Corgi Dogs: About Them

The corgis are breeding dogs, happy to live on a farm. I mean, they are herding dogs, or “heelers”. So that makes sense. Anyways, they’re capable of becoming good domestic dogs as long as they get enough exercise. Corgis are especially popular in the UK. Two different races are recognized, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh. The Pembroke, the more popular of the two in the United States, is smaller than the Cardigan, but the most notable difference between the two is that the Pembroke has a tail. If a corgi has a small tail, it is often mated for appearance reasons. Cardigan Welshes have a long history and it all dates back to 1200 BC. While Pembroke’s ancestors have been traced to 1107 AD.

Appearance

Both the Pembroke and the Cardigan are sturdy dogs with short legs. The Pembroke ranges in size from 10 to 12 inches tall, the Cardigan can be between 10.05 to 12.05 inches tall. The color is also different, the former can be red, tawny, sable or black, and brown, while the latter can be red, tabby (striped design with multicolored spots), sable or black, and blackbird blue. The male Pembroke must weigh about 27 kilos and the female about 25 kilos. The male Cardigan can weigh between 30-38 pounds and the female can weigh between 25-34 pounds. Due to their beauty, corgis can often be found on commercial dog product labels.

A Corgi’s Temperament

Both types of corgis are fun-loving, energetic, friendly, devoted, and intelligent dogs. They are good with children. But generally, they need to be trained. Initially, they were bred to graze sheep, cows, and horses. For this reason, even if they are happy to live in a house, they need to have access to a patio, exercise daily, and play regularly. Because they are active and intelligent, they are good participants in agility competitions with obstacle courses, jumps, seesaws, and tunnels.

Health Issues

Corgis have a double coat of hair that needs to be brushed weekly. They are recognized for not releasing almost hair. The life expectancy of this breed is 11-13 years. They are prone to certain health problems including intervertebral disc disease, a condition that affects the nerves around the spinal cord, and canine hip dysplasia, a failure of the hip joints.

When it comes to caring for a corgi, you may want to read an article like this one!