If you’re on the hunt for your new, four-legged best friend, then it’s important to consider what type of dog will suit you, your family, and your routine.
Some dogs will need more space than others, while some may have greater health problems to watch out for. Doing your research will help you prepare to give the best home to your new pup and make dog ownership as easy as possible.
A Bit About Greyhounds
Greyhounds make fantastic pets. Despite popular belief, they actually don’t need lots of space or exercise. Although they are known for their sprinting ability, they aren’t great for stamina. After they’ve exerted all of their energy, they’re happy to laze around on the sofa with you. They’re actually known for being couch potatoes.
They have amazing temperaments, and despite their size, they’re great with children. You’ll often find them dozing in the sun, legs in the air, snuggled up with their favorite little people.
Their breed has been loyal to humans for over 4,000 years, making it one of the oldest domesticated dog breeds. Today, they’re bred as runners, built to chase rabbits (or at least fake ones) around the track.
This means they aren’t the best pets for homes with small animals. Otherwise, they’re the perfect family pet, especially if you choose to take in a retired greyhound after their standard 2-3 years on the track.
A Bit About Corgis
There are two variations of Corgi; the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is one of the oldest breeds from Britain, brought to Wales by the celts in 1200 BC. However, the Pembroke Corgi is a younger breed, created from German Spitz breeds.
Both breeds are small dogs with short legs and large heads and upright ears. They have double coats, meaning they require a lot of grooming and bathing to keep their skin and fur healthy. This also means that they can shed a lot, so they’re not the right choice for people with allergies.
Like Greyhounds, they have calm personalities in comparison to those expected of smaller, more yappy breeds and they fit in really well with children.
Their size makes them perfect for small homes. They also don’t need a lot of exercise, just the standard 20 minutes in the morning and afternoon will work out perfectly.
They are known to have incredibly strong personalities and are stubborn when they don’t agree, making them outgoing, curious, and fearless dog, who has no concept of their size.
The Corgi Greyhound Mix
If you think either the Corgi or the Greyhound has the qualities that you’re looking for in your perfect dog, then it’s also a great idea to check out the Greyhound-Corgi Mix.
A mixed dog breed can really help to combine personality traits, appearance, and size to create the ideal companion. The breeding may even help to eliminate some of the common health problems experienced by either breed.
Let’s take a look at some of the traits of the Greyhound-Corgi Mix.
Personality
Both dogs are known to be amazing family pets, so they are great dogs to select if you have children. They are loyal, cuddly, and love to play.
However, as Greyhounds are known to chase small animals, their instinct might cause them to attack rabbits or other rodents, or sometimes even cats. So, they aren’t a good fit for a house with other pets.
Health
It’s difficult to imagine a Greyhound and a Corgi mating. The Corgi would need stilts. However, it is possible and creates beautiful puppies with huge ears and irresistible faces.
But because their breeds are so different, the mix is prone to hip and joint problems. Sadly, due to overbreeding, these types of dogs tend to struggle after the age of 8. They often have arthritis and other joint-related issues, meaning they are likely to need a lot of veterinary care later on in life.
This could mean that your dog’s life expectancy is shortened if you have to do this kind of thing.
While Greyhounds have a life expectancy of up to 15 years and Corgis are around 13 years, the mixed breed may be only around 10 years for this reason.
Appearance
The appearance of a Greyhound-Corgi Mix can be really varied. It depends on which parents had dominant genes and passed on specific traits. There are no guarantees, so if you’re looking for a picture-perfect, Instagramable pooch, then this probably isn’t right for you.
Typically, they’ll have large ears, and pointy faces, as these are traits that the two dogs share. However, the leg length and stature of the dog are completely up for debate.
Size
Due to the size difference between Corgis and Greyhounds, your Corgi-Greyhound Mix is likely to be somewhere in between, based on the dominant genes.
A full-grown Greyhound can be up to 76 cm at shoulder height and weigh up to 40kg. However, the Corgi is only a third of that height in adulthood.
This poses some problems, as there’s no guarantee of size. But luckily, neither breed needs a particularly large space to live in, so it’s usually not too much of a problem.
Coat
Your mix will have a short coat, which may inherit the double-coated gene. Neither breed is hypoallergenic. You will get some shedding, but how much isn’t guaranteed as it depends on whether your dog inherits a Corgi coat or a Greyhound one.
Exercise
If you don’t have a whole lot of time to dedicate to your dog, then the Corgi-Greyhound Mix is a good option. While Corgis don’t need a long walk because of their tiny legs, Greyhounds get easily tired after a couple of walks per day.
You will need to judge based on the size of your dog, but they’re a good option for a busy lifestyle.
Summary
Although Greyhound-Corgi Mixes are wonderful, friendly pets with few day-to-day needs, they can come with some complex health issues. You should consider this and the cost before welcoming one into your home.
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