Corgis and beagles are dynamic and confident dogs, both are great companion pets for individuals and families.
Corgis are excellent at learning skills, while beagles are harder to train. Corgies are also more independent and can be territorial. Beagles are happy, docile family pets. Healthy and energetic, beagles make excellent activity companions. Beagles get along with other pets, although they may view rodent pets as prey. Corgis are more vigilant around other dogs, especially those they have not met before.
A Corgi Might Be Right for You if:
- You want to only have one dog and no other pets: corgis are among the breeds that are sociable but independent enough. They do well with most other friendly pets but do perfectly well as solo household pets.
- You want to teach your dog commands and skills. Corgis are highly capable but a beagle would face some challenges with training.
A Beagle Might Be Right for You if:
- You want a companion for jogging, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Athletic and hardy in warm weather, beagles tolerate most types of outdoor exercise.
- You prefer to deal with little shedding and minimal grooming needs
- There are other dogs or young children in your household
Beagle Compared to Pembroke Welsh Corgi: the Basics
| Breed | Beagle | Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
| Height | 13-16 in (33-41 cm) | 10-13 in (25-33 cm) |
| Weight | 20-24 lbs (9 -11 kg) | 22-32 lbs (10-14 kg) |
| Life span | 12-15 years | 11-15 years |
| Common health issues | – epilepsy is more common than other breeds – hip dysplasia – hypoactive thyroid – ear infections | – hip dysplasia, arthritis, joint injuries – spinal disk problems – epilepsy – eye problems – von Willebrand’s disease (a clotting problem that leads to excessive bleeding) |
| Energy level | – high-energy – moderate to high | – high-energy – medium exercise needs, modified exercise to avoid high-impact activities |
| Good with kids? | Yes, especially school-age kids | Yes, but needs supervision around infants and toddlers |
| Hypoallergenic? | No | No |
Intelligence and Response to Training
When people discuss a dog’s intelligence, they usually refer to the dog’s ability to learn and acquire new commands and skills.
Beagles have extremely strong instincts, specifically excellent tracking skills and an exceptional sense of smell. They make fabulous hunting partners and detection dogs. For example, can be great at helping law enforcement officers in airports to detect substances in luggage.
At the same time, beagles are far below average when it comes to mastering commands and learning skills. In other words, they have a low working intelligence. Beagles share position 72 out of 79 with mastiffs in their obedience ranking.
In comparison, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are #11, which is considered the category of the brightest and easiest-to-train dogs.
In practical terms, this is what training a corgi and a beagle might be like, in comparison:
- A corgi does not need a skillful, or professional trainer, to achieve good results in training. A novice trainer can train corgis. Beagles, on the other hand, need a patient, methodical, experienced trainer to make some progress.
- Corgis retain simple commands within a few repetitions, but a beagle would need to practice multiple times to remember a command
- Beagles need to refresh their skills to retain them in the long run, corgis tend to remember well, although they too benefit from the practice
- Beagles should be trained in a familiar, low-distraction environment. Corgis do well in a variety of environments but they also can get distracted by kids running around, for example.
The Dog’s Energy Level and Exercise Needs
Beagles and corgis are active, sporty dogs. Both have high energy levels. They need to spend a good amount of time walking, playing, and engaging with other dogs and people.
Both beagles and corgis make great activity partners but beagles have fewer restrictions because they generally don’t have as many health issues as corgis.
Due to their physique, corgis should not engage in high-impact activities, such as running and arduous hiking. They do well with light hiking and regular walking, as long as it is not hot outside.
You are welcome to read our post on the sports and activities that are appropriate for corgis. These dogs benefit from the right kind of physical exercise but some sports also keep their active minds engaged.
Beagles tolerate hiking in warm weather, they love to run and jump, and generally tolerate most activities well. Their limitation, however, is that they get distracted easily, so it is important to keep them on a leash while hiking or running in crowded places.
The Dog and Children
Corgis and beagles are excellent pets for families with kids of school age.
These dogs are enthusiastic, fun, responsive to training, and generally well-behaved. Both beagles and corgis are excellent activity partners, although only low-impact exercise is appropriate for corgis as we discussed in the previous section.
When it comes to infants, toddlers, and very young kids in general, beagles and corgis need some supervision.
Corgis in particular are prone to chasing and nipping. Beagles can be somewhat hyperactive. Although they are usually very gentle and patient with young children, they are difficult to train and often love to bark. Beagles make excellent family pets but training them to behave appropriately around children could require time and patience.
With proper training and supervised exposure to children, most corgis and beagles do well around young kids over time.
The Dog and Other Pets
Due to their strong hunting background, Beagles can have issues with small pets, especially bunnies, and rats. It does not mean that a Beagle will not get along with a small pet but a dog of this breed might need supervision around the other pet and time to get used to living with other pets.
Beagles do well with cats and dogs, especially if they are raised together.
Corgis may have some challenges with rodent pets and even cats, due to their herding urges. Even with ample training, which generally yields good results with this breed of dogs, corgis might still chase and nip smaller pets.
Corgis and beagles get along well with other friendly dogs. Corgis are known to be quite independent and they don’t need the companionship of other pets as much as many other dogs. They do well with being the only dog in the household.
Shedding and Grooming Needs
Double-coated and furry, corgis shed moderately to heavily, depending on the season. Dogs of this breed benefit from regular brushing and an occasional bath. Many owners take their pets to professional groomers occasionally, but it is an optional practice.
In comparison, beagles shed little, and their fur is not noticeable on most surfaces. They do not need brushing and do not need regular bathing unless the dog gets dirty. A Beagle’s fur is very low-maintenance.
Please note that neither breed is considered to be of low allergenic potential, so allergies to both beagles and corgis are rather common.
Health Issues Common for Beagles and Corgis
Beagles are a very healthy breed of dog, in general.
- Beagles are predisposed to epilepsy, this disorder is more common for this breed than most other breeds. The onset is usually between 2 and 4 years old.
Like many other breeds, many Beagles develop hip dysplasia, obesity, hypothyroidism, and ear infections. These conditions are not specific to the breed and are more likely to develop as the dog gets older.
Corgis are prone to several serious health conditions:
- Corgis’ physique makes corgis prone to problems with their joints, including hip dysplasia and arthritis.
- Many corgis suffer from dislocation of their intervertebral disks which leads to pain and mobility issues
- Von Willebrand’s disorder is a clotting problem that can cause excessive bleeding. Screening is important because 37% of corgis are carriers and 6% have an active clotting disorder. Awareness makes it possible to plan appropriately for any surgical procedures
- Degenerative myelopathy causes limb weakness and progresses to paralysis as the dogs age.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are also among the breeds that commonly develop epilepsy and cataracts.
To Conclude
It is important to remember that every pup is an individual, so the breed does not always predict the dog’s personality. The animal’s instincts and abilities, however, are impacted by the breed significantly.
Corgis and beagles share in common their enthusiastic and happy personalities.
Beagles are more universal as activity companions due to their stamina, tolerance of warm weather, and good overall health. Corgis, however, are the winners in agility and rank highly in their capacity to learn in general.
