Here are resources I have found helpful, mostly for general puppy-raising, dog ownership, and more, with some being corgi-specific. I am not affiliated with any of these sources, in fact, they don’t know that I exist! I just like them and want to share. This is also not a definitive list. I’m always finding new things and will add to this periodically.
- Before You Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar—this one is a free-to-download PDF. Need I say more?
- After You Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar—same, free!
- Meet Your Dog by Kim Brophey—if you can only buy one dog book, I really think you should get this one. It will completely change your perspective on your dog in a really meaningful way.
- The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia McConnell—or maybe this one. Informative, thoughtful, and beautifully written.
- For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia McConnell—if you have ever loved a dog, then bring tissues to this book.
- How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do by Stanley Coren—an illuminating look at how dogs perceive the world we share.
- The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson—an absolute classic.
- Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor—another classic which got many people into reinforcement-based training. It isn’t a dog=training book. It teaches you to use reinforcement on anything—including humans.
- Guide & Control Your Pet Dog’s Behaviour by David Ryan—I haven’t finished reading this one yet, but I still recommend it!
- Teach Your Herding Breed to Be a Great Companion Dog, from Obsessive to Outstanding by Dawn Antoniack-Mitchell—solving and preventing the issues that can come up as we guide our herding breeds through this crazy modern world they weren’t designed for.
- Herding Dogs: Their Origins and Development in Britain by Iris Combe—a fascinating history of Britain’s herding breeds. It’s an old book, but well-worth hunting up a copy!
- The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi by Deborah S. Harper —”complete” is a good description; this is the most thorough book on Pembrokes that I think you will find. I like it because it dives deep into the history of the breed and development over the course of the 20th century. But it also provides advice on a broad range of practical topics for corgi ownership.
- Your Welsh Corgi, Cardigan-Pembroke by Robert J. Berndt—this is a vintage book. Cool if you can find a copy. Lots of old photographs of both corgi breeds.
- The New Illustrated Study of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Standard Prepared and Published by the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America —this is the standard to which the PWC is judged in the United States under AKC, complete with illustrations and photographs to help you visualise. Great if you want to learn about how the pieces of the corgi fit together, as it were.
There are a lot of other breed specific books out there. I have most of them. You’ll find that they more or less contain the same information, and a lot of it you could find online or simply through talking to your breeder/other corgi owners. But if you’re like me and you just like books, you’ll probably buy some to have around anyway. Never hurts to see corgi faces smiling at you from your bookshelf!
- How Stella Learned to Talk: The Groundbreaking Story of the World’s First Talking Dog by Christina Hunger—absolutely amazing. Funny, heartwarming, and deeply fascinating for what it reveals about language, dog cognition, and the human-animal bond. I also recommend following this talented scientist and her adorable dog on instagram!
- DK Handbooks: Dogs by David Alderton—I had this book constantly checked out from the school library when I was in middle school and made a project for myself out of drawing each of the breeds. Lol. It’s a really nice reference guide
- Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey —a fascinating, thoughtful look at a popular breed’s ever-shifting reputation, its champions and detractors, and—uncomfortably—how media coverage of these dogs says far more about humans than it does about them. A very balanced and illuminating exploration.
Starting with this one because it’s a short list. Go check out Corgi Confident, a podcast by the amazing trainer and owner of 3 corgis, Alyssa Ramos! It’s filled with great information on all things corgi.
There are honestly so many, so here are just some that I think will be the most helpful to a wide audience. But go dive down a rabbit hole—there are a lot more terrific podcasts to discover. I’ve attempted to link to the original platform of each podcast so that there are links to all the places you can listen, but you can also just search most of them on your preferred podcast app.
- Kay Laurence – Learning About Dogs so good. So, so good. Thoughtful, informative, and practical.
- Bravo Dog Knowledge: Dog Training Podcast this is a good listen especially in preparation for bringing home a new dog. Many of the episodes are short, so you can get lots of good information in a concise format.
- Pandemic Puppy Podcast a must-listen if you’re getting a puppy, whether you’re reading this during a global pandemic or not.
- Dog Talk with Dr. Jen helpful, practical, and down-to-earth advice from a veterinarian and dog trainer.
Again, there’s so many more, but I don’t want to overwhelm this page! Especially since some are more niche. That will give you a place to start.
- Down and Back this is a podcast from the AKC that explores some of the many fascinating stories from the history of dogs.
- The Good Dog Pod information on everything from the latest updates to dog health and veterinary care, grooming, behaviour and training, dog breeding, specific breeds…you name it! Due to the broad scope, not every episode will be of interest for pet owners, but it can be a good listen.
- “So You Think You Want a Corgi” a good reality check to make sure corgis really are right for you, and you aren’t just being blinded by their silly little stumpers and fluffy bums.
- Welsh Corgi News a gem of a website! Tons of interesting bits of corgi history for both Pembroke and Cardigan breeds.
- Stumps + Rumps a great blog that aims to promote responsible corgi ownership.
- What’s the difference between Cardigans and Pembrokes? The AKC put out this article that explains the similarities and differences between these two unique Welsh breeds.
- Blue Merle Pembroke Welsh Corgis I honestly don’t believe that mixed breeding is the end of the world. But if someone is trying to sell you a “purebred” merle Pembroke, you deserve to know the facts.
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America this is the official site for the breed’s parent club in the U.S., and it’s a good source of information.
- AKC TV Videos: Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- “Pembroke Welsh Corgi History, Origins, and Other Interesting Facts” exactly what it says on the tin.
- Victorian Llanwrtyd—the Welsh Cattle Drovers fascinating history of the corgi’s historic job.
First of all, don’t do “which breed is right for me?” quizzes. They’re horrifically inaccurate, with AKC’s probably being the worst. Do them for fun if you’re curious what you’ll get, but don’t get a dog based on an internet quiz result!
Second of all, these resources are going to be more helpful for those who are looking for a purebred, recognised dog breed. Please don’t think I’m condemning mixed breed or rescue dogs, but it’s just easier to find links for established breeds.
- FCI Dog Breeds List I would assume this is the most complete list you’ll find of recognised dog breeds worldwide.
- AKC Dog Breeds List If you’re mind-numbingly thorough like myself, you can go through every. single. dog. from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier and make lists of the ones that interest you for further research.
- Dog Breed Reviews This is a great website to check if you’re looking at a certain breed. It gives an honest review of what’s good about them and what might drive you batty.
- Animal Planet Dogs 101 Series you’re not going to get a deep-dive, but it’s a good overview of some of the different breeds, and can be a good jumping-off point to get an idea of what breed interests you.
- Naturally Happy Dogs Youtube Channel “Dog breed videos” Playlist candid interviews with people who own, breed, and love these dogs. Some of the breeds discussed here are rarer and hard to find information about, making it a valuable resource. UK-based.
- AKC Pupdate Your dog does not need to be AKC registered to sign up. Mixed breeds are welcome. You’ll get a newsletter in your inbox each week with personalized articles based on that stage in your puppy’s development. I liked having a little reminder of how many weeks old Delia was too.
- “Puppy Development Stages” could be alternatively titled: “Reminders of times when my puppy is going to suddenly be afraid of literally everything out of nowhere, but everything is going to be okay.” I have this on the bookmarks bar on my laptop and consulted it a. lot.
- Rouie Blue Canine Company – a friend of mine started this blog, starring her adorable chihuahua, Rouie, and packed with excellent information and tips for training, grooming, and so much more.
- The Dog Key do you have a mixed breed dog? Knowing the genetics behind your dog can really help you understand how they’re perceiving things and put their behaviours into perspective. If you want to get a general idea without having to pay for genetic testing, this resource is amazing! It’s also great if see a cute dog at a rescue or shelter, and want to get an idea of what to expect before you put in your application.
- DoggieDrawings.net Lili Chin is a very talented artist and dog lover who has collaborated with many different professional educators to create educational illustrations, posters, little booklets, etc. on a variety of dog-related topics. (And other animals, too.) I’ve linked to her free resources, but check out her shop as well. I love her style and the way her resources are positive and science-based.
- Structure and Movement in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi — Analysis of all the pieces of the Pembroke and the ‘why’ behind the standard. The most fascinating is the history portion which gives much insight into these wonderful dogs.
