Highly active, full of intelligence, and family-friendly, probably will be the words defining a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
These active pups are famous in the pet world due to their small sizes and large intelligence. Born leaders, these dogs would work well with humans and would give you great competition in everything.
Known as doggy dwarves due to their little sizes, these dogs are famous herders, affectionate cuddlers, and big-time eaters. Let’s know more about the dwarves of the doggy world to become better parents to them.
The Origin
- As can be inferred from the name, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi hails from Wales in the Pembrokeshire area. Out of the two Corgi breeds, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the older one. This breed was used in the development of the Pembroke breed.
- ‘Corgi’ literally means dog in Celtic. Also, ‘cor’ is ‘dwarf’ and ‘gi’ is a dog. The meaning might be debatable but one thing is crystal clear, Corgis were primarily bred as farm dogs who used to be good with other farm animals like cattle.
- Since they are low in stature, they used to nip disorderly cattle on their heels and would duck to avoid the kicks from the cattle. They are low-maintenance dogs that are not very expensive to pet.
- The Pembroke welsh corgi rose to fame when it was gifted to the Queen of England. Her love for this breed gave them immense fame and they got popularized, known worldwide as perfect.
- There are many examples where people who were not Canophiles, ended up falling for them because of their adorable and loving nature.
Appearance
The Pembroke welsh corgi has a double coat, the undercoat being a thick coat and the topcoat being longer. Pembrokes shed all year-round moderately but the heavy shedding sessions are twice a year. There are different colored Pembrokes like red, black, fawn, white, etc.
Generally, their topcoat is longer, however, the length of the coat differs from dog to dog. Some of the dogs from this breed have fluffy coats with very long hair on the ears and feet and sometimes legs.
A Corgi’s head looks like the head of the fox in some way with erect ears proportionate to their heads.
Most of the time, they have slightly lightly marked areas on each side of the shoulder ridges caused by the change in thickness, length, and direction of their hair growth. Corgis have a long back, short bowed legs, and erect upright ears.
Size
They measure around 10-12 inches in height at max and their weight is around 30 pounds. They are little dogs who are small and low to the ground. Their name in itself reveals their short physique as corgi translates to the dwarf.
Personality and Temperament
Pembroke Welsh corgis are strong, athletic, and lively little herders. They are affectionate and compassionate but at the same time, they are not needy. Corgis have a reputation for their excellent temperament. In their own heads, they are big doggies in small bodies.
They are amazing watchdogs. Their personality is such that they have a tendency to bark a lot. If you are planning to pet a corgi, it might sometimes be trouble for your neighbors but we can not ignore the fact that this makes them excellent watchdogs.
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Corgis behave well with families and are not much comfortable living in kennels and other places.
If they sense something unusual or if someone threatens their home or their family, they would ensure that everyone around them knows by a quick and loud series of barks.
Corgis with Children
Corgis are comfortable around people. They love and enjoy the company of humans, are fast learners when it comes to tricks and they love to learn fun tricks. Also, they have a witty nature.
Corgis need a kind hand when it comes to their training. If trained properly, they behave in the best possible way but if not, they are likely to take charge themselves.
They are particularly affectionate towards children. But sometimes, because of their natural herding instincts, they can nip at the heel, feet, or ankles of the little children. This is not mandatory as they are fast learners and if you train them properly, they can get rid of this habit of theirs.
Teach your children how they are supposed to behave with dogs. It is necessary to ensure that your dog doesn’t bite your children. Teach your children to never disturb the corgi while they are eating. Corgis are very possessive about their foods and they don’t like any disturbance while eating.
Corgis are friendly and are good with other dogs too. Just ensure early socialization to make them friends with other pets in the household.
Health
- Corgis, just like any other dog, need exercise and outdoor activities. They are very playful and energetic dogs who love to eat. As a result, there are high chances that they might become obese if you don’t keep their food intake in mind.
- Generally, Pembroke is healthy but like every other dog, they are prone to a few diseases like hip and elbow dysplasia and epilepsy. They can be healthy all their life if you ensure proper nutrition, exercise, and regular medical checkups.
- Some common diseases found in the corgis are Retinal Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Intervertebral disk disease, Epilepsy, Cystinuria, Cataracts, Hip Dysplasia, etc.
- Ensure regular vet visits and health checkups of your dog. The moment you notice anything unusual like loss in energy or soreness or lethargy in your dog, take them to a vet for early diagnosis of the disease.
- To ensure that your Pembroke is healthy, the first thing is to find a good breeder. The trustworthy and credible breeder will be transparent about the inherent diseases in the puppy and in the parents of the puppy. Take proper health data from the breeder and ensure that the puppy you are planning to adopt is healthy.
Food And Nutrition
When it comes to feeding corgis, ensure that good quality dry food is available to them. 1 to 1.5 cups a day is enough which should be served to them in two meals.
The diet, however, depends upon a lot of factors like size, age, built, physical activity, etc. This differs from dog to dog. What is mentioned above is the average. The food quality also makes a difference as high-quality food is filling as compared to low-quality food.
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Since corgis are foodies, they love to eat. They are obsessed with food and their humans need to ensure that they do not overeat. Usually, corgis become obese because of their foody nature.
Take the help of a dog nutritionist if you are confused regarding your corgi’s daily intake. Follow the plan religiously to ensure the good health of your dog.
Grooming
- The grooming of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is not that difficult and it is easy to groom the breed. Though, they are heavy shedders and shed all year-round. During the heavy shedding season, you need to brush their coats daily. Bathing is required accordingly, preferably every other day.
- Some parents of the Pembroke suggest that if their bathing is maintained regularly, some decrease in shedding can be observed.
- Brushing the teeth of this breed just like other breeds is essential. Brush the teeth of your dog at least thrice a week to remove the tartar which might give rise to oral infections if not removed.
- For emergencies and for times of haste, buy wipes and tooth gums to have shortcuts instead of brushing. But regular brushing is the best way to go. Just by teeth brushing, your dog would be free of bad breath and gum disease.
Some More tips for Grooming
- Trimming the nails of dogs is essential too. Your dogs don’t wear shoes. They walk all around and this sometimes might be a problem. Dirt and gunk can remain in their nails even if you wash their feet every day.
- If the nails are long, dirt can accumulate in them. Their long nails can also be trouble as they might end up hurting you or themselves. The best you need to do is to trim their nails regularly. The moment you hear the sound of nails clicking on the floor, you need to trim them.
- Another important aspect of their grooming is the cleanliness of their ears. Ensure that the ears are cleaned at least on a weekly basis. Don’t insert anything in the ear canal too deep. When it comes to ear cleaning, just clean the outer part of the ear with a damp cotton ball.
- Sometimes you might experience difficulties when it comes to grooming the dog. Just try to be patient and make this a fun exercise. You can reward them with treats to make the experience a little easier.
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- Grooming appropriately ensures that you save your dog from future diseases and complications. Your dog will live a healthy and long life.
Cost
The price differs according to the source of adoption and the place you are from, however, generally a corgi can cost as low as $700 to as high as $2000. Expect the average price to be around $1200.
The female corgis are a little expensive in the market compared to the male corgis.
Fun facts
- They are world-class herding dogs.
- They can be your best friends and greatest competitors, both at the same time.
- A Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Rufus was the mascot for Amazon.
- A lot of times, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are born without a tail.
- They share their ancestry with the Huskies.
Conclusion
Corgis can prove to be perfect pets. If you are planning to adopt one, it might be your best decision. You will have the company of a little dog who is a ball of energy.
They love to play and have fun. It’s easy to train them. Proper training ensures they turn out to be the best pets. What else is required? Adopt one and live a life full of fun and love with this sweet creature.
