Portraits of Popular Breeds at Home and Abroad: Pembroke Welsh Corgi

As the name suggests, Corgi comes from southern Wales. Its origin dates back to 10th century when the breed was probably brought by the Vikings. According to legends, they are wood fairies’ and elves’ dogs that pull their carriages. “Cor gi” in Welsh means a dwarfish dog which fits to this breed. Among cattle herding dogs, they are really small, they have up to 30 cm to withers and around 10 kg.

Pembroke Corgi reminds a fox by its appearance. They have strong, short legs supporting a wide body with deep chest. Short or semi-short fur which is adjusted to being outside throughout the whole year has thick undercoat in red, sable or deer colour. Dogs without tails or with short tails were most common earlier but nowadays, this attribute very often peters out. Also, tails of this breed were often backcombed in the past which is not so common nowadays. Thanks to the long history of backcombing, the shape of the tail was not selected, therefore, there are dogs with tails curled above the back as well as carried in the extended line of the back. 

With regard to its nature, Corgi is a real cattle herding dog – active and temperament, never aggressive. It is very joyful and friendly but it can sometimes be a bit distrustful towards strangers. It gets on well with other dogs as well as with children. Sometimes, his herding nature might be apparent which can be useful for example when keeping toddlers in a safe zone. :)

Its short legs never limited it in its cattle herding duties and the same applies to sports. It will be good at agility or dogdancing. It won’t have problems with passing cynology exams as well. This enthusiastic dog doesn’t care about any restrictions and passionately dives into anything with sense. It won’t definitely be a couch potato, it needs enough activities to use up its energy.

Thanks to the fact these dogs are not overbred, they are vital, curious dogs. Taking care of them is not difficult. Only know that you will need to comb them during moulting because of its thick fur. Otherwise, it will adjust well to city as well as countryside and its owner’s lifestyle. It can also be a good watch dog because it quite likes to bark and does it often. It’s got great appetite, therefore you need to pay attention to its food portions so it does not gain too much weight. 

In summary, Corgi is a joyful and active companion which can adjust to any household. However, it might be difficult for beginners in breeding to cope with its temperament. But with the right guidance, it is a trouble-free dog. Do you have a Corgi at home? Can you observe any of its cattle herding abilities?