Are corgis affectionate? How do they show affection? Do they like to cuddle? These are all great questions asked by both existing and future corgi owners, so in this article, I’ll explain everything you want to know.
Most of the time yes, corgis like to cuddle and are affectionate. Although Corgis are primarily working dogs, they are known to form strong bond with their owners and don’t mind showing affection.
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How Affectionate Are Corgis?
Corgis are certainly on the upper end of the “affection chart” when comparing them to other breeds. Corgis are considered to be natural cuddlers and oftentimes fit the role of a lapdog perfectly.
- In my experience, both Pembroke and Cardigan corgis are equally as affectionate.
And if raised with a lot of physical contact will grow to be very open with their affection and cuddly in their adult and senior years.
It’s important to remember, however, that corgis aren’t just lapdogs. They are a breed that enjoys being highly active and will benefit from a healthy amount of mental stimulation and socialization.
5 Reasons Why Your Corgi Doesn’t Like Cuddling
So, is there a chance that your corgi isn’t as affectionate as others? Absolutely…
While it is common for corgis to be affectionate, individual personalities can vary and not all corgis may be as cuddly as one might expect.
Some corgis will be cuddlers and others might be a little more stubborn and reserved.
5 Reasons why your corgi isn’t a cuddler:
1. Natural personality: Some corgis just aren’t cuddlers, but it doesn’t mean they don’t love you. If your corgi still shows you plenty of interest but just doesn’t like that physical closeness, it might just be crossing the line for them.
2. The way they were raised: If your corgi was raised (by your or someone else) without much physical touch or obvious affection, they may be trained to be more reserved. Trying to cuddle a corgi that’s never been cuddled as a puppy may be uncomfortable for them.
3. Bad past experiences with physical contact: Corgis that have suffered abuse in the past will nearly always be afraid of physical contact for a long time. This is reversible, but it’ll take a lot of time and very strong bond.
4. Living in a stressful environment: Corgis handling a lot of stress or living in a stressful environment (loud, chaotic, and busy) could result in them being less attached to their owner, less affection, and less willing to cuddle.
5. Gender: It seems that male corgis are more affectionate and cuddly than female corgis. But the difference may not be noticeable in ever instance.
Do Corgis Like To Cuddle?
Affection can be shown in many different ways, but cuddling seems to be highlighted by most owners and used as “the” metric to go by. So let’s consider that.
Cuddling is enjoyed by most corgis and they will happily initiate cuddles as well as receive them.
But cuddling is also an extreme form of affection, so there will be some that find being held too restrictive and uncomfortable.
But considering that corgis are very accustomed to sitting up on their owner’s laps (at least the smaller ones!) close physical contact is usually fine for corgis.
A lot of breeds (even if they are still affectionate) will find cuddles too intense and will squirm out of them if you try to give one.
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Can You Make Your Corgi More Affectionate? 3 Tips
Ohh, the popular one! I honestly receive this question more times than “whether corgis are affectionate or not”… A lot of owners want to know how to make their corgi more affectionate! lol.
As I’ve helped owners with this before, I’ve narrowed it down to the three most important tips.
1. Don’t cuddle when your corgi doesn’t want it
This goes for petting, stroking, and any other form of physical contact. When your corgi doesn’t want it, don’t continue to pursue it…
If your corgi pulls away from a cuddle or belly rub, it’s clear that he/she doesn’t want it.
If you ignore this sign and try to continue then you are only reinforcing to your corgi that this is NOT what she likes… And she’ll remember this for the future.
So the first step in making your corgi more affectionate might be to do less, in terms of showing affection.
2. Capitalize on moments your corgi wants or gives affections
Pretty much the opposite of step one would be to really “milk it” when your corgi actually wants or is outwardly giving you affection.
For the times she comes to you for a cuddle or belly rub, ensure you stop whatever you are doing, and give the best cuddle and “good girl” you can. Hey, you might even want to throw a few treats in… (although this could cause treat-fueled cuddles in the future… I won’t judge).
Encourage and reinforce the affection during the times it is clearly making her feel good. She’ll remember this for the next time and it will gradually increase her natural level of affection.
3. Increase general physical contact
Physical contact is a form of affection, whether it’s an obvious cuddle, or just brushing through her coat with your hand…
The more your corgi gets accustomed to your touch, the easier it will be to make physical contact with her in the future. You can start right away by just touching her more… Whether it’s a quick stroke or pat on the bum, get her familiar with being touched.
With time, this will lead to her being much more accepting of cuddles and belly rubs.
This is quite an important tip to remember. In fact, a lack of physical contact throughout puppyhood could be the exact reason why an adult goes on to be cold and resistant to cuddles.
That’s pretty much it… If you adopt these three tips and start implementing them on a daily basis, there’s a strong chance of seeing positive results within a few weeks.
Does Your Corgi Love You? 6 Signs of Affection
Whether you already have a corgi or are soon to get corgi’d up! It helps to know the signs of affection that indicate your corgi does in fact love you! After all, it’s not all about cuddles!
1. Eye contact
The ability to hold eye contact with you is an eye into the health of your relationship.
In most cases, a corgi that has a strong and trusting bond with their owner will be able to comfortably make eye contact without flinching or looking away (when you turn to look at them).
If your corgi is able to gaze at you, this a subtle, but very important way of demonstrating their trust in you. And for dogs, trust is everything.
2. Checking up on you
Another very subtle, but strong sign of a good relationship is when your corgi “check-ups on you”. For some, this could be written off as “following you around”, or being “needy”. But it’s actually an important sign to notice.
Every time you’re in a different room for a while, and eventually notice your corgi strolling in to find you, she’s checking up on you and your whereabouts. She wants to know you’re safe and cares about what you’re doing, or wants something!
3. Excited to see you
Whenever you come back home from having been at work or the grocery store, does your corgi go nuts for your arrival and try to gain your attention as much as possible?
A sign of affection and a healthy relationship is when your corgi actually cares when you arrive home. This clearly indicates that you are important to her and that’s a strong indication she definitely loves you.
4. General physical contact
Apart from cuddles, general physical contact is huge. So if your corgi has no problem coming up to lean on you, sit on your lap, or receive belly rubs, you know she loves you and that your relationship is A-okay!
Avoiding physical contact usually indicates an issue with the relationship, a bad past experience, or could be from the way the dog was raised.
5. Eyebrow and ear movement
This is a bit of a quirky one, but interesting nonetheless!
Japanese researchers recently discovered that nearly all dogs have unique eyebrow and ear movements when they look at someone they love or care about (usually the owner of course).
Apparently, when your corgi looks at you, their left eyebrow will raise up slightly, and their ears will move back just a little.
Of course, this is quite hard to observe in real-time and you might not see anything at all, but hey! It’s a fun test to try.
6. Bring you her toys
If your corgi brings you her toys, it’s because she wants to play… But there’s more to be learned from it than that, especially if other people are present in the house.
The fact that your corgi is choosing YOU to bring her toy to, usually signifies that you have the strongest relationship.
Not only does this indicate trust, but it shows you that she considers you to be the one to actually take notice and engage with her. This subtle gesture gives a surprising insight into what your corgi thinks about you!
Do you have any more questions on this topic? Let me know!
Thank you for reading!
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