A flat brush with fine wire pins for everyday brushing. It lifts loose hair from the outer coat and smooths the finish. Use a light touch, because pressing hard can scratch the skin.
Care guide
Welsh Corgi
grooming.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis never need a haircut, but they do shed, and a lot. Grooming a Corgi is mostly about managing a thick double coat, plus nails, ears and teeth. Here is the routine, the tools that make it easier, and how to teach a puppy to enjoy it.
The coat
What kind of coat
does a Corgi have?
A Pembroke has a double coat. The outer coat is made of coarser, weather resistant guard hairs, and underneath is a short, soft, dense undercoat that insulates. The coat is medium length, fuller around the neck and chest and on the "pants" at the back of the hind legs.
That coat kept working dogs comfortable in Welsh weather. In a modern home it mostly means hair: on the floor, on the sofa and on anything dark you wear.
Shedding
How much do
Corgis shed?
Honestly, a lot. Corgis shed some hair every day of the year, and once or twice a year they blow their coat, often around late spring as the weather warms. During a coat blow the undercoat comes out in clumps for a few weeks.
Brushing does not stop shedding, but it catches loose hair on the brush instead of the carpet, keeps the skin healthy and stops the undercoat packing down into mats. A good vacuum helps too.
Tools
What brushes do you
need for a Corgi?
Three tools cover nearly everything. Deshedding blades with a fine cutting edge remove a lot of undercoat, but used too often or too hard they can thin and damage the guard hairs, so use them sparingly if at all.
Long, widely spaced teeth that reach through the outer coat and pull out loose undercoat. This is the workhorse during a coat blow.
A steel comb for checking your work behind the ears, on the chest and through the pants, where small tangles start. If the comb glides through to the skin, you are done.
Brushing
How do you brush
a Corgi properly?
Most of the year, a good brush once or twice a week keeps a Corgi in order. During a coat blow, aim for a few minutes every day, outside if you can.
Start with your hands
Run your hands over your dog first. You will find tangles, burrs, ticks or sore spots before the brush does, and your dog gets a calm start.
Rake the undercoat
Work in sections in the direction the hair grows, with short, gentle strokes. If you hit a knot, work it loose with your fingers or the comb instead of pulling.
Line brush the thick areas
On the ruff, chest and pants, part the hair with one hand and brush the layer below the parting, then move the parting along. Brushing only the top leaves packed undercoat underneath.
Finish with the slicker and comb
Go over the whole coat with the slicker, then comb through. Check behind the ears and in the armpits, where friction makes mats.
Keep it short and pleasant
Several five minute sessions beat one marathon. Stop before your dog is fed up and finish with a treat.
Summer
Should you shave
a Corgi in summer?
No. The double coat shields the skin from sun and helps insulate against heat as well as cold. Shaving does not stop shedding. It just makes the hairs shorter, and on double coated dogs the coat can grow back slowly, patchily or with a different texture. The exceptions are severe matting or a reason your vet gives you.
To keep a Corgi comfortable in the heat, brush out loose undercoat so air can move, give shade and plenty of water, and walk early or late. If pavement is too hot for the back of your hand, it is too hot for paws. Living in Arizona, we take the heat seriously.
Bathing
How often should
you bathe a Corgi?
Every few months is plenty for most Corgis, or whenever they roll in something. Bathing too often strips the natural oils that keep the coat weather resistant. Use a shampoo made for dogs.
Brush thoroughly first, because loose undercoat tangles when wet. Soak the coat right down to the skin, rinse until the water runs clear, then dry properly with towels and a hair dryer on a cool, low setting, since a dense coat that stays damp can irritate the skin. A bath during a coat blow loosens a remarkable amount of hair.
Keep reading
More Corgi guides.
The small jobs
Nails, ears
and teeth.
These take a few minutes each and matter as much as the coat.
Trim every few weeks. If you hear nails clicking on a hard floor, they are too long. Take a little at a time to avoid the quick, the blood supply inside the nail, and keep styptic powder handy. A grinder suits dogs who dislike clippers. Do not forget any dewclaws.
Upright Corgi ears catch dust. Look inside weekly and wipe the outer part with a cotton pad and an ear cleaner your vet recommends. Never push anything into the canal. Redness, a smell, discharge or head shaking means a vet visit.
Brush with a soft dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste, daily if you can. Never use human toothpaste: it is not meant to be swallowed, and some contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Your vet will check teeth at every visit.
Fluffy Corgis
What is a fluffy Corgi,
and is grooming different?
A fluffy is a Pembroke with a much longer, softer coat and feathering on the ears, chest, legs and feet. It comes from a recessive long coat gene, so a fluffy puppy can appear when both parents carry it. The breed standard counts it as a fault in the show ring, but it makes no difference to being a lovely companion.
Fluffies need more brushing and tangle more easily, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the pants. Comb those spots every few days and keep the hair between the paw pads trimmed so your dog does not slip on hard floors. The shaving advice is the same: do not.
Starting young
How do you get a puppy
used to grooming?
Our puppies have basic grooming exposure before they leave, so being handled is not brand new. Keep it going from the first week. Touch a paw, an ear or the mouth for a second, then treat. Let your puppy sniff the brush, give one stroke and reward. Hold the clippers near a paw, reward, and put them away.
Build up slowly; one nail a day is a fine start. A lick mat with a little xylitol free peanut butter keeps a puppy busy while you work. A puppy who learns that grooming is pleasant is far easier to care for as an adult, and easier for your vet to examine.
Grooming questions
Corgi grooming
questions.
Are Corgis hypoallergenic?
No. No dog is truly allergy free, and a heavy shedder like a Corgi is a poor match for someone with significant dog allergies. If anyone in your home is allergic, spend time around Corgis before you commit.
Do Corgis need a professional groomer?
Not usually. Most owners manage brushing, nails and the occasional bath at home. A groomer can help a lot during a coat blow, when a bath and a high velocity dryer move a great deal of undercoat at once. Ask for a deshed and a tidy, not a clip.
Do you need to trim a Corgi's coat?
Very little. Trimming the hair between the paw pads and tidying the feet helps with grip and keeps them neat. The body coat should not need cutting.
What if my Corgi hates nail trims?
Go back a step: handle paws for treats, then touch a nail with the clippers, then trim one nail and stop. A grinder, a helper with a lick mat or trimming after a walk can all help. If it is still a battle, your vet or groomer can do nails while you keep practicing.
Keep reading
Grooming is one part
of a good routine.
Pair this with our Corgi puppy training guide and our guide on how to take care of a Corgi. See what comes home with every puppy on our health and care page, read our puppy process, or meet the puppies available now.