Let's talk Welsh Corgi Cardigans
Sometimes described as a big dog in a small package, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan looks almost like a miniature wolf. They resemble their wild-animal ancestors in being intelligent and resourceful, too, and have great stamina and resilience. Originally bred as herding dogs, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan will benefit from plenty of outdoor exercise but are content to be at home in the heart of the family as well. These hardy little animals also have a longer-than-average lifespan.
Official name: Welsh Corgi Cardigan
Other names: Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Cardigan
Origins: Wales
| Drooling tendencies |
|
Warm weather? |  |
| Grooming needs |  |
Cold weather? | |
| Shedding level |  |
Suited to apartment living* | |
| Barking tendencies | |
Can stay alone?* | |
| Energy Level* | Low | Family Pet?* |  |
| Compatibility with other pets | |
* We advise against leaving pets alone for long stretches. Companionship can prevent emotional distress and destructive behaviour. Speak to your veterinarian for recommendations.
Every pet is different, even within a breed; this snapshot of this breed specifics should be taken as an indication.
For a happy healthy and well-behaved pet, we recommend educating and socializing your pet as well as covering their basic welfare needs (and their social and behavioral needs.
Pets should never be left unsupervised with a child.
Contact your breeder or veterinarian for further advice.
All domestic pets are sociable and prefer company. However, they can be taught to cope with solitude from an early age. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or trainer to help you do this.
Male
31 cm - 32 cm
Height
14 kg 500.0 - 17 kg
Weight
Female
31 cm - 32 cm
Height
11 kg - 15 kg
Weight
| Baby age | Birth to 2 months |
| Puppy age | 2 to 12 months |
| Adult age | 1 to 7 years |
| Mature age | 7 to 10 years |
| Senior age | From 10 years |
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Get to know the Welsh Corgi Cardigan
All you need to know about the breed
Given the history of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan as a herding animal, it’s perhaps no surprise that they still retain many of those inherent qualities today. They are always up for being in the great outdoors, scurrying around in the fields, and also make good watchdogs for their human families.
While they may be relatively small in stature, they actually have many of the qualities of a much larger animal. For instance, in terms of their personality, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is smart, fearless and bold. In short, not much fazes these little guys.
Even in their features, they look more like a larger dog – or even a wolf or a fox. Characterised by their large expressive eyes and prominent pricked ears, they are a very handsome breed. And even though their bodies hang low and long, they are both agile and powerful, and can move surprisingly quickly.
Despite their rugged, outdoorsy image, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan also has a calm temperament – and they are very affectionate animals too. They train well, so they’re usually great with children and other pets, and their laid-back, sociable nature make them an ideal companion all-round. On top of all that, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan has a good lifespan, too.
Notable for their varied markings, their thick double coat comes in several colours – from red to the popular blue-merle pattern – meaning each dog can look quite different from another. Incidentally, the easiest way to distinguish the Welsh Corgi Cardigan from their similar ‘cousins’, the Welsh Corgi Pembroke, is to look at their hindquarters. While Cardigans have a longish tail, the Pembroke does not – and the Cardigan is also slightly larger.
Over the last few decades, Corgis have found fame as the favoured dogs of the Queen of England who has owned more than 30 Pembrokes during her lifetime (don’t tell the Cardigan…). As a result, Corgis also had a starring role on our screens recently in the hit Netflix series, The Crown.
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2 facts about Welsh Corgi Cardigans
1. Historic British breed
The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is the older of the two Corgi dog breeds – and pre-dates the Pembroke by some 2,000 years. Amazingly, they have been a resident of Wales since around 1,200 BC.
2. Safe and sound
Their distinctive large ears not only look
rather cute but also perform an important function. The Welsh Corgi Cardigan
has first-class hearing that can prove invaluable in their role as a
watchdog. Rest assured, not much gets past a Corgi!
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History of the breed
One of the oldest breeds in the British Isles, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan has been with us for more than 3,000 years. Hailing from the historic county of Cardiganshire, in Wales, their name comes from the Celtic word for dog – which is “kergie”.
Down the centuries, this small but powerful breed has been used mainly to herd cattle. The size of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan made them the ideal height to snap at the heels of the herd, but they were also fast enough to dodge a kick. At night, they would help guard against any potential predators.
At other times in their long history, Welsh Corgi Cardigans have also worked as hunting partners and watchdogs. These days, though, they are most often a beloved family pet. They first arrived in the U.S. in the 1930’s – being formally recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1935 – and the breed soon took off there as well.
The history of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is also closely tied to that of their ‘cousins’, the Welsh Corgi Pembroke, and for a long time they were considered to be one and the same. In actual fact, they don’t share a common ancestor and come from different parts of Wales. The Welsh Corgi Cardigan also has slightly different physical characteristics.
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From head to tail
Physical characteristics of Welsh Corgi Cardigans
1. Head
The head is fox-like in shape, with a broad skull, and slightly domed at the front.
2. Ears
Large, prominent ears are softly rounded at the tips.
3. Body
Body is long and low with a prominent chest, level topline and moderately long tail.
4. Double-coat
Double-coat is short to medium in length and tends to have a thicker ‘ruff’ around the neck area.
5. Colouring
Colouring can vary dramatically and ranges from red, sable, brindle, black, tan and blue merle.
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Things to look out for
From specific breed traits to a general health overview, here are some interesting facts about your Welsh Corgi Cardigan
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Caring for your Welsh Corgi Cardigan
Grooming, training and exercise tips
In terms of grooming, the Welsh Corgi
Cardigan is very easy in that respect too. Although they are a double-coated
breed, with a soft, thick undercoat and a longer, tougher outer coat, they
should be fine with a good brush around once a week. It’s also a myth that they
need their fur cut short for the summer. However, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is
quite a high-shedding breed and will require daily brushing during that time.
An undercoat ‘rake’ will help remove any excess hair. They should also have an
occasional bath. In addition, their nails should be clipped as required, ears
checked regularly and teeth brushed daily or as often as possible.
Smart, spirited and occasionally a little
stubborn, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan will benefit from early puppy-training
classes. That way, you can hopefully get them into good habits before they
become too set in their ways. As the Welsh Corgi Cardigan can also be a bit
barky sometimes, the early socialisation will help to counter that. Also quite
sensitive animals, a gentle training technique based around positive
reinforcement and healthy rewards works best. Highly intelligent dogs, Welsh
Corgi Cardigans can also go on to excel in canine sports, such as agility,
obedience and tracking. Just remember to keep in mind the potential for injury
of the Cardigan’s long back.
As mentioned earlier, the Welsh Corgi
Cardigan was originally bred as a working dog and therefore had a busy
lifestyle. Even today, they remain an energetic breed and still need their
daily fix of physical activity. So, whether it’s a hike through the fields, a
trip to the dog park or a simple walk, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan will always
enjoy exercise outdoors – along with a healthy dose of socialising with other
animals thrown in. However, because of their short legs and bulky bodies, they
don’t make good jogging partners and they’re not great swimmers either. But
don’t hold it against them, they are so good at other things.
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All about Welsh Corgi Cardigans
There are two distinct breeds of Welsh
Corgi: the Cardigan and the Pembroke. The easiest way to tell the difference
between them is that the Cardigan has a longish tail whereas the
Pembroke does not. Also, in terms of size, the Cardigan is usually
slightly larger than the Pembroke. Lastly, the Cardigan has gently rounded ears
while those of the Pembroke have pointy tips.
Known for their long, low-set bodies, Welsh
Corgi Cardigans are solid and sturdy but not particularly large. The male will
peak at somewhere between 13.5-17kg (30-38lb). They won’t usually grow beyond
30.5cm (12 inches) maximum.
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Sources
1 - Veterinary Centers of America https://vcahospitals.com/
2 - Royal Canin Dog Encyclopaedia. Ed 2010 and 2020
3 - Banfield Pet Hospital https://www.banfield.com/
4 - Royal Canin BHN Product Book
5 - American Kennel Club https://www.akc.org/