Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the older and rarer of the two corgis, distinguished at a glance by the long tail the Pembroke lacks.

History

It has worked cattle in Cardiganshire for a very long time — Welsh law referred to a cattle dog of this kind a thousand years ago — driving stock by nipping at heels and ducking the kick. It shares the drover's job with the Pembroke but not the ancestry: the Cardigan belongs to the same family as the dachshund, the Pembroke to the spitz group. The two were shown as one breed until 1934.

Temperament

The breed is known for being steady, affectionate and even-tempered, more reserved with strangers than the Pembroke and watchful without being sharp.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and mental work, and it will herd whatever is available if given nothing else. Weight control matters: a long back on short legs does not forgive extra kilos. The double coat sheds heavily twice a year.

Health

Known tendencies include intervertebral disc disease from the build, hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.