Welsh Corgi Dogs

The Welsh corgi originated from Wales. There's a 'dwarf' in its name. Yes, 'cor gi' means dwarf dog. Welsh corgi dogs belong to the Herding group and are among the healthiest of the group. They are also among the longest-lived dogs of the group. The Herding group is a designation that the American Kennel Club has given for purebred dog breeds. The Herding group was created in 1983 and is the newest of the classifications made by the American Kennel Club.

Welsh corgi dogs are categorized into two distinct breeds namely, the Cardigan and the Pembroke. Let us look at each of the Corgi breeds in detail.

Cardigan Welsh Corgi Dogs
It is one of the oldest herding breeds. They can dwell in apartments but they are happier living in the open. They need to be engaged into some physical and mental activity on a daily basis. Owing to their short stature, kicks of the cattle cannot hurt the Cardigan Welsh corgi dogs. This was also the purpose behind breeding them as low and long dogs. They are considered as the most loyal family dogs. They can make a very good company and can serve as alert guardians. They are quite reserved in nature unless if trained to socialized from an early age. Cardigan Welsh dogs are intelligent and active.

The Cardigan Welsh dog is a long and low dog. It has upright ears. Its tail is usually long. They can be red, brindle or sable in color. Their neck, underneath, tip of their tail are generally white in color. On an average, a cardigan is 10.5 to 12.5 inches tall at the withers. Male cardigans weigh between the ranges of 30 to 38 lb while females weigh around 25 to 34 lb. Their life expectancy is about 12 to 14 years.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi Dogs
As indicated by its name, the Pembroke Welsh corgi originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. They are active and athletic dogs. Pembrokes were used to herd cattle and horses by nipping at their heels. Lack of activity can make them obese pretty easily. One should be careful in the kind of physical activities these dogs are made to do. Making it jump from heights can fracture its legs and cause back injuries. The length of their spine can be a reason for spinal problems in Pembrokes.

A Pembroke Welsh corgi dog is 10 to 12 inches tall at the withers. It weighs more than 30 lb. Pembrokes can be fawn, sable, black or red in color. They may or may not have white markings on their legs, chest, muzzle and underneath. They have a short undercoat and a thick overcoat. These coats are shed twice in a year during the seasonal shedding. Pembrokes are characterized by short tails. They have a life expectancy of about 11 to 13 years.

Originally, some Cardigan Welsh dogs were crossed with the Swedish Vallhund dogs. The Cardigans are said to have existed for more than 3,000 years, in Wales. The wide variety in their colors that is seen today is due to crossbreeding them with the collies. Pembrokes are believed to have evolved from the Cardigans and other dogs like the Pomeranians. Corgis are very popular in the United States. Since seventy long years, the British Royalty has been favoring the Welsh corgi dogs. It is said that Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom loves this breed and has sixteen Pembroke corgi dogs as pets. Original inhabitants of Wales, the Welsh corgi dogs are among the vary popular and the most valued breeds till date.