nip
Corgis were originally bred as herding dogs. While few are found on farms today, one instinct that remains is the desire to ‘nip’ at people’s heels.
They originally nipped at the feet of cattle to herd them in a certain direction. Because of this, your corgi’s herding instincts might lead them to nip at the heels of children when they’re running around together.
Corgis don’t mean to hurt children when they nip, but that doesn’t mean it won’t frighten them. That being said, the tendency to nip can easily be kept under control with the right training and observation when your child and corgi are playing together.
3. They can be stubborn
Some corgis can be stubborn by nature. Without the right training and obedience from an early age, this can develop into naughty behavior as an adult.
The last thing you need when looking after kids is a stubborn corgi that ignores your commands and does exactly what they want! Make sure they know who is in charge by training them consistently and ensuring they have enough mental and physical stimulation each day.
4. They shed
There’s no way around it: corgis are big shedders.
If your child suffers badly from allergies, a corgi probably isn’t the right family dog for you.
5. They’re fast movers
Thanks to their origins as herding dogs, corgis are agile dogs. They really can move at great speed!
While this is brilliant for extremely active kids, it’s something to bear in mind if you’ve got little ones at home. Most corgis are very gentle, but sometimes—when they get excited—they underestimate their strength.
This might result in them accidentally knocking into your child or jumping up at them, causing them to fall over. As long as your corgi is well trained and properly exercised each day, these moments of overexcitement shouldn’t happen too often.
How to ensure your corgi gets along well with children
Think a corgi might be the right family dog for you?
Here are 3 tips to ensure that your corgi gets along brilliantly with kids.
1. Early socialization
Start socializing your corgi puppy with other dogs and people as early as 7-8 weeks old.
The earlier they bond with others, the more laid back they’ll be as an adult.
2. Consistent training
Corgis are highly intelligent dogs that can be a little stubborn at times!
So they don’t get too dominant around children, start training them consistently as a puppy. This will keep their bossy tendencies in check and ensure they’re well behaved with kids.
3. Keep an eye on them
Dogs always need supervision when they’re around babies and children.
No matter how laid back your corgi might be, if your child pulls its tail or pokes it in the eye, it may lose patience. Even when your corgi plays gently with your child, their gentle mouthing might cause discomfort.
