How to Sell Corgi Puppies in the United States | PetzLover

What US rules apply when you sell Corgi puppies?

Most rules on selling dogs are set by states and cities, so check yours before you advertise.

• Minimum age. Many states set eight weeks; Pennsylvania, for example, bans selling or transferring any dog younger. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America (PWCCA) asks its members to wait until 10 weeks, and many Corgi breeders wait until 12.
• Federal licensing. Under the Animal Welfare Act, a breeder with more than four breeding females who sells puppies sight unseen, for example online with shipping, generally needs a USDA license.
• Puppy lemon laws. About 22 states have them. In California, for example, a breeder who sold three or more litters or 20 or more dogs in the past year must offer a remedy if a vet finds certain illnesses after the sale.
• Local permits. Some cities require a breeding or litter permit; Los Angeles, for example, issues breeder permits.

Which health tests and records should Corgi buyers see?

The American Kennel Club (AKC) lists the tests each national breed club recommends for breeding dogs:

• Pembroke: hip evaluation and an eye exam by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. The PWCCA Code of Ethics says hips and eyes should be within normal limits before breeding and the results sent to CHIC.
• Cardigan: hip evaluation plus DNA tests for degenerative myelopathy (DM) and PRA-rcd3, an inherited cause of blindness.

Share the parents' registered names so buyers can check the results. If a parent tested "at risk" for DM, say so and explain it: the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) says that result is not a diagnosis. In an article on the PWCCA site, veterinary geneticist Jerold Bell advises against basing breeding decisions on the DM DNA result alone unless close relatives were affected.

Pembrokes are at raised risk of disc disease, and no DNA test can rule it out, so tell buyers honestly about any back problems in the parents or earlier litters. A dog with disc disease, failed hips or a poor temperament should not be bred.

For each puppy, give a vaccination and deworming record and the microchip number. The PWCCA Code asks for a health certificate from a vet dated within a month before sale, or a check by the buyer's vet within two weeks.

How should you price Corgi puppies?

A 2026 Spot Pet Insurance guide puts Pembroke puppies from breeders at typically $1,000 to $2,200; published prices for Cardigans are scarce. Health testing, registration, early socialization and lifelong breeder support justify a price. A color or coat does not.

• Fluffies. A long, feathered coat is a very serious fault in the Pembroke standard and an extremely serious fault in the Cardigan standard. Sell a fluffy as a pet, not a rare premium puppy.
• Color. Blue merle is a standard Cardigan color, but the PWCCA says merle and brindle are not naturally occurring in Pembrokes. Never pair two merles: in a 2009 study of several breeds, a quarter of double merles were deaf in one or both ears.
• Pet puppies. The PWCCA Code calls for a spay or neuter contract for any puppy with a health issue or very serious fault, and encourages AKC limited registration.
• Tails. The PWCCA supports docked or natural bobtails, while the American Veterinary Medical Association opposes docking done only for looks. Whatever you decide, state it in the ad.

How do you write a Corgi puppy ad that attracts the right buyers?

Use recent photos of the actual puppies with their mother, and keep your phone number out of the ad text. You can post your Corgi litter on PetzLover for free and answer buyers through messages. Look at Corgi puppies already listed to see how other breeders present theirs.

How do you vet Corgi puppy buyers?

Ask every buyer the same questions and compare the answers:

• Have you owned a herding breed, and how will you handle barking and nipping at heels?
• Who lives at home, how old are any children, and do you rent or own?
• How long will the puppy be alone each day, and who walks it?
• Will you use ramps or gates for stairs and furniture, and keep the dog lean?
• Who is your vet, and do you plan to breed? (For a pet puppy the answer should be no.)
• Will you return the dog to me if you ever cannot keep it?

How do you take payment and hand over a Corgi puppy safely?

1. Take a deposit only after the buyer has met the puppy in person or by live video, and give a written receipt.
2. Sign the contract: both names and addresses, the puppy's details and microchip number, price, health guarantee, spay or neuter terms and a promise to return the dog to you.
3. Take the balance by a traceable method; avoid personal checks for the full price, and never release a puppy before the money has cleared.
4. Hand over at your home with records, the pedigree, food, a familiar blanket and a feeding and training sheet.
5. Transfer the microchip registration together, and send any registration papers as your contract says.
6. Check in after a week and a month. The PWCCA Code asks members to be ready to take back any dog returned to them.

If an adult from your line ever needs a new home, see how to rehome a Corgi responsibly and how to list a Corgi for adoption.