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Good tips here so far. The key to corgis is exercise, obedience, then affection. Train them, train them every day, work hard at it, be consistent. With corgis, you get back what you put in, and then some. It is hard, HARD work, they are not fluffy little lapdogs or couch potatoes. Corgis are intelligent, high-energy working dogs. They're very smart, they're very trainable, and they're very vocal. Corgis are loyal and affectionate, but on their terms. Not all of them are roly poly cuddle bugs.

If you are just starting out on your corgi search, RESEARCH. Everything about the breed, all the information you can digest on training and raising a corgi. As mentioned, the sidebar has helpful information. The FAQ at mycorgi.com has some helpful information, but please take it with a grain of salt.

Find a local vet, talk to them about raising a puppy. Most importantly, find a vet that has EXPERIENCE with corgis and their specific health issues and development traits. Find an emergency pet clinic (you never know) and keep that information handy.

Here are some helpful books:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Pembroke-Welsh-Corgi/dp/0876052499

http://www.amazon.com/Pembroke-Welsh-Corgi-Happy-Healthy/dp/0470390611/ref=pd_sim_b_2 (we have this one, it's great)

http://www.amazon.com/Welsh-Corgis-Pembroke-Cardigan-Complete/dp/0764142429/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Decide if you're going to go to a breeder or a rescue, research both options. Find a responsible breeder and interview them, interview them again, explore your rescue options.

This is a lifetime commitment, and should not be taken lightly. Understand that corgis can live a minimum of 12 years (and hopefully more) so you should be prepared for that.

Definitely take care when feeding your corgi, because they can tend to pack on weight if they are fed w/o observation. Research the best treats, ingredients and calories to pick your best training aid.

Find local facilities that offer puppy classes — obedience training, playgroups, socialization, etc. Figure out what schedules work best for you.

Be prepared for all that comes with raising a puppy if you look to go that route, and please don't bring any dog home earlier than 8 weeks. It's better for the dog and better for you in the long run. And will be better on your sleep schedule. Also important socialization and essential 'how to be a dog' interactions happen within the litter between 6-10 weeks, you don't want your pup to miss out on that.

And be prepared for shedding, corgis shed a lot. I don't feel like it's too much more than our two cats shed, but it is a lot. Some people are not ok with that, or not prepared. Regular grooming should be part of your schedule, make sure you have time for that. Whether you get a fluffy or not, please don't ever shave your corgi. They are double-coated for a reason.

And DEFINITELY take lots of pictures, puppies grow so so fast, it's unbelievable.

Good luck!

• Biting - your puppy will mouth, nip and bite you. It is not out of malice and it is a completely normal (and DESIRED!) behavior. The only way to teach proper bite inhibition is for your puppy to bite you, and for you to help guide them to more acceptable levels of mouthing then to fade mouthing out all together. Here is a great video on bite inhibition. Be prepared for a mouthy herding breed to nip you until they start to loose their baby teeth.
  
  
• Potty Training - You can never let your puppy out of your sight for the first several months you own them. They need to be on a leash in your direct line of sight or in a puppy safe area like a crate or play pen. This means you are going to spend your evenings playing with and tuckering out your puppy - not watching tv. You also need to be around to let your puppy out ever 2-3 hours, max. Hopefully you already made arrangements at work before committing to a puppy. Here is a resource on house training.
  
  
• Crate Training - Crate training is amazing. It is great for house training, will reduce stress if your dog ever needs to be boarded, go to dog care or spend time at the vet and can help you save your house once puppy is old enough to be home alone for 3-4 hours a day. You will need to teach your puppy to love their crate, however, which means a lot of whining and barking for a couple months until they really start to get used to it. If crate training is such a good thing, why is your puppy fussing so much? A lot of it comes from being away from their litter, in a new place with strange people and being alone for the first time in their lives. It is very important to help puppies get over that and crate training is a great way to help them learn to be OK being alone and that their crate is a safe and rewarding place to be. Learn more about Crate Training.
  
  
• Mistakes are going to happen - your puppy will likely have an accident or two even after they are house trained (tip: your puppy may get the concept of house training quickly, but will not be ACTUALLY house trained until their bladder is mature enough to hold it for more than a couple hours). Your puppy will also bite, bark, grow, dig, and destroy at least one thing you really like. Take it in stride - do not punish your puppy for these mistakes. You would not punish an infant for vomiting on you, having an accident or breaking something - they wouldn't understand the punishment! A puppy doesn't understand either! These books are really great starting point for new dog owners: Don't Shoot the Dog, The Culture Clash, and The Power of Positive Dog Training. They contain a lot of training tips and insight into dog communication, thinking, motivation and having a positive relationship with your dog.
  
  
• Be prepared for anything - have at least $5k in the bank you are willing to use JUST for your dog! A medical emergency can happen at any time and can be very expensive! If you are going through a reputable breeder, hopefully you have seen all the puppy's parents health tests and know the risk of genetic disorders for your puppy - but "LIFE" can happen to a dog, too! Falling down steps, getting hit by a car, accidentally getting stepped on (corgi puppies are tiny!), having a reaction to a vaccination, eating something they shouldn't, getting sat on by another dog (true story - cost us $400 when our corgi hurt is shoulder after being sat on by a bigger dog...), and a myriad of other accidents that can happen to ANYONE. Being prepared to take on that expense is important! I would hope you never have to choose between your dog or a vet bill - make sure you have planned for that! Pet Insurance can also be very valuable and is worth researching (we use PetPlan - I have been extremely happy with it.)
  
  
• Be ready to learn! - Raising a puppy is not unlike raising a child - if you try to operate in a vacuum you are only hurting yourself and your dog! Signup for puppy kindergarten! It is EXTREMELY important, especially if you are bringing your puppy home at 8 weeks! Your puppy needs to be in a kindergarten class as SOON as possible (ideally, starting at 8 weeks.) 8 - 12 weeks is a critical imprinting period where your puppy can develop habits and skills for the rest of their lives. If they spend this critical time locked up inside away from other dogs and people their socialization skills will suffer greatly. Kindergarten is a safe outlet for your puppy to meet other dogs, puppies and people under the guidance of a trainer. Also be sure to hold several 'puppy parties' throughout this time period where you invite new groups of people over to your house to interact with your new family member. Expose your puppy to as much as the world as you can while still being safe!
  
  Socialization 101 -
  
  Do NOT!
  >- Take your puppy to the dog park (before they are 4 months old)!!
  >
  >- Take your puppy to highly populated 'dog hangouts' with people you dont know (Training clubs are different as all dogs are required to be UTD on vaccinations)!!
  
  DO!
  >- Go to puppy kindergarten! And continue obedience classes once the puppy is old enough.
  >- Invite people of all ages, colors and sizes to your house (or go to their house) to socalize your puppy.
  >
  >- Let your puppy play with dogs you know who are UTD on vaccines and are well socialized to puppies.
  >- Carry your puppy around public places to get them exposed to the world.
  
  
  There is a LOT to learn in preparation for a puppy, from knowing the importance of working with a reputable breeder, to knowing and understanding Corgi Quirks, to having a solid training plan. Be as prepared as you can be and enjoy those puppy months! They are very trying, you will loose sleep, you will wonder WHY you did this to yourself and HOW something so cute can be so utterly evil - but once your pup starts to get into the groove and your training starts to pay off, you will realize it is worth it.
  
  Here is my packaged dog starter link list - some are compliments to articles/resources I linked to above, and some are the same, but all are worthwhile!
  
  
• Find a reputable training club
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Wiki
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Book List
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Online Resources
  
  
• The Digital Dog Training Textbook
  
  
• Ian Dunbar - Training Bite Inhibition
  
  
• Kikopup Training Videos
  
  
• Kikopup - Clicker Training
  
  
• Kikopup - Puppy Playlist
  
  
• Dont Shoot the Dog (book)
  
  
• The Culture Clash (book)
  
  
• The Power of Positive Dog Training (book)

Any portable vac will be good for things like crumbs, pebbles, and larger clumps of hair, but for cleaning upholstery, especially inside the car, I use one of these things: https://www.amazon.com/Gonzo-Pet-Hair-Lifter-Furniture/dp/B000209Z2C It actually does a fantastic job of removing hair, is reusable, and easy to clean. It can take a little bit of getting used to to start, but I've honestly not found much better, especially anything reusable.

But more importantly, a back-seat hammock cover has been a GODSEND for my car!! This is the one I use, and it keeps the back seat safe from muddy paws, drool, any potential accidents, and 95% of shed fur. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQFZGZ0 It is easy to set up and stays in place - also easy to clean since I can just wipe it down, vacuum it, or even throw it in the washer if I absolutely have to. Also has the benefit of hiding the floor of my back seat. I drive a Nissan Cube so I don't have a covered cargo - this thing lets me hide things during shopping trips where I can't drop anything off in between stores.

Before I got that little hammock, I would just keep an extra blanket or a couple towels in the backseat, and that did a fair job at keeping things at least manageable, so long as I remembered to shake them out or replace them every few trips.

You can start training your puppy now, just keep in mind that small puppy=small attention span. Training sessions should be 2 minutes tops, keep them exciting and full of positive attention. Start out by getting him used to being handfed, then move to an easy-to-train command like "sit". Once he's got that down or seems to need more variety, gradually begin to introduce more commands.

As for treats, you can use kibble from his main diet as a minor training reward to start out with. You can also use soft treats like training treats or freeze-dried liver. Just don't go too overboard on rewarding!

Get as many friends and family of a variety of ages to come and visit/treat your puppy in the next couple of weeks as possible. Socialization is key and the 8-10 week window can, in a lot of ways, determine your dog's demeanor going forward. I'm sure you know, but you should avoid taking the puppy out to meet other dogs or into areas with high dog traffic until he is finished with the parvo series of vaccinations.

This is just the tip of a very large iceberg of puppy info. I'll put in a plug for /r/dogtraining and /r/puppy101 here! Both are great resources. We also relied heavily on the advice of Ian Dunbar while training our corgi. His website is here, he also has a great book Before and After Getting Your Puppy which was our bible. We basically did a less intense versions of his errorless house, chew toy, and crate trainings and our corgi was accident free by 3 months, is happy and bark free in his crate, and has yet to legitimately destroy anything.

Congratulations on your new pup and happy training to you!

Any dog can resource guard and you can accidentally train a puppy to resource guard if you aren't careful. Jean Donaldson wrote a wonderful book on how to tackle resource guarding if you happen to have a dog that does it with toys, people, food or places.

If you aren't comfortable with how the shelter screens potential families then you might not want to get a dog. Shelters are working hard to prevent dogs from being returned numerous times because families really don't seem to understand breed tendencies and always go on "oh he's cute" rather than get an idea of what the dogs behavior is actually like. They work hard to match you to the best dog for your family and lifestyle. A good corgi breeder will do the same thing and will want to get to know you and your family before placing a dog in your home. Likewise with a corgi rescue. If you aren't willing to go through that process please don't get a purebred dog at all.

I don't recommend getting a corgi from a backyard breeder or a pet store because you'll end up with some very expensive vet bills and quite possibly some expensive dog training bills in the end. I worked as a dog trainer for a number of years and I could spot the pet store and backyard breeder puppies a mile away. Owners had the same complaints - couldn't potty train, the puppies were sick when they came home or shortly after and were always having behavior issues like biting people and children.

If you have a family with a small child I recommend getting an older corgi from a rescue that is at least 2 years old. Their personality and behavior will be fully set and you will know exactly what you are getting. The rescue should help you figure out if it is a good fit for your home.

As far as a corgi as a running partner I caution you against running a corgi or any dog constantly on pavement. Dogs put a lot of pressure on their knees and shoulders and pavement running just isn't good for them or their paw pads. If you are going to run with your corgi do it on grass or dirt.

I wrote a guideline on how to find a good corgi breeder and I suggest that any potential corgi owner read it.

If you're willing to spend a few dollars, there are some good books out there about corgis :) My mom has the older version of this book and I found it really informative. You can see in the table of contents that it covers pretty much anything you'd like to know about the breed, taking care of it, etc. But there are other books about corgis as well on amazon so you can check out a few of them before you settle on one :)

My Blanco did not eat so fast that he seemed to be getting sick, but knowing that he would enjoy being engaged for his food, we bought him this: https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469221369&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+food+toy

I won't say he loves it, but he knows how it works and never leaves a piece behind. I've heard of dogs getting bored/frustrated by toys like this and refusing to eat if that is how their food is served, but he has been using it for a few months now and nothing has changed yet.

Plus it gives me like twenty minutes of me-time where I don't have to worry about entertaining him.

I got mine at the anime convention I went to a few weeks ago. I was in shock when I saw it. I didn't know they existed!

Your best bet is eBay or Amazon. Actually, Amazon looks like they're having a pretty good sale on it right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Bebop-Ein-11-Plush/dp/B0009XQWFK

Edit: Found another site with the same price.

http://www.animeharu.com/shop/goods/plush/cowboy-bebop/cowboy-bebop--ein-11--plush.asp

Please don't follow Ceasar Millan's advice. He follows dominance theory which has been disproved for many years. If you want a book on dog training check out Don't Shoot The Dog by Karen Pryor. It also goes into explaining how you would train other animals, your roommates, your parents, spouse, etc. Positive reinforcement training is scientifically proven to be the most effective way to train a dog. (or a turtle, or a bird, or a human) Or you could check out The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.

Also /r/dogtraining is great if you need advice about anything specific your dog is doing.

edit: Specifically, with your hair, you want to set up training games where you teach her when you move your hair around in exciting ways, the correct thing for her to do is not bite it, and reward her for doing so. If you follow the rolling onto their back advice, it can take a very long time for many dogs to make the connection, and be very frustrating for the dog and you. Also, it can cause her to hate being on her back and hate when you touch her muzzle, which you do not want. It will make vet visits much more stressful. This is a good video on how to stop biting and mouthing. It doesn't talk specifically about hair, but you can apply the same idea. At about 2:00 when she is shuffling her feet, that's what you want to do with your hair. Move it around and reward for not biting. It's not about being stern, it's about being consistent and showing your dog what you DO want them to do instead.

source: I am a dog trainer.

Very good novel short but very good :)

http://www.amazon.com/Corgi-Chronicles-Laura-Madsen/dp/1484842227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418245277&sr=8-1&keywords=corgi+chronicles

This toy was the best when i had to keep my puppy indoors. She loved chasing it in circles. It will save your hands from all the nipping too!
Outward hound teaser toy

I'm in agreement with /u/curigcorgis. A Furminator can cut and break the undercoat furs if you comb too vigorously and too often. That's not something I'm willing to risk, so while I have a Furminator (purchased before I knew any better) I don't ever use it on my corgi.

A Kong Zoom Groom plus a steel greyhound comb is more than enough to deal with loose fur. The Zoom Groom is a rubber brush and is outrageously effective in getting loose fur out. It also doubles as a good shampoo latherer. After, I then comb away the loose furs that the zoom groom caused.

Another great tool is a high velocity blow dryer. Think of it like a hair dryer on crack. Or a shop vac in reverse. It's been a game changer for us after baths and is a must have to deal with heavy shedding times.

Have you read the Corgi Chronicles? The corgi in that is named Pippin. Your kids (and you!) will love it.

I have a corgi and I bought these stairs off Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MD57OO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I haven't really had any issues with them, and my corgi loves them!

Hip displasia in corgis is extremely rare but does happen.

You might want to get the book

Welsh Corgis: Pembroke and Cardigan - I know you are specific but this is the best book I found. Most of the other ones seemed to be very generic about dogs in general with the word Corgi cut and past in.

http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Head-Detangling-Strawberry-Yogurt/dp/B00B568K5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368664897&sr=8-1&keywords=pet+head+detangle

I use this while I brush my dog if he has a LOT of tangles. He smells fruity :)

For those interested, here's where you can find the book.

I am thinking of getting one too! Found them on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4)

I have this set from amazon and my 2 year old dog figured them out within minutes. My 14 weeks old puppy finally figured out how to get UP them last week, but she won't go down (and we don't want her). I've been working and she will be sleeping and I suddenly hear her barking because she went into the bedroom and is on the bed and can't get down. I give her less then a month before she will go down the steps and another 2 months before she will go down our house stairs.

It’s a privacy film that I have on my window! Here’s the link to it! https://www.amazon.com/Homein-Decorative-Removable-Adhesive-17-5x78-7/dp/B07P1QH2DY?ref_=Oct_DLandingS_b2f8e392_4&smid=A2QDEFR7L86TL

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ARUKTG/ :D

Here's an Amazon link for you.

got you covered

It's not a poster, but I bought this recently: https://www.amazon.com/Corgi-Chronicles-Laura-Madsen/dp/1484842227

I have this one. I have how exaggerated the features are. I had looked for a while to before getting it. I think I know every stuffed corgi on the market. There's also this round one but it is always sold out!

It cuts down on the shedding and loose underfur. Must have for any double coated dog. In addition, get a doggie detangler spray (I highly recommend this product) so that the brush does not snag on knots and cause pain to your dog. Bonus: it makes your dog smell so good!

No, don't use a furminator on a puppy yet!! Wait for the adult fur to fully grow in. In the meantime, buy a lighter brush (like a baby brush) so that you can train your puppy to not be afraid of/chew on the brush. My dad used to be very impatient of grooming one of our collies, would pull on tangled fur and make the dog cry that it trained the dog to run away in fear anytime it saw the brush. We literally had to hold him down or tie him to a post to brush him as he cowered. Very bad experience we could not train out of him... damage was already done. As a result, I have been extremely gentle that my corgi sees brushing as a bonding experience because of early, gentle exposure.

In addition, I would also take your puppy to a groomer so that he/she gets accustomed to the tools they use (nail filers, blow dryer, shower head, tub, clippers, etc). The earlier the exposure the dog has, the less problems they will have with a groomer (and groomers will LOVE your dog for it). Corgis are one of those breeds that require a professional groomer because of the amount they shed (especially if it's a fluffy like mine!). Interview your groomer- ask about their experiences handling puppies and make sure one will NEVER shave or buzz clip your dog. I have discontinued my business with two groomers because they were either physically PINNING my dog on the groomer's table (never do that to a puppy) AND buzz clipped him because she "wasn't paying attention the the level she set her clipper" (hell no, we're done). A good groomer knows to NEVER shave a double coated dog.