Grooming Tips for Corgis

The first step to a good looking coat is what your dog eats. He needs a balanced, quality food to keep his coat shiny and his skin in good condition. Premium, name brand foods have more high quality nutrients, such as protein and omega fatty acids, and less filler, like cornmeal.

He doesn't need table scraps and endless treats. There is also no need to switch his food to keep him interested. Once you find a food that he likes, keeps his coat looking good and is affordable, stick with it. Invest in quality, nutritious treats if you use them frequently for training.

Use a metal comb with medium to wide spaced teeth and go over your pup one section at a time. Follow up with a comb with closely spaced teeth. If you do this several times a week, you shouldn't have trouble with tangles or excessive hair. Take your time and pay attention to areas where tangles may develop, such as the base of the ears. Also take this time to make sure his skin is in good condition, with no redness, irritation or bald spots. Take his collar off while you're grooming him to comb the neck area thoroughly and check that the skin isn't being rubbed in that area.

Corgis have a double coat, which consists of a thick fluffy undercoat and a harsher outer coat. Once a year, typically in the spring, your corgi will "blow his coat," or shed the undercoat. During this period, there will be a lot of hair floating around. The best way to deal with this is to get the hair out as quickly as possible.

Once your pup starts blowing his coat, groom him daily until he is finished. Spray his coat lightly with water before you begin to keep the loose hairs from going airborne and spreading all over you and your home. Use a pin brush and brush against the lay of his coat to remove the undercoat. Once you go over him with the pin brush, smooth the hair back down by combing him normally.

You won't have to bath your corgi frequently, but there will be times when it'll be necessary, like when he decides to herd a flock of birds right through the mud. When your corgi is blowing his coat, a bath can speed the process along. Many corgis also have an affinity, that you probably don't share, with rolling in smelly things.

Whatever your reason for bathing, make sure to use a shampoo designed for dogs, as human shampoo can be irritating to your pup's skin, and dry him thoroughly when you are done. If the weather is nice, a brisk towel drying followed by a walk outside may be enough to dry him off, but in cooler weather, you may want to hasten the process by using the air only setting on your hair dryer.