The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was originally known to have been bred to herd cattle, sheep, and horses. Lately, however, the Welsh Corgi is more popularly sought after as a pet in many families.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is not only an athletic and intelligent creature but also an amiable one. These corgis are recorded to have interacted well with adults, children, seniors, as well as other dogs: making them a perfect pet to families of any construct. Origin of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a cattle-herding dog breed that was developed in Pembrokeshire, Wales. There are two breeds of Welsh Corgi. One of them is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Both the Pembroke Welsh corgi and the Cardigan Welsh corgi descend from the line of northern spitz-type dogs. The line also includes Chow Chow, Pomeranian, and Samoyed.
Table of Contents
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Characteristics
Physical Attributes of Corgi
With a height between 10-12 inches and weight ranging from 22-31 pounds, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is typically characterized as having a medium breed size. This breed has a lot of strength and power in their compact bodies. They have small bodies with robust short legs. Furthermore, their strength is complemented with muscular thighs.
These little creatures have dense double coat fur in Fawn, Sable, Black & Tan, and/or Red. Corgis can be bicolor or tricolor as well. Most corgis, not all of them, bear white markings on their legs, chest, and neck, which is one of their unique attributes.
As for their facial features, they are equipped with a small black nose, round, medium-sized brown eyes, and sharp ears that are pointed at the tip and stand upright.
They also have a small, adorable tail.
Personality of Corgi
Corgis are recorded to have rather strong personalities with a lot of different dimensions. They are as energetic and enthusiastic as they are tenacious and bold. Corgis are commonly known to be very friendly and playful, but they are also firm.
Corgis are also comparatively hyper, but given proper and sufficient stimuli, they can be tamed. They have a wonderful sense of humor and love to play with toys. More importantly, they love to play with their human counterparts.
They are fiercely loyal towards their families and are watchful over children. They are so well with children despite being bred for herding purposes because, besides herding, they were also bred to protect the farmer’s children.
This is what made them the best of both worlds. Corgis also have an inclination towards barking loudly, which makes them a good fit for keeping your family and your home safe from intruders.
Hence, protective and friendly are the terms that can be used to describe this breed of dogs’ personality.
Taking care of your Welsh Corgi
How to train your corgi
Since the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an active and intelligent dog breed, they are relatively easy to train. What makes them really smart is their natural herding intelligence. Corgis are rated as the 11th smartest breed in Stanley Coren’s book “The Intelligence of Dogs.” Moreover, they are often very eager to learn, which makes the training process smoother for you.
Proper physical and mental stimuli are very important for the well-being of your Corgi. It is important to make sure that your Corgi gets enough exercise daily and is not left alone for more than 6 hours. Taking walks is an absolute must to make sure your Corgi remains active. For puppies, one walk a day is enough to keep them stimulated, but for adults, it is recommended to take two walks daily for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Corgis are also eager to please their owners. They react well to positive and enthusiastic reassurance. So, it is advisable to praise them whenever the opportunity arises.
Another method that works well on them is a food reward system. Giving your corgi kibble every time they listen to an order well will keep them motivated and make them more likely to carry out tasks accurately.
Some Corgis, however, can be aggressive as they are herding dogs by nature. They have a tendency to be bossy and somewhat stubborn. So, if they aren’t trained properly, there may be reasons for worry. Corgis may also be hostile to other dogs, so teaching them to socialize early on when they are puppies is recommended.
There are many ways to train a dog. You can do it professionally or by yourself. Training your dog professionally is rewarding for both you and your Corgi because sometimes, as corgis are stubborn, the most important commands take some time for them to learn. Puppy socialization classes where they can interact with other puppies like themselves will help them be much more interactive and welcoming.
On the other hand, you can carry out a ton of dog training yourself. Training them yourself helps establish a healthy bond between the two of you. It is very important for a healthy bond between the owner and the pet to exist. Even if you have them professionally trained, the dog will stay with you at the end of the day. So, it is important to familiarize yourself with them.
Feeding your Welsh Corgi
Corgis have a tendency to become obese. So, it is vital to remember not to overfeed them as it could seriously harm them in the long run. As with any animal, it is important to make sure that the food you are feeding them is nutrition-packed.
You should stick to feeding your puppy “puppy food,” as these usually have high levels of protein and are enriched with vitamins and essential fats. As your corgi transition from a puppy to an adult, it is important to add more types of food into their diets.
Corgis are picky eaters. They have been recorded to throw up food which is too dry, so it is best to mix their food with water.
Another important thing to note is that young puppies who are still teething will not be able to eat dry food at all. In addition to food, keeping them hydrated is also important. It has to be made sure that they drink at least 1 ounce of water daily.
Grooming your Welsh Corgi
The Corgi has a medium-dense double coat. Because of the double coat of the breed, brushing is vital. The breed sheds a decent amount on a regular basis but even more so in late spring or early summer.
Therefore, they need to be groomed every 4 to 8 weeks, with more frequent grooming during spring and fall shedding seasons when they change coats. Corgis with normal skin and coat should be bathed with a conditioner.
This will help keep the coat hydrated and lock in the moisture to protect against harsh weather conditions. Using shedding shampoo during the spring and fall shedding season will help release the undercoat so that the seasonal coat can come in properly.
It is recommended to use paw balm on your Corgi’s paw pads if they are cracked, peeling, or too dry. Since corgis move around a lot, they need Paw Balm to keep their pads soft to keep them from drying and cracking.
It is also recommended to apply the balm 2 – 3 times a day if your dog has dry or cracked paws. However, if your dog has soft paw pads, it is a completely different matter.
Applying paw balm to their already soft paws will do more harm than good, as it will increase the chances of their skin tearing when they walk on rough and harsh surfaces. Hence, it is best not to overdo it.
Brushing your dog’s teeth is another important thing you must do. Without brushing,
there will be a plaque buildup in your Corgi’s mouth. This may lead to bad breath, gum disease and/or tooth decay. It will also make them more vulnerable to various infections.
It is, therefore, suggested to brush their teeth at least twice a day, two or three times a week. If possible, it is ideal to brush them even more often as they are more prone to dental problems than some other breeds.
Potential Health conditions and Risks of corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is typically a healthy breed. As long as all their vaccinations are up to date, there should not be a reason for you to worry. However, there are still some conditions you should be aware of. Some of the most common health conditions of this breed can be intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) and hip dysplasia. Although not much common anymore, Welsh Corgis are also prone to suffer from the following conditions:
Epilepsy
This is a neurological issue that can cause mild to severe seizures.
Von Willebrand’s disease
This is a bleeding disorder in which their blood doesn’t clot properly.
Progressive retinal atrophy
This is a group of diseases that affect cells in their eyes.
Lens luxation or Ectopia lentis
This is a dislocation of the eye’s crystalline lens from its normal position.
Kidney stone disease or urolithiasis
This is when hard stones of minerals form inside their kidneys
To prevent these conditions from harming your Corgi, it is necessary to make routine visits to the vet. As with all breeds, it is important to maintain proper and regular hygiene accompanied by baths and regular brushing of the teeth. Moreover, you should check for redness, bad odors, or debris in the ear, which could indicate an ear infection. A corgi’s ears should be checked weekly for signs of infection and taken to the vet for inspection if anything seems unusual.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, Corgis are one of the most sociable pets, good with both children and
adults. Taking care of them is also easier when compared to other breeds. Thus, making them a very desirable extension for families.
