- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Whether it’s the regal Pembroke Welsh or the playful Cardigan, the precious corgi’s distinctive features can be spotted miles away. We attribute their looks to amazing dog genes, but what about a stylish haircut to accompany their airplane ears and petite build?
This lively pup deserves a good hairdo. Here’s what you need to know about grooming a corgi.
Corgi Grooming Basics
Before picking out a hairstyle you like on the internet and taking it to a groomer, there are many considerations with this particular breed. For instance, the corgi has a weatherproof double coat. Originally bred for sheepherding in the 1100s, a corgi tends to shed on a daily basis. This means it’s recommended to do a daily once over with a comb or brush to remove dead hair.
Brushing out a corgi is beneficial for you too. It means you can control some of the shedding before it gets in your carpet, on your clothes or in your food!
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On top of the daily shed-fests, corgis also have an official “shedding season.” In the late spring and early summer, expect shedding to increase tenfold. To help lessen the furry load during this time, start giving them baths regularly.
Consider which types of shampoo and conditioner you use before giving a corgi a bath, however. Some may be more suitable for thick coats than others.
After bath time, make sure your corgi is dry before brushing them out to lessen the potential hair tangling issues. Raking out loose hairs helps strip out the undercoat, leaving your corgi’s hair lighter for the summer.
If you have a Cardigan corgi, however, sometimes people make the mistake of cutting their fur too short to keep them cool in the summer.
Interestingly, more hair is needed on a corgi’s frame to maintain a normal body temperature and to protect from the elements. Corgis have been known to sunburn!
That being said, some Cardigans have dark fur and absorb extra heat. Make sure your corgi is well hydrated through the summer months.
Ready for your corgi pup to shine? Here are the top hairstyles for corgis.
Top Corgi Hairstyles
Fluff It Out
If you have a long-haired or fluffy corgi (sometimes found in the Pembroke breed), or even a standard corgi with a lot of attitude, the rest is easy.
It’s time to get glam with this fluffy and voluminous hairstyle. To achieve this look, groomers have to evenly cut and then fluff out accordingly using a “line brushing.”
Line brushing starts from the bottom of the fur and goes upward, brushing the direction of the fur with a soft wire brush. Professionals do this for dog shows as it not only fluffs
up the fur, it detangles and loosens any dead hair. This leaves the coat looking luxuriously smooth and filled with vim and vigor.
Leave it Natural
Believe it or not, corgi fur need not be cut regularly. In fact, their natural length is perfect for them to feel comfortable in the summer and winter months. It’s suggested that they should be brushed out regularly, however, because shedding is a constant problem in a corgi household.
In fact, you can tell a lot from a corgi’s shedding patterns. If they are shedding too much too frequently, it may be a sign of stress or poor nutrition. Consult your vet if you’re unsure what “too much” may look like.
Modest Trim
In the dog days of summer, keep a corgi’s hair modest by giving them a very light trim. Many corgi owners love leaving the ears and fur around the face nice and full while keeping the rest of the hair a little shorter.
Making sure the hair isn’t too close to the ground during the summer months means they can have fun playing outside without dragging much dirt into the house!
Grooming means going beyond the initial hairdo! Whether you have your dog professionally groomed or are fluffing it up at home, this is the perfect opportunity to clip a corgi’s nails and check their ears for any infections or abnormalities.
Overgrown nails can damage a dog’s paws. Meanwhile, the ears are just as important to a dog’s health as any other body part. That’s where they get their superhuman hearing from!
Learn more about Corgis in this video:
