Just as with children, make sure that the toys you leave with your puppy cannot be taken apart or eaten, or he will, with gusto! Be sure that you do leave him some toys to play with during the day. As I have said before, a Corgi will invent games to amuse himself, especially if he has the toys with which to do it. I often search the flea markets for baby toys that I feel will be safe for a pup. Just make sure that those little teeth cannot tear it apart (or work the squeaker out of it).

A good variety of toys should be kept on hand. Do not give them to the pup all at once, but rotate them every few days. Good toys for solo play include a large soccer type ball, such as a "Boomer Ball"; "Kong" which is a great self motivater as it bounces crazily when he drops it; soft toys for teething and security such as the "Booda-Bone"; a large rawhide toy (large to prevent choking); and a hard toy.

For supervised play you will want small balls, latex toys or Frisbee-types for retrieving games, and tug toys, but play gently with these to prevent damaging incoming teeth or encouraging aggression. You will just have to experiment to see what your pup likes best.

Schedule a regular time to play with your Corgi. He needs the exercise and the companionship. This will help keep him in good shape, mentally and physically. If you jog, take him with you, as long as you keep in mind his age and the conditions of the day. (Jogging is only for dogs over 9 months of age, and limit it to an easy, short distance, until he is at least 1 year old.) Dogs can easily suffer from heat stroke on a hot day!

Your Corgi would greatly benefit from obedience training, as would any dog. You should leash break your pup as soon as you get him. To leash break, buy a flat nylon or leather collar and a small nylon or leather lead. (Do not get a chain lead, as this is murder on your hands.) NEVER put a choke chain or nylon slip collar on a dog and leave it on him. These are for training only, and can easily hang a dog up on an object or another dog while playing, and choke him to death. When buying the flat collar, keep it loose enough so that you can slip one or two fingers between the collar and the neck.

Leash break the pup by attaching the lead to the collar and carrying him outside, away from the house. Put him down, and then follow him around for awhile. Try gently leading him in the direction that you want him to go. As a general rule, teach the pup to walk at your left side. If he resists, tug, do not pull, on the lead. Call his name, tug, and start walking. He'll get the idea soon enough. You can accomplish much with treats in a young puppy - bribery always works! By taking the dog on a walk daily, you will quickly leash break him, and he will soon be looking forward to his walks, and will rush to the door when he sees his leash in your hand. I highly recommend buying a "Flexi-lead" of medium strength to walk your pup. You should still train him to walk on a short lead even if you use a flexi.

I strongly recommend that you enroll your Corgi in an obedience class. If he is young, many obedience clubs offer a Kindergarten Puppy Class. Check with your veterinarian for the contact person for the local dog obedience club. A trained Corgi is a happy Corgi!