I’ve spent the last three years living happily with my corgi Winston in an apartment in London.
That’s why I thought it was about time I write an article to answer the question ‘are corgis good apartment dogs?’ and share some tips I’ve picked up along the way.
Corgis make great apartment dogs thanks to their small size and easy-going personality. Don’t be mistaken: corgis have a lot of energy to burn off. However, as long as they get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day, they’ll live happily in an apartment.
I can say with confidence that a corgi doesn’t need a huge home and lots of outside space to be happy. What they do need is enough daily exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom.
Wondering what other dog breeds are (and aren’t) suitable for apartment living?
Let’s take a look.
10 dogs that are suitable for apartment living
Quick caveat: some of these dog breeds require less mental and physical stimulation than corgis. That makes them an ideal pet for someone who lives in an apartment and can’t commit to walking them for an hour each day.
- Bichon Frise
- Bulldog
- Shih Tzu
- Chihuahua
- Maltese
- Basset Hound
- French Bulldog
- Daschund
- Pekingese
- Basenji
10 dogs that are not suitable for apartment living
The main reason these dogs aren’t suitable for apartment living is because they’re very large, quite messy and/or require a lot of daily exercise.
- St. Bernard
- Siberian Husky
- Weimaraner
- Airedale Terrier
- Border Collie
- German Shepherd
- Vizsla
- Labrador
- Dalmatian
- Beagle
5 tips for living in an apartment with a corgi
Want to make sure your corgi loves living in your apartment?
Follow these 5 tips:
1. Don’t leave them alone for long periods of time
Like many other dog breeds, corgis hate being left on their own for long periods of time. The truth is, they’re quite clingy.
That’s because corgis were bred to be herding dogs. They would spend all day outside with their master (the farmer), rounding up cattle and keeping watch over the farm.
While your corgi may not be herding cattle, they’ll still want to spend as much time with you as possible. Whether you live in an apartment or not doesn’t matter. What matters is how much you’ll be around.
The ideal situation is that you work from home or can take your corgi into the office with you. If not, consider hiring a professional dog walker or drop your corgi off at doggy day care while you’re at work.
Definitely don’t leave your corgi at home alone all day. I recommend leaving your corgi alone for no longer than 4 hours at a time (and don’t make this a habit!).
2. Give them at least 60 minutes of exercise a day
Corgis have lots of energy to burn. They were originally herding dogs, remember?! That meant hours spent outside rounding up cattle… not a task for the lazy!
It’s important to give your corgi enough exercise each day because without it, they’ll get frustrated—and frustration can lead to behavioral problems.
Aim to walk your corgi for at least 60 minutes each day. I take Winston out for 30-minute walks to the park in the morning and evening. On the weekends, we go for much longer. In fact, corgis make great hiking companions!
If you enjoy hiking for 3-4 hours, bring your corgi along with you—just make sure you build up their stamina a little (especially if they’re young) before setting off on a lengthy journey.
3. Provide them with mental stimulation
Being highly intelligent little dogs, corgis need lots of mental stimulation, too.
Puzzle toys are a great way to keep them entertained (Winston quickly moved from the ‘intermediate’ to ‘advanced’ level of puzzle toys!), but so too is teaching them new commands and tricks.
Did you know that corgis are one of the easiest dog breeds to train?
According to canine researcher Stanley Coren, Pembroke Welsh corgis obey the first command 85% of the time or better, making them one of the most intelligent dog breeds.
4. Spend time with them
Corgis are fiercely loyal dogs that love human company. Therefore, the more time you can spend with them the better.
Bring them with you to meet friends, cuddle with them on the sofa, take them to a dog-friendly cafe while you work.
You don’t have to be doing anything particularly exciting—as long as your corgi can be close to you, they’ll be in their element.
5. Crate train them from an early age
Living in an apartment means you’ll be in close proximity to other people. Depending on the thickness of your walls, you may have to be careful about how much noise your corgi makes.
Fortunately, my corgi Winston isn’t very loud. Occasionally he’ll bark at the front door if the sound makes him jump, but 90% of the time he is a quiet dog.
However, corgis can be prone to barking. To ensure your corgi doesn’t bark excessively while you’re in—and more importantly, out of—the apartment, make sure you crate train them from an early age.
Crate training will prevent separation anxiety—a big trigger for barking.
Related questions
How long can a corgi be left alone?
Corgis are highly intelligent dogs that love human company. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend leaving your corgi alone regularly for more than 4 hours at a time. The longest they can be left is 8 hours, but doing this frequently will lead to an unhappy corgi and behavioral problems.
Are corgis lazy dogs?
No! Despite their size and love of ‘splooting’, corgis are not lazy—quite the opposite. They are very energetic dogs that require at least 60 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy and happy. Not sure whether a corgi is the right breed for you? Find out 11 reasons why you should (and 5 reasons why you shouldn’t) get a corgi.
Do corgis bark a lot?
Corgis can have a tendency to bark, but it really varies from corgi to corgi. Some are very quiet, others will bark at almost anything (including the wind!). If you’re adopting a corgi puppy, implement training from a young age to nip excessive barking in the bud.
