INTRODUCTION

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi (English: Pembroke Welsh Corgi; Welsh: Penfro Corgi Cymraeg) is a breed of small dog native to Wales. It has served for centuries as a sheepdog, and is considered to be one of the oldest dogs in Britain.

THE ORIGIN OF THE WELSH CORGI PEMBROKE

The two corgi varieties are believed to be descended from the Visigoth dog introduced to Wales by the Vikings around the 9th century. Or it may be that the Cardigan Welsh corgi is the older variety, introduced to Wales by the Celts around 1200 (the name ‘corgi’ comes from the Celtic word ‘cor gi’ meaning ‘dwarf dog’). According to other sources, the Pembroke variety was brought to Wales by Flemish weavers in the 12th century. Regardless of the breed's origin, the Welsh Pembroke corgi developed in Pembrokeshire and was used to guide cattle by nipping at their barking hooves. The Pembroke and Cardigan varieties were freely interbred until the 1930's. Thereafter, breeders tried to accentuate their differences. In 1934 they were officially recognised as two separate breeds.

THE WELSH CORGI PEMBROKE STANDARD

GENERAL APPEARANCE: A small sized, strong, robustly built, alert and active dog, giving the impression of strength and vigour in a small body.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the muzzle should be 3/5 of the length of the skull.

HEAD: The head is reminiscent of the fox in shape and appearance, with an alert and intelligent expression.

CRANIAL REGION:

SKULL: The skull is rather broad and flat between the ears.

NASO-FRONTAL DEPRESSION (STOP): Slightly marked.

FACIAL REGION:

TRUFFLE: Black.

HOCIO: Narrowing slightly.

JAWS / TEETH: Should have strong jaws, with healthy, complete and scissor bite, i.e. the inner side of the upper incisors in contact with the outer side of the lower incisors, and well set in the jaws.

EYES: Well set, round, of medium size and of a chestnut colour in harmony with the coat.

EARS: Of medium size, erect and slightly rounded. If a straight line is drawn from the tip of the nose through the middle of the eyes and continued, it should pass through or be tangent to the tip of the ears.

NECK: Moderately long.

BODY: The body is moderately long, the lumbar region should not be short. Slightly tapering when viewed from above.

UPPER LINE: Horizontal.

CHEST: The chest is broad and deep and well let down between the limbs. Ribs well sprung,

TAIL: Anteriorly usually docked short. Set on level with the topline. Carried in a natural manner which may be above or below the topline when the dog is on the move or alert.
There may be natural short tails (bobtails), when the tail may be of any length, carried above or below the topline when moving or alert.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

Shoulders: Shoulders well laid back, forming a 90° angle with the arms.

ARMS: The arms are adapted to the shape of the chest.

ELBOWS: Elbows close to the body, neither too loose nor too close.

FOREARMS: Forearms short and as straight as possible. Strongly boned all the way to the feet.

HANDS: Oval in shape, with strong fingers, well arched and close together. The middle toes slightly overlapping the lateral toes; the pads should be strong and well domed. Nails should be short.

HINDQUARTERS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Strong and supple. Short hindquarters with good bone throughout their length to the feet.

KNEES: Well angulated.

HIPS: Seen from behind should be parallel.

FEET: Oval in shape, with strong, well arched and close toes. The middle toes slightly overlapping the lateral toes; the pads should be strong and well domed. Nails should be short.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Movement should be free and lively, elbows neither too loose nor too close together. The forelegs should be directed forward, without too much lift, in harmony with the propulsive action of the hindquarters.

COAT

HAIR: Medium length, smooth with dense undercoat. Should never be soft, wavy or too harsh (wirey).

COLOUR: Red, charcoal fawn, black and tan, with or without white patches on limbs, chest and neck. Small white patches on head and forehead permitted.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

HEIGHT AT CRUZ: Approximately 25 to 30 cm.

WEIGHT:
Males between 10 and 12 kg.
Bitches between 9 and 11 kg.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear signs of physical or behavioural abnormalities.
  
  

N.B.:

• Male dogs should have two apparently normal appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs of typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.
  
  

HEALTH OF THE WELSH CORGI PEMBROKE

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a dog that can live for 15 years, but this breed can suffer from some hereditary diseases which are easily diagnosed and prevented through timely health testing, which should be done before breeding.

• Hip dysplasia: One of the most common health problems faced by Corgis is hip dysplasia, which affects the development of the hip joint and causes loss of joint function over time. This condition usually takes a little while to develop, but it has been observed that dogs as young as four months may begin to experience symptoms such as a decreased range of motion, difficulty standing or jumping, a sway gait, pain or stiffness.
  Obesity and lack of exercise (or even too much exercise) can exacerbate hip dysplasia, so if you notice your corgi experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your vet to ensure your pet is following the right diet and getting the right amount of exercise.
  Depending on the severity of the dysplasia, there may be other treatment options, including physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medication or surgery.
  
  

• PROGRESSIVE RETINA ATROPHY (PRA): PRA is a degenerative condition that affects the photoreceptors in canine eyes, degrading vision over time and eventually leading to blindness. It is not painful, but it can affect a dog's quality of life. It is not only one of the most common corgi diseases but for all dogs. Some of the early symptoms of PRA include night blindness (which can manifest as fear of going out in the dark or bumping into things in dark rooms), eyes that appear highly reflective when illuminated by light, or pupils that appear more dilated than normal.
  There is currently no known treatment for PRA, but if you notice your dog exhibiting symptoms of decreased vision, it's time for a visit to your vet. They can diagnose the disease and tell you how you can help keep your pet safe.
  
  

• DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY: Because corgis have an elongated spine, this also means they are more likely to develop a serious nerve and spinal disease called degenerative myelopathy. This condition affects the dog's central nervous system, spinal cord and brainstem.
  Common symptoms include muscle atrophy and posture problems, partial or total paralysis of the limbs and decreased muscle mass. There is currently no known cause for degenerative myelopathy, but scientists are investigating genes that may increase a dog's likelihood of developing it.
  Common symptoms include muscle atrophy and posture problems, partial or total paralysis of the limbs and decreased muscle mass. There is currently no known cause for degenerative myelopathy, but scientists are investigating genes that may increase a dog's likelihood of developing it.
  
  

• VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE: Common health problems in corgi include von Willebrand's disease, an inherited disorder that decreases blood clotting. This can cause excessive bleeding after injury and can lead to dangerous blood loss and anaemia.
  Common symptoms of von Willebrand's disease include spontaneous bleeding from mucosal surfaces such as the nose, genitals or gums; blood in the urine or stool; bruising and prolonged bleeding after an injury or surgical procedure.
  While this can be quite frightening for the human corgi family, the prognosis for dogs with von Willebrand's disease is usually good. If the dog has mild or moderate von Willebrand's disease, it will need minimal treatment (although it should be monitored for more severe symptoms). A veterinarian will usually treat a more severely affected dog with blood transfusions.
  
  
• OBESITY: The Corgi is prone to obesity and considering the length of its legs and back this is more dangerous than usual, so we have to opt for a healthy, low fat diet, e.g. Reis d'Aranda's pork or duck adult dog food.
  
  

THE WELSH CORGI PEMBROKE IN BRITISH ROYALTY

Dookie was the first corgi owned by Queen Elizabeth. He was a gift from King George VI, her father. He bought him in 1933 while he was the Duke of York. Queen Elizabeth was just a 7 year old girl. Like every little girl, this was a very special gift, she and her sister Margaret decided together on the name of the dog.

It was love at first sight; an attraction was created between this breed of dog and the Queen from the moment she had Dookie, as he got on badly with almost everyone. He even bit more than one politician who visited the royal palace. In contrast, the relationship between the corgi and Queen Elizabeth was special.

This love grew over time, for ever since her first dog, this has been her favourite breed. Throughout her life, these small animals became her loyal companions. Even in her most important moments as a woman and queen.

After Dookie, a corgi named Jane joined the family. This event crossed family boundaries, and became a news event. The press gave special attention to these adorable girls and the Corgis. This was advantageous in diverting attention from the problems surrounding the family.

After Jane was run over and killed, Queen Elizabeth was given a corgi dog as a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. She named her Susan and was actually Queen Elizabeth's first Corgi, as it was hers alone. It was not a shared gift with her sister. Susan was the foundation bitch for the generations of Corgis the Queen subsequently owned.

The queen chose the males that she crossed with Susan. From this union the next royal dogs were born. Susan and the queen became inseparable friends. So much so, that this Corgi accompanied the queen on her honeymoon. After she married Prince Philip in 1947.

It not only accompanied her in the good times. It was also by her side in 1952 when the Queen's father died. At that time, Elisabeth was 25 years old and became queen. The many press photos showed that the Queen was always surrounded by the corgis, even more so than with her husband. The long family of corgis, the Queen's pets, began with Susan. In all, the queen owned more than 30 corgis. Most of them were Susan's offspring.

In 2015 Queen Elizabeth decided to stop breeding corgis. The reason is that because of her advanced age, she is afraid of tripping over one of these dogs, which could cause her to fall and hurt herself. The last few dogs have been very special. One of them was Willow, who was particularly famous for accompanying the Queen to the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Sadly, Willow passed away in 2018. She was nearly 15 years old and suffered from cancer which became complicated. This was the first occasion that Queen Elizabeth was without a Corgi. However, she still kept two Dorgis pets (mongrels): Vulcan and Candy. Both were the result of crossbreeding with her sister Margaret's dogs.

Vulcan also passed away last 2020. Now Candy is the last corgi companion of Queen Isabell II. This canine love story has accompanied the queen for most of her life.

CONCLUSION

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an excellent companion that we must train and socialise with intensity to prevent his determined and hard-working personality from turning against the family, being able to ‘herd’ its members or to be blunt when it is time to be manipulated. Given good socialisation and the right amount of exercise, the Pembroke will make a great family companion.