Welcome to today’s short form podcast, with another addition to the breed of the week. I’m your host Nicole Forto and this week we are talking all about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi or otherwise recognized simply as a Corgi dog. Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s are known for their small but mighty body, intelligence, alertness, and affectionate nature. They are one of two breeds known as a Welsh Corgi, the second being the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Pembroke Corgis are descendants of the Spitz family of dogs. They of course are widely popular in Britain due to Queen Elizabeth II’s favor of them, having thirty corgis through her years of reign. In recent years they have declined in popularity in Britain but continue to be popular in the United States. Recently ranked eleventh in the most popular breeds of 2020 by the American Kennel Club.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been traced back to AD 1107, it is said that Flemish weavers brought the dogs alongside them in their travels to reside in Wales upon Henry I’s invitation. There are many stories and folklore through the years that link corgis to fairy stories. One’s where they were used as war horses by fairies and even gifted to favored human children. In their appearance Corgis have a rougher patch of fur along their haunches called the fairy saddle. There of course is no fact to those stories but they are referenced today and fun to share.
In 1925 both breeds of Welsh Corgi were beginning to be shown in clubs and competitions in the Britain Kennel Club. In December of 1925 a Corgi Club was formed to ensure the breed standard and make serious moves and efforts in getting them recognized officially. In 1928 both breeds of Welsh Corgi were recognized by the British Kennel Club and then broken into their individual breeds of Pembroke and Cardigan in 1934. Once split into their individual breeds the American Kennel Club followed suit in recognizing them in 1934.
Small in height but sturdy in form, the breed standard being a height of ten to twelve inches from paw to shoulder. Having an average weight of twenty-five – thirty pounds, being overly large or severely smaller disqualifies them in a show ring setting. Their bodies are meant to be about
forty percent longer than their height. They can come in a range of color patterns but are most widely recognized for their red top and white bottom half, they can come in red, sable, fawn, black and tan and qualify with or without white markings. These small but mighty dogs have a slick top coat and coarse undercoat. Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s are known to be bold, confident, and non viscous.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s were originally used as herding dogs for sheep and cattle. Described as a lively little herder. Pembroke’s are surprisingly agile even for their small size. They are extremely trainable but are a breed that either performs training or walks all over their owners with a mind of their own. No matter if you are doing agility, herding events, or keeping one as a house pet, staying on top of them with commands and training is highly important. Pembroke’s are very biddable and affectionate but can be protective and carry a ‘big dog’ bark, alerting their owners to animals and other dangers. Early socialization can make a massive impact on their demeanor and personality as they grow, dog and people reactivity can become common. Early consistent exposure helps immensely. Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s are seen competing in agility, obedience and rally in show rings, flyball, tracking, and herding events. They have been tracked to run at speeds upward of twenty-five miles an hour. That is one fast little dog! Do you have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi? Let us know on any of our socials. For Dog Works Radio we hope you are enjoying these deep dives into dog breeds, if you’re dying for us to cover your favorite breed let us know! I’m Nicole and I’ll catch you guys in the next episode.
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