How to Discipline a Corgi Puppy: 6 Vet-Approved Tips & Tricks

Objectively, Corgi puppies are among the cutest of all baby dogs. However, you may find some of their behaviors less than adorable. Since they’re still growing and learning about household expectations, what should you do when your Corgi pup misbehaves?

In this article, we give you six tips on disciplining a Corgi puppy, including how to prevent the need for it in the first place!

The 6 Tips & Tricks on How to Discipline a Corgi Puppy

1. Prevention Is the Best Cure

Set your dog up for success by avoiding situations where discipline is needed. For example, puppy-proof your house before your new pet arrives. Remove or secure items that could serve as chewing temptations, and supervise your puppy at all times during their first weeks in your house. You could also use a crate or a small, puppy-proofed room to confine your Corgi puppy when you can’t directly watch them. Keeping your dog strictly supervised will hopefully prevent the need for constant discipline because you will keep your Corgi out of as much trouble as you can.

2. Meet Your Puppy’s Needs

Another essential step in setting your Corgi puppy up for success is making sure you’re meeting all their basic needs. Corgis are energetic, intelligent, and social dogs. Puppies that don’t get enough exercise, attention, or mental stimulation are more likely to misbehave.

Get your puppy on a regular schedule with consistent meal times, potty breaks, and exercise. Dogs do best with a routine and established expectations. These simple steps can go a long way toward preventing many situations when your Corgi puppy needs discipline.

3. Timing Is Everything

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to prevent every incidence of bad behavior in your Corgi puppy. If you need to discipline your dog, you must get the timing right for it to be most effective. Puppies have short memories, and scolding them after you find a pair of shoes they chewed up an hour ago won’t work.

For effective discipline, you need to catch your puppy in the act of misbehaving, ideally just as they start gnawing on furniture or peeing on the floor. Distract them by loudly saying “No!” or “Off!” or clapping your hands. The noise is intended to get their attention and make them stop their shenanigans.

4. Redirect Their Attention

As soon as your puppy is distracted from their bad behavior, swoop in and redirect their attention. That might mean rushing them outside to finish peeing or pooping. If they’re chewing something inappropriate (including you), offer an appropriate chew object.

As soon as your Corgi puppy does the right thing, whether peeing in the yard or chewing their Kong, immediately reward them with praise and maybe a treat. Again, the timing is critical here. Your dog must connect the reward with the good behavior they just displayed.

5. Ignore Bad Behavior

It’s best to ignore misbehavior and only give your dog attention when they stop acting up. This tip works best for puppies displaying overexcited or aggressive play behaviors like jumping, nipping, or barking. If your puppy starts to play too rough, stop interacting and ignore them. This helps teach your Corgi that playtime will stop if they misbehave. When your puppy calms down, go back to playing with them. A veterinarian can give you helpful tips about other training methods.

6. Don’t Neglect Training and Socialization

Along with disciplining your puppy for bad behavior, it’s vital to teach them the right way to behave. Basic obedience and socialization should begin as soon as your dog comes home. Socializing your Corgi with various people and situations will help them learn to control themselves and react appropriately, reducing the chances you’ll need to discipline them.

If you need professional guidance on training your Corgi, look for a puppy training class in your area. Many veterinarians offer such courses through their clinics or can recommend a trainer. Make sure to choose a puppy class emphasizing positive, reward-based training methods.

How (Not) to Discipline Your Corgi Puppy

We hope this goes without saying, but you should never use physical or harsh verbal punishment to discipline your puppy. Hitting your dog, even lightly, may teach them to be hand-shy and harm the bond between them and you.

Yelling at your Corgi is ineffective and may scare them to the point that they are less responsive to your training. Puppies are highly impressionable, especially before they’re 3–4 months old, and they may develop lifelong fears based on what happens to them during this stage of life. You don’t want yourself to become one of those fears.

If you’re crate training your Corgi, don’t use the crate as a punishment. You want your puppy to feel safe and comfortable in the crate, so they’re happy to stay there when you need them to. If you use the crate for discipline, your puppy will learn to associate it with negative feelings and probably resist going in.

Finally, you should never discipline your puppy if you don’t catch them in the act of misbehaving. If you find a pee spot on the rug but no puppy in sight, don’t try to bring your Corgi back to the scene of the crime to discipline them. They won’t understand what’s happening and could become frightened by your actions.

In Conclusion

The first weeks and months that a puppy spends in your care are some of the most important. During this crucial window, it’s typically the easiest to shape your Corgi’s behavior. Introduce routines like grooming and trips to the vet as soon as possible. Use these tips to help discipline your Corgi puppy effectively or prevent the need for it as much as possible.

Featured Image Credit: Rita_Kochmarjova, Shutterstock