What Is A Corgi?
Also known as Welsh Corgi. A Corgi is a small type of dog breed that is originated in Wales. Corgi means “dwarf dog”. It is derived from the Welsh words “cor”, meaning dwarf, and “ci”, meaning dog. The word “ci” later on became “gi”. Welsh Corgis were cattle herding dogs.
There are two types of Corgi breeds. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Both breeds are members of the herding group, and are officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. Let’s try to find out the differences between these two corgi breeds. Both Pembroke and Cardigan Corgis have unique personality traits. Decide which of the corgi breeds suit you and your family.
Types Of Corgis
1.Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pembroke Corgi Origin
Originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Pembroke were bred to herd cattle, sheep, horses and other farm animals in the region of Pembrokeshire in Southern Wales.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi is the more popular breed of the two. The dog comes from the Nordic Spitz breeds of dogs.
It is believed that Pembroke Welsh Corgis were brought by the Vikings to Wales. This dog gained popularity in the British Royal Family, and it is the preferred dog breed of Queen Elizabeth II of England. She has loved Corgis so much and owns 30 Royal Corgis during her reign. Queen Elizabeth II had them since she was a girl in the early 1930s. She also had corgi mix breed, Corgi-Dachshund crosses, known as Dorgis.
Ancient legend says that two children were running through a forest and encountered a funeral of a fairy. The two children were given two small Corgi puppies by the mourning fairies. The children immediately brought the corgis home, and the Corgis became popular. There are also stories about Corgis that they act the role of war horses for fairies before they became herding dog for humans.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Appearance
Height
- Male: 10–12 in
- Female: 10–12 in
Weight
- Male: 24–31 lb
- Female: 24–28 lb
Coat
- Medium length, thick, weather-resist double coat
Coat colors
- Fawn
- Black & Tan
- Black & White with or without white markings on the legs
- Red
- Sable
Pembroke Welsh Corgi has pointed ears and proportion to the equilateral triangle of the head. The breed standard specifies Corgi’s ears should be medium in size, firm, and tapered slightly to a rounded point. The shape and appearance of head should be Fox-like.
Compared to Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are shorter in length, have smaller ears, and the legs are slightly straighter. They may be short, but they are a great working dog, and are built for hard work. Pembroke Corgis have short legs, their bodies almost touch the ground.
Also, Pembroke Corgi has lighter markings on each side of the withers. This corgi type has a thick double coat, it sheds heavily, usually in spring and autumn. Their coat is easy to maintain. Regular brushing is recommended.
Natural born Pembroke Corgis have short tails, but oftentimes their tails are docked between 2 to 5 days old because of historical tradition and to follow the Breed Standard. The tails should be docked no longer than 2 inches according to the American Kennel Club. However, in many countries, such as United Kingdom, docking is not allowed.
Pembroke Corgi Temperament
Pembroke Corgis are attached to their family, and love to be with their family all the time. These pooches tend to follow their owners wherever they go. However, if you train this dog breed, make sure you have lots of patience. Pembroke corgis are intelligent and have a stubborn streak.
They also function as guard dogs because of their high energy and tendency to bark, which can worsen if they are not stimulated adequately.
Almost all Pembroke Corgis seek attention from everyone. They also behave well around other pets and children, which make them great family pets. So if you want to get a Pembroke puppy, early socialization of this breed with other animals, children and adults is essential to avoid aggressive and anti-social behaviors.
Pembroke corgis will chase anything that moves, make sure to keep them inside fenced areas. This is due to their herding instinct.
Pembroke Corgi Health Issues
Just like any other dog breeds, Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis are also prone to develop health problems.
Their height and size can lead to non-inherited health conditions. The health problems are as follows.
Monorchidism or Monorchism. A condition of having only one testicle within the scrotum.
Von Willebrand’s disease. A blood clotting disorder. If your Corgi suffers a wound or cut, it could result to excessive bleeding. You may also check if blood is present in urine, feces, nose, or gums.
Hip dysplasia. Common cause of arthritis of the hips. Hip dysplasia is common in other dog breeds. It arises due to a hip joint that has not grown properly, or an injury that leads to cartilage damage.
Degenerative myelopathy. A progressive disease of the spinal cord. Usually developed after the age of 7 years. Seen most frequently in Pembroke corgis. This is typically fatal. A test can detect if your Corgi has a gene that increases the risk of this health issue.
Progressive retinal atrophy. A condition in the eye that causes progressive vision loss.
Pembroke Corgis are also prone to obesity.
Life Expectancy
Pembroke Corgis can live for 12 to 15 years.
2.Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Origin
Formerly called “yard-long dog”, Cardigan Welsh Corgi is considered one of the oldest dog breeds on the British Isles. It is also believed that Cardigan Welsh Corgi descended from a line of northern Spitz family.
The name Cardigan Welsh Corgi is originated from their area Ceredigion, west of Wales.
They were normally used as working dogs. Cardigan Corgis helped farmers to herd cattle and protect them from predators. Today, they make a great house pet.
In 1940, Cardigan Welsh Corgis continued to be rarer than Pembroke corgis, with only 11 registrations. Both Pembroke and Cardigan breeds survived World War II, but there were only 61 Cardigan corgis registered with the Kennel Club by the end of the war. Pembroke corgis became more popular than the Cardigan corgis in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, Cardigan Corgi was included in the the Kennel Club’s first list of Vulnerable Native Breeds. This is for those breeds which register below 300 dogs in a year. 84 Cardigan Corgis were registered in 2006. In 2010, the number declined to 46, but increased in 2015 with a total of 124 Cardigan Corgi puppies registered.
Cardigan Corgi Appearance
Weight
- Male: 30 to 38 pounds
- Female: 25 to 34 pounds
Height
- Male 11 to 13 inches
- Female: 11 to 13 inches
Coat
- Cardigan Welsh Corgis have a short or medium length, hard textured, weatherproof with a good undercoat.
Cardigan’s coats come in different colors with or without white markings. They come in any shade of red, brindle, black, sable, with or without tan, brindle or blue merle.
Cardigan Welsh Corgis usually have white on the chest, neck, muzzle, legs, tip of the tail and as a blaze on the head.
Cardigan Corgis are double-coated dogs where the exterior coat is slightly rough in texture, dense, and of medium length, whereas the undercoat is soft, short, and thick.
Cardigan Corgis are larger in size than Pembroke Corgis. They have a large rounded ears, and a 12 inch Fox-like tail. They also have a heavier bone structure than the Pembroke.
They have several varieties of colors than Pembroke. White markings are present on this corgi breed. Merle markings also available in this dog.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Temperament
Cardigan Corgis compete in tracking events, dog agility trial, and other competitions. They show basic herding instincts and can also be trained to compete in herding trials.
This Corgi type is athletic, alert, active and intelligent. The Cardigan Welsh Corgi are also playful. They are great playmates for kids and will also interact happily with other animals they are raised with.
They are amazing companions because they are affectionate and devoted. They make a great house pet.
Cardigan Corgis are also competent guard dogs, just like Pembroke Corgis. Cardigans are usually unsociable with strangers, and more territorial than Pembroke Corgis.
The Cardigan corgi is more relaxed and more silent of the two breeds.
Cardigan Corgi Health Issues
One of the most common causes of death of Cardigan Corgi is Cancer (28.3%). Next is old age (24.6%), followed by neurological disorders (15.2%).
Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is common in Cardigan Welsh Corgi. This is because of Cardigan’s dwarf size breed.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy is around 12 to 16 years.
Cardigan And Pembroke Welsh Corgi Training
Since Pembroke Corgi are known for their stubbornness and intelligence, start training them early. Cardigan Welsh Corgi is easy to train since he is also intelligent and eager to train. Teach them commands and tricks.
Potty-trained them. Reward Corgis when they go out.
They must get enough exercise everyday.
Brush Corgi’s hair regularly to remove dead hair. It is vital to get Pembroke Corgi used to regular grooming.
Early socialization is needed to prevent aggressive behavior. Expose your pup to the environment. They need early socialization to get over their initial distrust of other people and animals.
Stimulate their mind.
Corgi breeds are always barking. They tend to be sensitive as to what is going on in their environment. Teaching them to learn the appropriate times to bark can calm them.
Taking Care Of Your Corgis
Watch out for your dog’s diet closely as they are prone to obesity. A corgi’s diet should consists of protein and fat.
Adult dogs can eat two meals per day, while puppies can eat 3 meals per day. Create a feeding schedule so that your dog will eat at the same time everyday and will get used to it.
Make sure they get plenty of exercise or daily walks.
Both types of Corgis are at risk for hip dysplasia. They should not jump on and off the couches or climb several stairs.
Conclusion
These two breeds are adorable. They are loyal and fun to be with which makes them great companions to families. Whatever Corgi breed you choose, we hope that it will suit you and your family’s way of living. Thank you for reading this post.