DD and I have decided that we want a Corgi and for a variety of reasons would prefer to get an adult. We have filled out rescue applications and have been kindly told twice now that the rescues don’t actually get a lot of Corgis and to contact breeders looking to place adult dogs (as this is how I got my first lab - the dog of my heart- I am all about this). However I have yet to hear back from any of the breeders I have contacted (about 7 of them locally - SEPA). Any other suggestions?
Regular rescues may not get many purebred Corgis but most breeds have specific breed rescue organizations that may have dogs available:
http://cardiganrescue.org/AvailableDogs.html
http://www.pwccp.org/
As far as contacting breeders, it’s a good way to network, but many breeders don’t specifically place adult dogs unless their first home doesn’t work out. So it is possible to find a dog through breeders, but it might not be immediate and unless a breeder has a dog that they are actively trying to place they may not get back to you. (Unfortunately, but just being honest.)
In my breed I have only known of a handful of adult placements over the last 8-9 years - they happen occasionally but it’s not something I would expect.
You can contact and look up the Corgi breeders on the AKC page for more breeders. Also there are some breed specific rescues by US regions which often end up with adult Corgi’s. This isn’t the best of options but sometimes there are Facebook groups specific for rehoming a specific breed. Perhaps you can find a group like this? I joined a standard poodle rehoming group on Facebook and there are constant posts everyday looking to rehome poodles. Best of luck!
Ask breeders specifically about retiring show dogs that aren’t designated for breeding. That’s how I ended up with one of mine. He had great confo but loved people so much that he didn’t show well. Best dog I ever had!
I help with Mayflower rescue, I typically care for the ones which come in to rescue in norther New England and Dr. Pam the southern half. We’ve probably only had about a half dozen dogs come in to rescue each year for the past 3 years of so. Suspect it’s similar for Garden State. I have placed one adult dog from my breeding program and have one I might place later this year. Still on the fence. Reality for Pembrokes right now is that demand for puppies from health tested and titled parents vastly exceeds demand. I already have more homes on my wait list than I will have puppies available and my friends are all the same way. Retired dogs often go to folks who already have a dog from us. The longer most of us breed, the fewer puppies who are likely to be available to new homes as repeat buyers get first preference. So, I would contact everyone you can, but don’t be surprised if you have a wait. And while I and many others I know do respond to all inquiries, there are time we hear from ten folks in a single week.
Not many people actually just place or sell “retiring show dogs” with new families. Sometimes it happens, but this is the type of placement I wrote about above - in almost 10 years I can think of only 2 dogs like this - one was placed with someone already in the breed, and the other was ultimately kept by the breeder/owner because they couldn’t find a suitable home. This dog is going out to be shown with a handler for a while, and maybe will be available again - but almost certainly not to someone new to the breed, and definitely not for free/cheap. A lot of money has already been put into this dog, so unless it was a perfect pet home it’s going to someone looking to special or breed.
This might differ depending on breed and location, but I would not expect a lot from inquiries like this.
Thanks, everyone, for your input. I appreciate it. I didn’t mean to sound inconsiderate or impatient - I know that breeders are very busy and have lives and kids and work and sometimes horses that take up a lot of their time. I would just like to be as proactive as possible. And I’m not looking for free or cheap - I fully expect an adult dog to be more expensive than a puppy.
My guy came from Larklain Corgis in Denver, which produced many breed winners over the years until the owner passed away. I purchased a pet-quality puppy (overbite) from them the year before. She was $700 (this was 1998).
When I called the next year about another pup, she offered me Andy instead. He was a year-and-a-half old and was still intact. He was $900, and they knew I wasn’t going to breed him. They just wanted him to retire to pet life.
I never meant to imply that an ex-show dog was cheap–only that they are another source of adult dogs if you end up asking at the right time.
I just found on FB a breeder looking to place a 9 mo male who has inconsistent ears so he isn’t suitable to be bred or shown. I have contacted her and hope to be considered!
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I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!
Ok, your story is perfect example of what is more likely - repeat family buys an available older dog instead of new puppy. They are usually sold for at least the same price as a puppy and often go to someone that the breeder already knows.
It is possible that a first time person in the breed might get lucky - and it doesn’t hurt to ask. It’s just not that common where breeders are placing/selling dogs because they are “retiring” from a show career. At least, not in my breed or experience.
OP, sending you good wishes. My husband and I spent over a year looking for an adult Corgi after losing our two heart Corgis a few months apart. We found our guy at an all breed rescue 600 miles away. He is awesome. We often say best 1200 miles of driving on the turnpike through snow squalls ever. His three year “got me anniversary” was last week 
Keep looking, they are out there, just not many. Corgis Rule!
I’d say contact as many breeders and owners as possible. It’s word of mouth that will help you, I think. Wishing you good luck in finding a corgi. They are the best.
There are corgi rescues in every state! Look up Corgi Nation News Network or Corgi Rescues of America on Facebook. AKC will have a list of Rescues for sure, I’m not sure about other registries as they aren’t as history defined (pedigree wise) or organized as AKC.
This site is also good for adopting. You can select the state and then species (dog, cat, cow…) and then the breed and it’ll pull up a list of animals available. If they aren’t any in your state then it’ll have a map showing how many animals of that type are available by state. You can then select a state and see the animals there.
http://corgi.rescueme.org/
Here you go, Corgi Rescue with a list of affiliates.
You can rescue an adult corgi, but you have to be persistent and fast. I rescued three adult corgis at different times from three different states. I found them all through FaceBook sites and had to respond immediately or someone else will snatch them up. Corgi Rescues of America is a good site but others are Corgi Connection of Kansas, Celtic Corgi Rescue, and Corgis That are Safe but need a Furever Home. There are transport options to get them to you like the Corgi Transport Coalition. Good luck. As others have said: Corgis are the best!
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Thank you everyone for the info and the insight! I really appreciate it!
If you’re on facebook, check out the Celtic Corgi Rescue in OK City as well as Corgi Connection of Kansas, both good rescue groups. There’s also the group Corgi Coalition Transport Team where people post links to corgis needing adoption and while it’s up to you to arrange adoption if you find a dog you’re iiterested in, the group will help arrange transport within a 1,000 mile radius if needed.
Welcome to Corgi Nation!!
Any news from the OP?
If you’re on social media, particularly FB, look into joining local corgi groups. A friend of mine is very active in our local corgi groups (goes to meet ups and picnics and such) and I think adopted her adult corgi through a connection through one of them. It helps that she’s been a long time corgi owner and has connections with a respected breeder for years (her oldest corgi is 15.5 years old!).
I do hope you are ready for corgi ownership, though. They are adorable and so much fun, but they are extremely high energy and LOUD. Whenever my girls (who are very quiet dogs) hang out with their corgi BFFs, they each look at me at least once as if to say “can you PLEASE tell them to use their inside voices?” Even my mostly deaf dog knows EXACTLY what her little friends are saying, 100% of the time :lol:
