Last Updated on October 24, 2022 by Pets Feed
The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is a small dog that was once used as a shepherd and waiter in Wales. A close relative of the popular Pembroke Welsh Corgi, this dog is less popular than its canine cousin. But despite this, this breed of dogs has a special character which makes it little sociable with other pets and shy with people it does not know, but on the contrary, is very loyal to its human family. In addition, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is a very intelligent and easy to train dog.
If you want to have a pet in the form of a shepherd dog, but there is no way to keep such a large animal, you can find an alternative. There is a breed of Welsh Corgi dogs, its representatives are shepherd dogs, only very miniature.
| Breed name | Cardigan Welsh Corgi |
| Country of origin | Great Britain |
| Weight | 14 – 17 kg |
| Height (at the withers) | 28 – 32 cm |
| Life expectancy | 13 years |
| Size | Medium |
Cardigan Welsh Corgi photos
Physical characteristics of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a small herding dog with an elongated body and short, strong legs.
Externally, these handsome, stocky dogs are noticeably taller and bonier than the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. The Cardigan Welsh Corgi can reach 14-17 kg. And it measures between 28 – 32 cm.
- Head: Wedge-shaped, like a fox. Head proportionally symmetrical with a broad head, but narrowed towards the eyes.
- Jaws: Strong, strong closed jaws with a scissor bite.
- Ears: Erect, rather large with rounded tips.
- Eyes: Small, widely set. The iris is predominantly dark, however, depending on the color, there are blue bruises and heterochromias (for example, one eye is blue, the other is brown). The gaze is kind and wise.
- Torso: The loin line is well defined by a smooth line from the withers to the croup. Proportionally long, muscular. The chest is wide.
- Legs: Despite the fact that the limbs are short, they have great ejection power when running. Strong, slightly turned outward. Possible atavism.
- Coat: Hair of medium length and stiffness. Thick undercoat. The color, unlike the Pembroke, is very different: from brindle to blue merle. Most often there are white markings on the body.
Character and temperament of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan
Perhaps the most famous personality trait of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan dog is their incredible and unparalleled devotion to their owner and family. They are ready to give their attention and affection for days on end and literally spend the whole time with you. On the other hand, they have a fairly developed intellect, and therefore understand the desire of the owner to be alone, and also have their own internal independence.
They don’t like to be alone, but they can do it if necessary. Although, again, staying for a day is one thing and staying for a month is completely different – if you have to go on a trip, it’s best to take the dog with you. Welsh Corgi Cardigans love to talk and they have a wide variety of “talking tones”. Loud barking with or without a reason can be somewhat reduced in the learning process, but you won’t be able to completely get rid of this quality – put up with it.
A high level of intelligence allows a dog to have, so to speak, its own view of things, and therefore, even if brought up and properly trained, it can still sometimes act in its own way. They understand well what is happening around, they can interfere in family quarrels and generally like to participate in all family affairs. The Welsh Corgi Cardigan has an open and kind nature, and therefore he perceives children very well and likes to be friends with them.
Important
These dogs have quite strong guarding and herding instincts, although they are rarely used in this form these days. They need early socialization, like most dogs, as well as early exposure to cats in order to accept them normally in the future. They lend themselves perfectly to learning and even adore various activities, as they need intellectual stimulation. Active, likes to play and walk.
Health
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi, like all herding dogs, is naturally endowed with good health and strong immunity. But there is still a predisposition to some diseases:
- Spine diseases – sometimes due to an elongated trunk.
- Von Willebrand disease is a hereditary disease characterized by bleeding disorders, spontaneous bleeding. Often fatal.
- Epilepsy – accompanied by seizures.
- Dysplasia of the hip joint – deformation of the joints, accompanied by severe pain, lameness.
- Raw eczema – skin lesions.
- Diseases of the eyes.
- Degenerative myelopathy is a severe, progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to paralysis of the lower limbs.
- Cystinuria is an abnormal appearance of cystine in the urine.
- Cutaneous asthenia is a hereditary disease.
- Difficult puppy birth is due to the fact that the bitch has 1-2 large puppies (especially if the dog is a firstborn). Caesarean sections are often required.
With proper care, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi lives for 11-13 years. To keep your pet healthy, you need to do vaccinations and preventive examinations in a veterinary clinic on time.
Life expectancy
With proper care, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi lives for 11-13 years. To keep your pet healthy, you need to do vaccinations and preventive examinations in a veterinary clinic on time.
Basic care
En raison de sa douceur et de sa densité, la laine ne nécessite pas de soins particuliers. Les chiens sont lavés une fois par trimestre, peignés lors de la mue, les oreilles sont nettoyées au besoin et sont particulièrement sensibles au brossage des dents en raison de leur sensibilité.
Important
En raison du dos relativement long et des membres courts, évitez les chutes accidentelles même d’une petite hauteur. Limitez les sauts. Sinon, il y aura de graves conséquences pour la colonne vertébrale et un traitement coûteux.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi fun facts
Do not miss some of the most interesting sights about the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. You probably didn’t know where his popularity came from, or what the name meant:
- The name Corgi comes from the Celtic term “cor gi” which literally means “dwarf dog”, from where its origin is directly linked to this civilization.
- For a long time, the two varieties of corgi crossed freely, which made them even more similar. It was only after the 1930s that breeders began to accentuate these differences through the selective breeding of specific specimens.
- The increase in popularity of the breed in its Pembroke version was mainly due to the tenderness of Queen Elizabeth II for these animals. It was the beginning for the corgi to be one of the most popular breeds in many countries, and to be particularly appreciated as a pet and as a dog to be presented at dog shows.
- They are cold-hardy animals, but they don’t like to be alone outside. They should still live indoors, even in a small apartment, which is fine for them as long as they exercise enough for the day.
- The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a good dog with children and he has a lot of patience, he likes games and restlessness, so he is a perfect companion of misdeeds as long as they treat him with care.
History of the breed
Dog lovers call Welsh Corgi fabulous animals. All due to the fact that the history of the emergence of the breed is associated with two ancient legends:
- Welsh legend says that the children of the peasants, walking through the forest, saw two adorable puppies. The kids could not resist and took the puppies with them. Since then, the peasants have received reliable and loyal herding dogs.
- According to ancient legend, corgi served forest fairies as sled dogs. It is because of this that the representatives of the breed actually have markings on the back in the form of a saddle in color. Once the fairies saw how a shepherd could not gather a flock that had scattered across the pasture. They took pity on the poor man and gave him a couple of corgi puppies. These dogs skillfully managed livestock and guarded the owner’s property.
Leaving mythology and returning to reality, we learn that the homeland of the Welsh Corgi is Wales. The breed belongs to the shepherd family, however, in the minimum size. It is believed that the ancestors of the corgi are Icelandic sheepdogs or Swedish Vallhund.
These animals are on the list of the very first shepherd dogs, in their skill they surpassed almost all four-legged shepherds. Small stature, sharp intelligence and ingenuity help corgi dodge the hooves of their charges and at the same time guide livestock in the right direction.
The widespread and great popularity of the corgi was noted in the tenth century. Then every owner of the farm had such an assistant in the shepherd’s business. Despite the ability and attractive, cute appearance, it was only in 1892 that the mini-shepherd dogs from Wales could be seen at the exhibition. After a successful performance and approving responses from dog breeders, the Welsh Corgi gained popularity in all countries of the world. But the real fame of these pets awaited in 1933. It was then that the future king of Great Britain presented his daughters with corgi puppies. After that, these pets took a firm place in high society.
