Corgi Dog Breed and the City

welsh corgi puppy sleeping

Appearance

Even though the corgi dog breed has short legs and a relatively long body, they have a very sturdy build. Their head is fox-like in shape and appearance with a broad skull and a distinct flat patch between the ears.

Preferably they have dark eyes. Lighter coloured eyes are only permitted in the blue merle coloured corgis. The nose is always black. The ears stand up straight and are rather large. Corgis have strong jaws with a scissor bite.

The tail is how you can easily distinguish between a cardigan welsh corgi and a Pembroke welsh corgi. The Pembroke welsh corgi doesn’t have a tail, or it has a very short one. The Cardigan welsh corgi dog breed however, has a thick, large tail, much like a fox’s tail. The tail is normally carried low. With new docking legislations arising in several countries (woohoo), soon you won’t be able to tell them apart by simply looking at their tail (or lack thereof).

You will be able to tell them apart by looking at the ears and front legs: cardigan corgis have slightly larger ears and the front feet are more rounded and slightly turned outwards. The cardigan welsh corgi dog breed also tends to be a bit heavier than the Pembroke. Both varieties have a short, rough double coat which is weatherproof. As for the colours, all colours are allowed as long as white isn’t too dominant.

Height: 10-12 inches (25-30cm) Weight: 24-38 pounds (10-12kg)

Temperament

The corgi dog breed is an alert and active breed with great stamina (they were originally used for herding). They are loyal and eager to please their owner. This makes them very easy to train, but also means you have to be consequent or your pooch will take over the alpha position.

Corgis absolutely loooooove children. If you have children, make sure they don’t try to sit on the corgi though as their long back and short legs will not endure this.

They're very protective of you and your family, which usually means they're a bit reserved towards strangers. Other dogs and pets shouldn’t be a problem, but as with any small dog breed, I do recommend you socialize your corgi at a very young age to have a stable, well mannered dog in the future.

They make great apartment dogs (as long as they don’t have to do any stairs) as they’re rather calm indoors. Do pay attention to excessive barking at a young age, your neighbours will be grateful for it. As they’re very loyal, you should also make sure to teach your corgi to be alone, otherwise they might suffer from separation anxiety.

The corgi dog breed was trained to herd by nipping the heels of the animals. This behavior is still seen today. So unless you want your corgi to go around nipping everyone’s heels, teach them not to do this as soon as possible. They’re quick studies, so it shouldn’t take long for your dog to get it.

A daily walk is certainly necessary, especially to keep your corgi’s weight in check. They love to work so I do recommend some other activity as well like agility, obedience or even fly-ball.

When it comes to temperament there’s not a huge difference between the cardigan welsh corgi dog breed and the Pembroke welsh corgi dog breed. Cardigans tend to be a little more clownish and less sociable and more active, while Pembrokes tend to be more serious and a bit more feisty.

Healthcare

Some are prone to RPA and glaucoma. Generally though, there are very few genetic defects.

Because they have such short legs and long body, it’s vital for your pooch’s health to keep him in shape. Being overweight will put extra pressure on the back and joints, causing huge problems, especially as they get older. Take your dog out for a daily walk of at least 30 minutes to keep him in good shape. If your corgi needs to lose some weight, you might also want to consider taking them swimming. Swimming puts no pressure on the joints but gives a good workout nonetheless. Taking him to the beach is the cheapest solution. Of course, living in the city, that might not be feasible on a regular basis. Luckily, more and more dog swimming pools are emerging to give your dog a water workout. Don’t worry if he doesn’t know how to swim. Most dog swimming pools offer dog swimming lessons.

Also be careful of overfeeding. Corgis tend to keep eating as long as there is food in their bowl.

A thick, double coat usually means heavy shedding. Corgis are no exception to the rule. Unless you love to vacuum or don’t mind the occasional dog hair in your food, brush your pooch daily.

They have a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years.

Breed Background

The cardigan welsh corgi is one of England’s oldest dog breeds (over 3000 years). It’s not clear where they originated from. Most likely they originated from central Europe and were first brought to the high country (Cardiganshire) around 1200 B.C. Another possibility is that they originated from the Swedish vallhund and were brought to England by Vikings.

Welsh farmers used them to herd cattle by nipping at their heels and barking. Besides herding, they were also used to hunt verming and guard the farm.

About 70 years ago, two different breeds were recognized: the Pembroke welsh corgi dog breed and the cardigan welsh corgi dog breed.

corgi dog breed

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