East Coast Corgi Rescue

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East Coast Corgi Rescue

Based in Washington, D.C., ECCR locates, rescues, fosters and transports corgis in need for adoption to their forever home.

Eligible for adoption: DC, VA, MD, PA, DE, NJ. Based in Washington, D.C., ECCR locates, rescues and transports corgis in need for immediate or eventual adoption to their forever home. In some cases we help owners directly adopt to the next family, in other cases we step in when the animal is in immediate need or the owner is giving them up. We don't have a shelter, and are always in need of foster homes!

11/01/2025

We have an Ava update! She finished her round of antibiotics for her UTI and recently had another urinalysis done. We are so happy that her UTI is all cleared up and her urinalysis came back normal. She is also down to 42.2 lbs now! She’s lost a total of 6.6 lbs since she’s been with us! She still has a ways to go to get to a healthy weight, but she’s off to a great start!

Ava has been doing great in her foster home. Her foster has continued to keep her separated from the other dogs in the home. There’s definitely signs of some jealousy and resource guarding the space near her people towards the other dogs. So for everyone’s safety, the dogs are kept separated. She has been outside with the other dogs with a fence between them and has not really shown any issues with the other dogs outside (see the video in the comments). She will mostly run with them along the fence line. She was a little bit reactive though with other dogs on the leash. This is something that could be fixed if worked on consistently and with some training. She has also been cat tested and she is not cat friendly.

Ava has been doing great on her diet and we’re so pleased with her progress so far. She looks so much better and she’s able to move around so much easier too. She also gets daily exercise and that has helped her out a lot too. As she continued to get older, it’s more and more important for her to be at a healthy weight so she doesn’t have extra stress on her back and joints. She really enjoys her time with her people. She loves to be pet and to snuggle up next to her foster. She’s been an only dog her whole life and that’s definitely what she prefers.

Ava needs a family who are not gone all day long. She really enjoys spending time with her people, and she’s had people home with her a lot her whole life. She also needs a family who will continue her healthy diet and daily exercise so she can continue to lose weight and get to a healthy weight. She needs a home where she is the only dog. She can be dog reactive sometimes outside, but it’s not all the time and seems to be mostly when other dogs are really close. Otherwise, she ignores other dogs she sees. She also needs a home without any cats. She’s a very active girl and she loves to play. Don’t let her size and age fool you, she got around really well and easily when she came to us, and that’s only improving now that she’s losing the weight. This girl deserves the best home, where she can continue to live like a queen. Here’s a message from her foster:

“Ava’s doing great on her diet! This spunky girl is full of energy, but also knows how to chill with the best of them. She enjoys sniffing and searching in the yard and then coming back in for a nice nap on the couch. She enjoys sitting with her head on your lap while you pet her. Her UTI is all cleared up now. She is learning that being brushed isn't a bad thing. She is not fond of other critters in her domain, so will need to be an only pet. And she loves people! Not sure how she is with kids as she's had no opportunity to meet them here. She is alert to noises, and was a little nervous during recent thunderstorms and NYE fireworks, but quickly relaxed once they were over. She likes toys and will play fetch. Her ideal home would be with someone who works from home or is not gone all day. She sleeps well in her ex-pen and is well potty trained. At seven and a half years old, she's got lots of love and life to give!”

If you’re interested in adopting a dog from us, please submit your application. Our adoption applications are now open at: https://www.eastcoastcorgirescue.org/copy-of-adopt. Adoption is open to DC/VA/MD/PA/DE/NJ residents only. We do not allow people to apply for a specific dog. You must be ready and prepared to adopt a dog within at least 6 months. We can no longer hold onto applications indefinitely. The way our system works is, if your application is accepted, your adoption applications goes into one big pool. When a dog is ready to be adopted, we look through that pool to find the absolute best match for that particular dog. All contact with you will be through email. If you’re unresponsive to our emails your application will automatically be denied. If approved, your application will stay in our pool until a match is made. This could take some time depending on how many dogs we take in, how long they have to remain in foster for, and their specific needs. Each dog is different. Thank you for your understanding and support.

09/01/2025

We have a Daisy update! Daisy has been doing great in her foster home. She continues to do really well with the resident corgi, but she will food and resource guard with her. Her foster makes sure that they are fed separately and bowls are picked up after they finish. She can also try to food guard if there’s food out in the kitchen, but her foster is able to quickly redirect her to stop the guarding. She will also sometimes guard toys, but this is also manageable. It also helps that the resident corgi doesn’t care too much and would rather play with Daisy than with toys. Daisy does love playing and wrestling with the resident corgi when there are no toys around. She doesn’t have any guarding issues with people though, only with other dogs.

Thankfully, Daisy is very eager to please and very responsive to positive reinforcement training. She does need a lot of rules and boundaries in the home though and she needs a strong leader. She can try to push the boundaries at times and needs some reminders that’s not allowed. She is housebroken, but she needs to be let out often and on a consistent schedule. She loves people and enjoys being pet and snuggled. She has tons of corgi energy and she loves to run around outside. She continues to not be a fan of cats though, and she shows a little bit of prey drive.

Daisy needs a family who are very corgi experienced and will continue with her training. She would greatly benefit from group obedience classes to continuing working on her manners and socialization. She is dog friendly and would do best with a very friendly dog that would match her energy level and play with her. She needs a home without any cats. She can be rough when she plays, and she’s still working on some manners, so she would do best in a home without any small children. Due to her energy level, she would do best in a home with a fenced in yard so she can run and play. With the right home and guidance, she can continue to work towards being a model citizen. Here’s a message from her foster:

“Daisy is such a little love-bug and full of youthful energy. She never turns down attention or an invitation to play. Although Daisy plays well with other dogs, she rarely shares toys. Daisy won’t hesitate to steal from the resident corgi, and if the resident corgi gets too close while she is chewing on a toy, she may growl. Because of this, I think she would do well in a home where the other dog isn’t too concerned about toys. She has also shown a tendency to resource guard anytime food is involved. I feed the dogs in separate rooms and keep a close eye on them when I’m handling food. She eats very quickly, even with a slow feeder. She does best with treats that have been broken into bite-size pieces. Daisy appears housebroken, but I also haven’t allowed her to wander around indoors unsupervised. To her credit, Daisy shows a willingness to learn and has made great improvements during her brief time with us. She is crate-trained, but makes a fantastic cuddle partner and personal heater if you’re open to sharing your bed with her.”

If you’re interested in adopting a dog from us, please submit your application. Our adoption applications are now open at: https://www.eastcoastcorgirescue.org/copy-of-adopt. Adoption is open to DC/VA/MD/PA/DE/NJ residents only. We do not allow people to apply for a specific dog. You must be ready and prepared to adopt a dog within at least 6 months. We can no longer hold onto applications indefinitely. The way our system works is, if your application is accepted, your adoption applications goes into one big pool. When a dog is ready to be adopted, we look through that pool to find the absolute best match for that particular dog. All contact with you will be through email. If you’re unresponsive to our emails your application will automatically be denied. If approved, your application will stay in our pool until a match is made. This could take some time depending on how many dogs we take in, how long they have to remain in foster for, and their specific needs. Each dog is different. Thank you for your understanding and support.

06/01/2025

We have an announcement to make!!!

🎉The Adoption Application is officially open for 2025! 🎉 And we are slightly changing how we handle our applications now because times have changed. The application will only be open for 1 month. And we are going to try to reopen them every 6-12 months rather than 12-18 months. We’re hoping this will help us make the process on our end easier and help save us time.

Please read all the disclaimers below ⬇️ and then you can fill out the adoption application at:

https://www.eastcoastcorgirescue.org/copy-of-adopt

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:

🐾 We only serve DC/VA/MD/DE/PA/NJ. South of us (NC, SC, GA) is served by Southeast Corgi Rescue. North of us (NY to Maine) is served by Mayflower Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club’s Rescue Team. Florida is served by Sunshine Corgi Rescue. If you do not live in our 6 states, you will not be able to apply.

🐾 This is a general application. We do not open applications for specific dogs. All applications will go into a general pool that we pull from for each dog when that dog is ready to be adopted.

🐾 A vet reference is required in order to proceed forward with your application. This reference must be a vet that currently treats your current pets that you own or has previously treated pets that you owned if you currently have no pets. Your application will be denied if you do not provide a vet reference. No exceptions.

🐾 ALL pets in the home must CURRENTLY be spayed and/or neutered, current on vaccinations, had a physical exam within the last year, receive Heartworm tests annually, and be current on Heartworm prevention year round. No exceptions.

🐾 We select a family from our pool for each dog that best fits the dog’s needs. The family that is selected will fulfill the dog’s needs the best out of all the applicants in the pool. This is not a first come first serve basis. We do what is best for the dogs, so it could take weeks or months for your application to be a match.

🐾 The application will remain open for only a month. And you must be ready to adopt at least within the next 6 months. We can no longer keep holding on to applications indefinitely until you are ready to adopt.

🐾 All our communication with you will be through email, so please put an email that you check regularly. Please also check your spam folder as well as your inbox. If you are unresponsive to our emails, your application will automatically be denied.

🐾 If you have any questions, please check our FAQs at:

https://www.eastcoastcorgirescue.org/adoption-faq

Post features: ECCR Graduate Annie

04/01/2025

Welcome to the Corgi Corner! We started a new series that is posted on the first Saturday of every month! These posts will help spread education and awareness on topics like general dog care, corgi specific things, medical care, health facts, etc. This month’s Corgi Corner post will be all about Degenerative Myelopathy!

Degenerative myelopathy, also known as DM, is a progressive degenerative disorder of the spinal cord. It is the equivalent of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, in humans. The nerves that control the hind limbs are the first to degenerate and it slowly progresses forward. While it is a painless disease, quality of life can be greatly affected as it leads to paralysis and eventually will lead to death.

Affected dogs do not usually show signs of DM until they are at least 8 years old. The most common clinical signs are knuckling over, back muscle wasting, and gait abnormalities. The dog may scuff the tops of their hind paws, or walk with a hesitant, exaggerated gait. As the disease progresses, the dog may have difficulty standing, buckling, and eventually become unable to walk. In the late stages, the weakness may extend to the front limbs, and the dog may experience urinary and f***l incontinence.

Definitive diagnosis requires microscopic analysis of the spinal cord after death. However, vets use clues such as genetic testing, breed, age, and other diagnostics to determine if DM is the most likely cause of the dog’s clinical signs. The diagnosis of DM can be a challenging, often time-consuming endeavor, requiring many tests before a definitive diagnosis is made. At this time, there is no cure or specific treatment for DM. As dogs are seniors at the time of onset, the treatment for DM is aimed towards increasing their comfort through a combination of lifestyle changes, medication, and physical therapy. It is very important to avoid obesity and to keep the dog as physically active as possible for as long as possible, so diet and exercise are vital parts of treatment.

The degenerative myelopathy mutation, SOD-1, was first identified in Pembroke Welsh Corgis, but it has been identified in more than 24 different breeds, including Cardigan Welsh Corgis, German Shepherds, Boxers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Siberian Huskies, and Bernese Mountain Dogs. DM is a genetic disease and it is 100% preventable with genetic testing and reputable breeding practices. Reputable breeders will test their parent dogs prior to breeding to see if they are clear of DM (no copies of the mutated gene), a carrier (1 copy of the mutated gene), or at high risk of DM (2 copies of the mutated gene). They will also provide proof of this to any potential new puppy parents. Unfortunately, even with the ability to do genetic testing, DM is still a very common disease seen in corgis because of irresponsible breeding practices by backyard breeders and puppy mills.

29/12/2024

We are so happy to announce that Dilly has also found his forever home! Dilly came to us back in October as an owner surrender. His owners had to unexpectedly move, and they could not find housing that would allow them to have any pets. They wanted to make sure that he ended up in a safe place, so they made the difficult decision to surrender him over to us.

Dilly lived with other dogs previously, but his previous owners said he was aggressive sometimes towards one of the dogs in the home and he showed a lot of dominance towards both dogs. So we got him into a quiet no dog foster home and he did wonderful there. It seemed like he enjoyed being the only dog in the home. He settled in really well and overall he was a very chill guy. He liked to sit outside and watch the world go by. He was very well behaved in the home and he liked to hang out with his people. He loved people and he loved to get attention. His foster noticed that he had some separation anxiety, which they worked with him on. He would bark a bit when they initially left, but he would settle down.

Dilly loved to go for walks and he got so excited when he thought he was about to go on one. He was well behaved on the leash, he was just a bit of a puller. He was not leash reactive though, and he didn’t have any issues with any dogs he saw out on walks. He also loved toys and he liked to carry his newest toy with him when he went out on walks. He also liked to play fetch with this toys too. His foster was able to dog test him and he did not have any issues with any dogs that he met outside. He wasn’t dog tested inside of the home. His foster was able to take him out and about in public and he did great. He loved just hanging out with them. He was definitely a people dog.

Dilly went to the vet while he was with us to have a physical exam, get updated on his vaccines, have lab work done, and to get on prevention. His vet appointment went very well and they were able to get everything done. He went back to the vet a couple weeks later to be neutered. His neuter went well and he recovered back in his foster home. He was a very good patient and he healed up great.

Dilly needed a family who were not gone all day long. He could live with another dog, but due to his prior history, it was probably best if it was with a female dog. He was very dog friendly outside of the home and he had no issues. He was also good with kids and could live in a home with kids. We weren’t able to cat test him, but he lived with cats before and he was pretty aloof with them. Even though he was an older guy, he was still pretty active and looked forward to his daily walks and play time. He was a pretty easy going guy and he just needed the right family to live out his golden years with.

We found a wonderful family for Dilly. He continues to enjoy life being the only dog in the home and he loves it. He now has a human sister whom he loves. He’s very sweet with her and very patient. His family fell in love with him instantly and he has made himself at home. He still enjoys his daily walks and he loves being with his people. We are so happy for Dilly! Here’s a message from his new family:

“Dilly enjoys lots of walks around a tree-filled neighborhood each day. When he is not on a walk, Dilly likes to nap on his bed or sit on the couch looking out the window. He is spry and a fast runner for 10.5 years old! We love Dilly so much. He was a member of our family from the first day we met him. He loves to follow us around, and enjoys many belly rubs from us and our daughter every day. He is very patient with her, especially when she is constantly talking to him!”

Congratulations to Dilly and his new family! 🐾💚

27/12/2024

We are so happy to announce that Chico found his forever home! Chico came to us back in October as an owner surrender. His owner passed away, and there weren’t any family members who could take him in. A family member reached out to us to see if we could help. They wanted to make sure that he went somewhere that would take good care of him and provide him with a great life.

We got Chico into a no dog foster home and he did great there. We were told that he wasn’t dog friendly, and it seemed like he did best as an only dog. He was leash reactive toward other dogs. His foster worked with him on this, but he still really struggled sometimes. It seemed like it was all fear based, and that he was never well socialized to the outside world. When he first arrived in his foster home, he was very nervous on walks especially with all the new noises and with seeing people walking by. As he settled into his foster home, he started feeling much more comfortable with his surroundings. He wasn’t as nervous on walks, and he was slowly gaining more confidence. He was great inside of the home though. He absolutely loved people and loved to be pet. He was fully house broken and he could be trusted to be left out when home alone. His favorite thing was to get belly rubs. He also loved to play and he absolutely loved toys.

Unfortunately, Chico came to us pretty infested with fleas. His foster noticed them pretty quickly and we were able to try to get ahead of it. We immediately got him some topical prevention and he had a few baths, which he was very good about. After a few days of heavy treatment, baths, and daily vacuuming of the house, the fleas were slowly disappearing. He’s now flea free and he was started on prescription oral prevention.

Chico went to the vet while he was with us to get updated on his vaccines, have bloodwork done, get a physical exam, and get prescription prevention. He did great at his vet appointment. His bloodwork came back great, and he was negative for heartworm disease and tick borne diseases. The vet looked at his teeth and he had some tartar on his back teeth, but nothing of too much concern right now. The vet did note he needed to lose a few pounds to get to an ideal weight. Overall he looked great and he was given a clean bill of health. A few weeks later he went back to the vet for his neuter and everything went well. He recovered in his foster home and he was a very good patient.

Chico needed a home with people who were not gone all day long, as he enjoyed his time with his people. He needed a home with a family who would continue to work on his leash reactivity and building up his confidence. He made good progress while with us. He’d greatly benefit from group obedience classes to work on his socialization and to help with his confidence. He needed a home without any dogs or small children. He could be in a home with older children who were dog experienced. He was not cat tested. With the right environment and family, Chico would continue to succeed.

We found a wonderful family for Chico! His new mom fell in love with him immediately. She missed having a corgi in the home and he has definitely helped fill an empty void. He gets to continue to enjoy life as the only pet in the home. His new mom is home often and he really enjoys all the love and attention he gets now. He loves to explore outside and go on daily walks. He now lives in a quieter area so he doesn’t need to encounter other dogs as often now. We are so happy for Chico! Here’s a message from his new family:

“Chico is in his forever home! All settled in. He listens, he follows me and goes to bed when he’s tired. He loves his walks in the yard and the neighborhood. He’s a perfect match! Thanks for the best Christmas present ever! He was my companion so I wasn’t alone on Christmas!”

Congratulations to Chico and his new family! 🐾❤️

25/12/2024

Each year some of our adoptive families participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange for our ECCR graduates. 🎁 This year was our 6th year doing this and we had 16 dogs participate this year! We love keeping in touch with our adoptive families and getting updates on our graduates! It’s so wonderful to see them being loved, cared for, and living their best lives with their forever families! We’re so appreciative of our amazing adoptive families!From all of us at East Coast Corgi Rescue, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! 🐾❤️🎄🎅🏼

24/12/2024

We are so happy to announce that Arnold has found his forever home, just in time for Christmas! Arnold came to us back in November as an owner surrender. He was not getting along with the other dog in the home. The family tried to make the situation work, but they had to keep the dogs physically separated in the house. The family did not feel this was fair to either dog, so they made the difficult decision to surrender him over to us.

We got Arnold into a corgi experienced no-dog foster home and he did great there. It took him a little bit to settle in, but once he did he made himself very comfortable. He was mostly well behaved inside the home and he loved people. He did great with kids, and you could usually find him sitting near one of them. The one struggle he had in the home was when anyone left the house through the front door. He would run, bark, and charge the front door, even if someone was still home with him. His foster worked with him on this and he was showing a lot of improvement, but it was something that still needed to be worked on. He was also very leash reactive towards other dogs and sometimes people when out on walks. This was definitely fear based, and he seemed to be more afraid of men than women or children. His foster worked with him on this, but this will take a lot more time and work. He was completely housebroken and he could be trusted to be left out when home alone.

Arnold went to the vet while he was with us to get updated on all of his vetting needs. His f***l came back negative for parasites and his bloodwork was negative for heartworm disease. His bloodwork did test positive for the tick borne disease anaplasmosis, but he tested positive for it in the past and it’s something that has been getting monitored for a while. Since he was not showing any symptoms, the vet was not concerned and did not feel he needed to receive any treatment. The vet also noted that his teeth have a little bit of plaque, but he was not in need of a dental cleaning yet. Overall, he was given a clean bill of health.

Arnold needed a home with a family who were corgi experienced and who would continue to work on his training. He’d greatly benefit from group obedience classes to work on his socialization, manners, and to help him build some confidence around other dogs. He needed a home without any other pets. He loved people though and he absolutely loved kids. He needed a home in a quiet neighborhood and he’d love to have a yard to run and play in. With the right family and environment, Arnold would continue to become the best corgi he can be.

We found wonderful family for Arnold! They lost their corgi earlier this year and their home was feeling empty without one. He has brought so much joy and happiness to them. He gets to enjoy life as the only dog in the home, but he now has two human siblings that he loves. He really loves kids and he is always with one of them. His family is also dedicated to working with him and working on his leash reactivity. They’re also planning to do group obedience classes with him to help work on his socialization and to help build up his confidence. We are so happy for Arnold! Here’s a message from his new family:

“Arnold is so loved in our home - our sons befriended him immediately and love running and tussling around with him. After sleeping at the foot of our bed, Arnold wakes up and stretches his paws out and asks for morning petting and scratches. He has made a few dog friends in the neighborhood on our morning walks, but he’s still reactive with bigger dogs in the neighborhood - we will continue to work with his socialization. He spends his days snoozing on the couch and eagerly waits for us to come home after school or work. He enjoys shuffling through the leaves outside and smelling all the scents on his walks. He’s so loving and eager to please us, we love him so much and he brings so much joy to our home. The holiday season is brighter with him around and we are looking forward to taking obedience training in the new year.”

Congratulations to Arnold and his new family! 🐾💙

22/12/2024

We have a Negan update! Negan recently went back to the vet for his neuter and he’s been back in his foster home recovering. It’s been difficult to keep this guy down while he recovers. He just has tons of corgi energy and always wants to play. Thankfully he’s been healing up well and he’s back to his normal routine.

Negan has been doing great in his foster home. Now that he is fully settled in and gotten into a routine, his separation anxiety has improved a lot. He doesn’t feel the need to be a shadow as much in the home and he has relaxed a lot. His foster has been working on his socialization and being outside of the house. He used to be very nervous around strange dogs and people, but this has improved a lot. He is not dog reactive and he walks really well on a leash. His resource guarding has improved a lot and it mostly happened when he first arrived. His fosters have not really had any issues with him since. Based on his history, he would continue to do best as the only dog in the home. He is very well behaved in the house and can be trusted to be left alone. He is housebroken and crate trained.

Negan needs a family who will provide him with plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. He would love to have a fenced in yard he could run and play in as he loves to play ball and frisbee. He would do best with people who are not gone all day long as he does love spending time with his people and we don’t want his separation anxiety to return. He would do best as the only dog in the home. He is cat tested and he can live with a feline friend. He could also live with children who are dog experienced. He would really benefit from group obedience classes to help continue to work on his socialization and building up his confidence. It would be a great way for him to bond with his people too. Here’s a message from his foster:

“Negan has been doing great. He has lots of energy and loves long brisk walks (except in the rain, he doesn’t like the rain). He has relaxed a bit. He doesn’t have to follow us everywhere, but he is still vigilant about our whereabouts. We have been leaving him alone for short periods of time in his crate and in the house. There has been no damage or accidents while we are gone. We think he sits by the door and waits. His separation anxiety may have diminished some and he is SO glad when we return. He does not ask to go outside for bathroom breaks, so he has to be taken out. It frequently takes him awhile to go even after long stretches of time. He has healed nicely from his surgery. His ideal home would be where his family is at home most of the time. He needs an active family. A fenced yard would be good for his ball and frisbee play. He can live with a cat. Negan met 2 young children recently. He really wanted their attention. He let them pet him with no problems. It’s possible he would be fine in a home with dog savvy children. He should be the only dog. He is a smart, affectionate, and gentle guy. It’s has been a joy to foster him.”

****Our adoption applications are currently closed.**** Please do not message or email us asking how to adopt a dog from us. Our applications were open the end of last year. We currently have a pool of 30 adoption applications that we’ll be choosing from. If you submitted an application to us you would’ve receive an email notifying you if your application was accepted or denied. Please check your email daily as this is our only form of communication with you. Once accepted, you’ll hear from our team when we have a dog that makes a match with your application. Your application will stay in our pool until a match is made. We will make an announcement on our page when our applications are open again. Thank you for your understanding and support.

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Happy Howl-o-ween from our ECCR Graduates!👻🎃💀 Look at some of these lovely costumes and Halloween scenes!We keep in touch with our ECCR Families after the adoption is finalized. We love hearing updates from these wonderful families. Seeing these dogs happy, loved, and well-cared for make all the hard work totally worth it! These dogs’ futures were rewritten thanks to you, our awesome transport volunteers, fosters, and supporters who always cheer for the ECCR puppers.We hope you all have a wonderful, spooky, fun, and safe Halloween! #Halloween2024