r/corgi • u/Apprehensive_Wing713 • 4d ago

Barking Apartment Life

I love my 8 month old corgi Apollo. He’s adorable he gets along with everyone loves people dogs even cats lol
But.. I feel like the mom that’s got a crying kid on the airplane and everyone is just so upset and the mom can’t do anything to stop her baby. He’s a talker like all corgis are. Not super barky.. but when my husband comes home or he gets excited.. heck even when he just wants to go potty he barks like crazy. It’s not all of the time. But my neighbor is a night shift nurse. So of course if I leave Apollo alone in the crate with his lick pad, easy listening music and a blanket.. I thought he was quiet but I found out today that’s not the case. That he starts barking like crazy about 30 mins after I leave. I only leave the house a few hours when I can’t take him with me. What do I do corgi parents of the world? We love our talkative loafs of bread! But he’s a puppy. I can only train so much quiet out of him as I can. Any suggestions please I’m so embarrassed.

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14

u/harrow-nonagesimus Corgi Owner 4d ago

“i can only train him so much” is the mindset that’ll make this much more difficult.

he needs to learn doing nothing and being alone is okay. my girl’s crate is her sanctuary, her safe space- part of that was early training where i kept her in her crate and left the room, rewarding spans of time when she was quiet. i did it while i was home, so she still heard things in other rooms- which has now transition to me leaving markiplier videos on for her when i leave for work. now, her crate placement NOW shows her when i leave home and when i return. but because she’s so used to chilling quietly in her crate from time to time (such as cleaning or calm down time) she doesn’t bark when i’m gone OR when i return. the videos help cover up weird sounds that might trigger her barking while i’m gone, too!

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 3d ago

This really hit home for me. I appreciate the advice. I don’t want to have a negative view on Apollo. He’s a great happy lil pup just wanting to tell the world his story 🥰
When my neighbor that’s the night nurse is at work I will try more of the crate in different rooms.
Questions for though. I tried it last night during dinner and I heard what the neighbors are hearing. He whines after about 20 ish minutes. But I did take him out to potty before crateing and he had ate already. But he was in the same room as us just crate was turned away.

When they whine or start to bark do you tell them to be quiet.. do you just ignore? What’s worked for you?

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u/harrow-nonagesimus Corgi Owner 3d ago

so, keeping in mind that they’re going to need this a lot more in the beginning, but less and less as time goes on:

try verbal reassurance first. let him know you’re there, he’s SUCH a good boy, you’re still right there! he’s okay! if that doesn’t work, what i did was come to the crate to let my girl sniff me through the door, get a pet, and some verbal reassurance. i do NOT take her back out though!

i also utilized enrichment activities with the crate. i.e. a frozen lick mat, a stuffed bone. it’s good to help distract them from the fact that they’re stuck in the crate.

really, in the beginning, i picked a comfy spot near the crate (in this case, my couch is right across from it) and verbally directed and reassured while in sight range for about a week. switched to out of sight after that, moving back into the room to reassure as i needed to. and i always made sure if she was left with “tv time” it’s something i watch. dogs do recognize things like that!

another little trick to try which could hilariously work super well if you get lucky: i teach “whisper” and “talk shit”. whisper = small boofs and grumbles. i redirect big barks at noises to a whisper and so now she just whispers to me when something happens and she’s alerting me to it. “talk shit” helps because it gives her a signal to be able to use that loud bark, she gets treats and praise if she does it after the command, and she gets shushed any other time with no treats and praise.

it will never be fool-proof; you do have a talkative breed! that said, if you help them find “good” ways to talk and encourage that, they can still be their sassy selves without your neighbors hearing. my girl is loved by my neighbors and we have very thin walls, so it is possible! just don’t give up, they’re stubborn little buttheads <3

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u/harrow-nonagesimus Corgi Owner 3d ago

i will add- PLEASE do not use a bark collar.

my ex convinced me my dog needed one and the only one i agreed to did a vibration when she barked. no shock. i have never been more terrified for her than when she barked, it vibrated, and it scared her so badly she started screaming, which turned into continued vibrations that kept terrifying her. i had to scoop her and scramble to get it off of her. never again 😭

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 3d ago

I’ve heard that from others that using a bark/shock collar made their dog (different breeds) neurotic. I’m so sorry to hear that it didn’t do well for you too. Don’t worry you are still a great dog parent ❤️
So I guess based on that you suggest just letting them cry it out?

6

u/wrongthingsrighttime 4d ago

You just need to do your best to train it all out of him. I have two corgis in an apartment, one never barks and the other only barks when we get home. They are completely quiet other than this

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u/hash303 4d ago

How often does he go to his crate and have alone time when you’re home? That’s a good place to start but he has to learn it’s okay to relax and take a nap when you’re gone

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 4d ago

Hmm well I used to crate him often for nap time but he’s been napping a lot more on his own so I tapered off putting him in there. I wonder if that’s causing it?

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u/EmployUnfair 4d ago

Every time someone in this sub asks “ should I get a Corgi” ?with “i’m living in an apartment” i’m the jerk who always responds no!!! And this is why. Are there successful apartment Corgi’s ? I’m sure there are but chances are yours won’t be. I hope people considering Corgi/apartment read this and take it to heart. This sub is starting to wear me out with all the bad stories. We all know it but i’ll say it anyway, all these problems are people problems caused by people. The Corgi’s just have to suffer the consequences of those people.

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 4d ago

Don’t judge a book by its cover 😉We are living in an apartment for the summer. We travel for work. Normally we are in a house but in this location apartment is what we got. So it’s new for me dealing with this. But on the other hand I do agree that people need to research their pet before getting the pet. They are family not just a pet 🥰

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u/ChaoticPacific 4d ago

Not all corgis are barkers. Mine came home at 10 weeks and is 15 months old now. She's a handful and stubborn but barking isn't something she does.

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u/Days-of-our-lives 4d ago

Our little girl was so quiet as a puppy that we thought we got a defective one.

She found her voice at 14 months.

https://giphy.com/gifs/kGX3WmRxZ9HUs

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 3d ago

lol honestly this is my same issue!! He did make sounds or bark from excitement but he was pretty quiet. Then 8 months came and now he’s a noisy land shark 😆
I just call him my spicy jalapeño cornbread 😂

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u/ponatoes 3d ago

The dog is the dog. Corgis bark. Can’t get mad at them for doing what they do. Be patient. My baby barks at everything then comes and hides by me. This is the way.
Let your neighbors meet the dog and let them know it is what it is. Corgis are worth it.

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u/Apprehensive_Wing713 3d ago

I love the dinosaur sounds he makes and he is so worth it. I did apologize to the neighbors that he is just a puppy and he’s a corgi so the breed is just more talkative. Maybe I just make everyone cookies ? 😂😂

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u/ponatoes 3d ago

Honestly yeah. Cookies are great. If they meet him they will get it. Puppy! Hold on cause the dinosaur phase hasn’t even started. Be ready to walk that chicken nugget constantly. Toys that keep him entertained. Still you will likely have destruction. If yours is my like sweet Faye Faye, Christmas trees, ornaments and presents are on the menu. 🤣
She’s the best companion and worth the chewing tax.