Yvette Huesler waited anxiously in her driveway for the arrival of 10 Pembroke Welsh Corgis that had been rescued from a puppy mill breeder in Iowa.

Five minutes earlier, Kelly Dehnel, the third driver in a tri-state transport from Iowa, had called Huesler to let her know they were getting closer. “Are you ready for 10 stinky, stinky dogs?” asked Dehnel, who had driven the whole way with the windows down. Nothing would have prepared Huesler, president of Lakeshore Pembroke Welsh Corgi Rescue, for the stench that hit her when the door to the vehicle opened. “It was the worst smell I have ever smelled,” she recalls.

“When the dogs arrived, they were terrified. They flattened out when I tried to pet them. They were afraid of doors and gates and were not familiar with normal, everyday sounds. They didn’t have names and did not know how to come when called.”

Huesler, who lives outside Athens, Wis., agreed in April to foster seven males and three females from about 100 dogs, mostly Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Schipperkes, rescued from the puppy mill breeder. Three other Corgis went to another Lakeshore Pembroke Welsh Corgi Rescue foster family.

Huesler believes strongly in the ability to rehabilitate Pembroke Welsh Corgis, even those that have lived all their lives at a puppy mill breeding kennel. Little did she know her work was cut out for her when she agreed to foster the dogs, adding them to her own eight Corgi housedogs.

Dubbed the “Iowa Castaways,” the 10 little dogs were given names from characters on “Gilligan’s Island.” All but two have been adopted. Their transformation to becoming adoptable dogs came slowly.

“The Professor,” a gentle 6- or 7-year-old Corgi who Huesler believes is the sire of some of the dogs, would not let anyone pet him for nearly three weeks. “He was extremely shy,” she says. “Gradually over the next four months he became friendlier. He quickly learned to walk on a leash but was afraid of swinging doors and gates.”

The Professor, “Captain Buddy,” “Thurston,” “Ginger,” “Mary Ann,” “Lovey,” “Gilligan,” and “Skipper” have all gone to new homes. They have learned to climb steps and walk on a leash. They have become housetrained and familiar with the sounds of dishwashers, blow-dryers, ringing phones and doorbells. They have gotten used to being bathed and brushed and begun to trust people.

Only “BlueBoy,” who is about 3 or 4 years old, and “Hardy Joe,” who is around 2 or 3 years old, remain. “BlueBoy is making a lot of pro­gress,” says Huesler. “He is no longer afraid of the television and doesn’t have to be carried into the house. He is still wary of the ceiling fan, but he no longer flattens out when he sees it. He loves being brushed.

“Hardy Joe is being treated for heartworms. He is apprehensive around people, but warms up once he gets to know you. He enjoys short walks on a leash. A gentle and patient family would be ideal for him.”

The Lakeshore Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club started offering rescue services in 1986. In 2006, Huesler and Bonnie Mitchener of Smiths Creek, Mich., were instrumental in obtaining a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation so the rescue could function separately from the Lakeshore breed club. Since then, the women have swapped roles. Mitchener was the first president; she now is vice president.

Serving the Midwest, the group helps rescue purebred Corgis in Michigan, Wis­consin, Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois. About 80 Corgis were rescued last year, and around 75 were placed in adoptive homes. Like many of the 20 volunteers, Huesler and Mitchener are members of the Lakeshore Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club, and they are breeders who take part in American Kennel Club dog shows. Mitchener also does obedience with her rescued Corgi “Kid.”

“If you are going to breed dogs you should rescue,” Huesler says. “Most dogs can turn around in rescue. You can rehabilitate them.”

Rescue members work closely with the breed club. Fundraisers are held during the club’s regional specialty events, where clothing, pillows, jewelry and other merchandise adorned with Corgis are sold.

The rescue became a Purina® Pro Plan® Rally to Rescue™ Ambas­sa­dor in 2007. “It has been tremendously helpful to be part of Rally to Rescue,” says Mitchener. “The Rally to Rescue tent and banner are wonderful to use at specialty events, and the collars, wristbands and T-shirts are great for fundraising.”

Rescue volunteers share a passion for the tailless Pembroke Welsh Corgi whose ancestors Flemish weavers brought across the English Channel around 1107 to live in Wales. Before becoming separate breeds, the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis were frequently mated together. Pembroke breeders, however, wanted a lower stockier dog to herd cattle.

Even today the sturdily built Pembroke Welsh Corgi herds anything that moves, says Mitchener, who got her first Corgi in 1988. “These are happy dogs, but they also are independent, tenacious and quick learners. They are very loyal to their owners.” People sometimes buy Corgis without understanding the breed’s personality, says Huesler. “Most of the Corgis in rescue are owner-surrenders. People turn them in to rescues because the dogs are too much for them to handle or because they’ve been food or dog aggressive. Ninety-nine percent of the time we can rehabilitate these dogs. They need a firm but fair hand.

“These are extremely hardy, tough little dogs. They hold their own with big dogs, and cold weather doesn’t bother them. They are a medium-sized breed with short legs and a large-dog temperament.”

Corgis are fostered for a minimum of two weeks, most for two to four months, to allow the foster parent time to be sure the dog is ready to be adopted and to determine the best match for an individual dog. Not all Corgis are suited for homes with children, cats or other dogs.

A waiting list helps to assure homes for most rescues. Adoption fees range from $250 to $350, depending on the age of the Corgi, and adopters must sign an agreement promising to take their new dog regularly to the veterinarian, keep vaccines current, house the dog indoors, and have a secure method of exercising their new Corgi. They also must agree to return the dog to the rescue if things do not work out.

Most adoptions are successful, however. The Iowa Castaways are a prime example. “I am so pleased with the progress of these little dogs,” says Huesler. “They had such a rough start, and some were in a horrible place for a long time. It warms my heart to see so many pictures of smiling new owners with their happy Corgis.”

Lakeshore Pembroke Welsh Corgi Rescue
To learn more about Lakeshore Pem­broke Welsh Corgi Rescue, please visit www.lakeshorecorgirescue.com. You may also send an e-mail to allcorgis @gmail.com or call (715) 675-9867.