Flight nanny into Philadelphia
The usual answer for the eastern half of the state, from the Main Line out to Lancaster County and up to the Lehigh Valley. The nanny keeps the puppy in a carrier in the cabin, never in the hold, and meets you at PHL.
Pennsylvania families
Corgi puppies for sale
in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both take nonstop flights from Phoenix, so a Corgi puppy from our home in Casa Grande, Arizona, can reach either end of Pennsylvania the same day. Here is how to choose, and what rowhouse stairs, ticks and Erie snow mean for a long-backed dog.
Arizona to Pennsylvania
Should a Pennsylvania puppy fly into Philadelphia or Pittsburgh?
That depends on which side of the Alleghenies you live. Pittsburgh International (PIT) is just under four hours nonstop from Phoenix Sky Harbor, with American and Southwest among the airlines on the route. Philadelphia (PHL) is about four and a half hours, flown nonstop by American several times a day. Driving would take around thirty hours to Pittsburgh and thirty-five to Philadelphia, which no eight-week-old needs. Any trip is priced once a puppy is reserved, apart from what a puppy costs, and our delivery page sets out how each option works.
Harrisburg, Allentown, Scranton and Erie all have airports, but none has a nonstop from Phoenix Sky Harbor, and a connection adds hours to a puppy's day. Harrisburg and York families should also consider Baltimore (BWI), which Southwest flies nonstop from Phoenix and which is about an hour and a half from Harrisburg. Pennsylvania runs three hours ahead of Arizona in summer and two in winter, so a morning flight from Phoenix lands in the afternoon, and a December sunset in Philadelphia comes soon after half past four.
See who is availableFlight nanny into Pittsburgh
For western Pennsylvania, PIT is the obvious handoff. It sits out in the suburbs west of the city rather than downtown, which makes it an easy airport to drive in and out of.
Baltimore for the south-central counties
York, Hanover and Gettysburg are often closer to BWI than to Philadelphia. We compare the two drives for your town before anything is booked, because the nearer airport is not always the obvious one.
Ground transport to the middle of the state
State College, Williamsport and the northern tier are a long drive from any nonstop airport. A USDA certified driver can bring the puppy to your door over two to three days, with photo updates on the way.
Available now
Puppies ready for
a home.
See the puppies available now, then ask about the one you like.
Drive times
How far is the airport from your part of Pennsylvania?
Rough drive times with ordinary traffic. The Schuylkill Expressway at rush hour, or snow on I-80 and the Turnpike, can stretch any of them a long way.
| If you live in | Airport and drive, roughly |
|---|---|
| Center City Philadelphia | PHL, about 20 minutes |
| Downtown Pittsburgh | PIT, about 30 minutes |
| Allentown | PHL, about 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Lancaster | PHL, about 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Harrisburg | BWI, about 1 hour 30 minutes, or PHL, about 1 hour 50 minutes |
| Scranton | PHL, about 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Erie | PIT or Cleveland (CLE), about 2 hours |
| State College | PIT, about 2 hours 50 minutes |
Corgi life in Pennsylvania
How does a Corgi fare in different corners of Pennsylvania?
From Philadelphia rowhouses to Erie snowbanks, Pennsylvania asks different things of a dog with short legs, a long back and a coat built for wet Welsh hillsides.
Philadelphia and its rowhouse neighborhoods
Rowhouse stairs are narrow and steep, and a Corgi's long back does not love them. Carry the puppy for the first months, gate the top of the stairs, and keep the crate on the main floor. Dogs must be leashed in city parks; Forbidden Drive, the wide gravel path through Wissahickon Valley Park, is a favorite leashed walk along the creek.
Pittsburgh and the western hills
Pittsburgh is a city of hills and hundreds of public stairways, good exercise for a grown Corgi and too much for a puppy. Frick Park has fenced off-leash areas, a useful place to practice recall once your vet says the vaccines are done. Gray winters make indoor training games part of the routine.
Erie and the northwest
Lake Erie makes Erie one of the snowiest cities in the country, and a storm there can bury a short dog to the shoulders. Clear a potty patch and a walking loop before winter, keep early trips short, and dry the belly after every outing. The upside is a mild, breezy lakeside summer.
Lancaster County and the central valleys
Farm country, deer and long grass, which means ticks. Pennsylvania reports more Lyme disease cases than almost any other state. On a farm or acreage, a Corgi will try to herd the chickens and the neighbor's goats, so keep a puppy leashed near livestock until its recall is solid.
Worth knowing
What do Pennsylvania Corgi owners wish they had known?
A license by three months
Pennsylvania wants dogs licensed by three months of age through the county treasurer, and annual licenses expire every December 31. A lifetime license is available once the dog is permanently identified. The fines are real, so buy it in the puppy's first weeks.
Ticks in the backyard, not just the woods
Blacklegged ticks live in suburban yards with wooded edges as well as on hiking trails, and a low dog brushes every blade at tick height. Ask your vet about prevention, and about the Lyme vaccine for dogs, at the first visit, and check the chest and armpits after outings.
A big bark through a shared wall
Corgis bark more than their size suggests, and in a rowhouse or a twin the neighbors hear every alert. Teach a quiet cue from the first week, give the dog a job before you leave it alone, and avoid letting it watch the street from the front window all day.
The Turnpike in a snowstorm
The handoff at the airport is easy; the drive home is where winter bites. Snow can slow the Turnpike and I-80 to a crawl for hours, so when a storm is forecast for travel day we reschedule rather than send you onto the road with a new puppy.
Living with a Corgi
How do you keep a Corgi happy through Pennsylvania's seasons?
An adult Corgi does well with two brisk walks a day and something to think about. Pennsylvania's rail trails, state parks and city greenways make that easy for most of the year. Keep puppy walks short and on soft ground, and save the long hikes for when it is grown. Weight is the thing to watch: the gray months from November to March shrink walks, and a long back carries every extra pound. Our guide to caring for a Corgi covers feeding.
The double coat handles a Pennsylvania January easily and needs more help in the humid months. Brush through the undercoat weekly, daily in the big spring and fall sheds, and towel-dry after rain so the dense fur near the skin does not stay damp. Skip the summer shave, which takes away the coat's protection from heat, and walk in the cool of the morning instead. The grooming guide has the details.
Pennsylvania questions
Questions from Pennsylvania families
Is there a nonstop from Phoenix to Harrisburg or Allentown?
Not from Phoenix Sky Harbor. Its Pennsylvania nonstops go to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. For Harrisburg, compare Philadelphia with Baltimore, which is often the shorter drive, and the Lehigh Valley is about an hour and a quarter from Philadelphia. A connection adds hours to a puppy's travel day, so a nonstop plus a longer drive usually makes the better trip.
Can a Corgi live in a Philadelphia rowhouse or a Pittsburgh walk-up?
Yes, with a plan for the stairs and the noise. Carry the puppy on stairs until it is grown, and keep its crate and water on the main floor. Teach a quiet cue early if you share walls. Two daily walks and regular park visits matter far more to a Corgi than a yard does.
Should we worry about Lyme disease with a Corgi in Pennsylvania?
Take it seriously without letting it keep you indoors. Pennsylvania reports among the highest numbers of Lyme cases in the country, and the ticks are in suburbs as well as forests. Start prevention with your vet at the first visit, check your dog after walks, and keep the grass at the edge of the yard short.
How does winter change delivery to Pennsylvania?
The flight is rarely the problem; the drive home is. Snow on the Turnpike or I-80 can double the trip from the airport, and December daylight is short. In winter we look for an earlier arrival so you are home before dark, and if a storm is forecast for the travel day, we move the date.
Next step
Is there a puppy for your Pennsylvania home?
See which puppies are available now. Tell us your town when you write, and we will plan the airport and the drive home around it.
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