The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a herding dog breed which is said to have originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as Welsh Corgis: the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The Corgi is the smallest dog in the Herding Group. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famed for being the preferred breed of Queen Elizabeth II, who owns several. These dogs have been a dog favoured by British royalty for more than seventy years.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been ranked at #11 in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, and is thus considered an excellent working dog.
Appearance
The Pembroke is a low-built dog whose upright ears give it a very expressive fox-like appearance. Tails are often short or absent, some naturally, others due to docking. Despite its size the Pembroke has a sturdy, confident and athletic build that has given it the loving nickname of a “big dog trapped in a small dog’s body.” Like most herding breeds, Pembrokes are active, intelligent and athletic dogs. As working dogs, Pembrokes were originally used to herd sheep, horses and cattle, a task they accomplished by “nipping” at their heels, their short legs helping kicks pass safely over their heads.
Size
A Pembroke is 10 to 13 inches (25 to 33 cm) tall at the shoulder and is 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm) in length; Pembrokes in peak condition weigh about 27 pounds (12 kg) for the male, the females being about 25 pounds (11 kg) unless pregnant, then the weight varies. They can become overweight easily if not fed and exercised properly. They are the smallest breed of the Herding Group recognised by the American Kennel Club.
Temperament
Pembrokes are very hard-working and loyal. They are usually easily trainable, and have been ranked in 11th place in “the World’s Smartest [Dog] Breeds”. They function as good watchdogs due to their alertness and tendency to bark. Pembrokes are typically outgoing, friendly dogs. Being a herding dog, Pems are very energetic, especially if without sufficient exercise.
Coat and colour
Pembrokes can be red, sable, fawn, or tricolour with or without white markings on the legs, chest, neck, muzzle, belly, or as a narrow blaze on the head. Tricolours can be black headed or red headed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) doesn’t distinguish amongst the tricolours; rather, it refers to them as black and tan with white markings. White above the hocks, over the top of the body or on the ears is not acceptable for conformation.
Corgis have an undercoat of fine soft fur, with an overcoat of short, somewhat coarse fur. Their undercoat sheds continuously all year round, with extensive seasonal shedding occurring at least twice each year. There can also be extensive shedding of coat in females after the weaning of pups, after a heat, or when a female is spayed. Many corgi enthusiasts believe the volume of shed fur can be significantly reduced by feeding a quality food, and regular brushing is highly recommended. Corgis with longer, thicker coats and exaggerated feathering on the ears and backs of legs are commonly referred to as “fluffy” corgis or “fluffies”. The fluffy coat is a cosmetic flaw; but while it is not permitted in the conformation show ring or in breeding females, fluffies make wonderful pets and performance dogs in obedience, agility, tracking and herding.
What can also be seen in some corgis is a “fairy saddle” marking over the dog’s withers, caused by changes in the thickness, length and direction of hair growth. The phrase arises from the legend that the dogs were harnessed and used as steeds for fairies.
Tail
Historically, the Pembroke was a breed with a natural bob tail (very short tail). Due to the advent of docking, the trait was not aggressively pursued, with breeders focusing instead on other characteristics and artificially shortening the tail when necessary. Given that some countries are now banning docking, breeders are again attempting to select for dogs with the genes for natural bob tails.
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