Pembroke Welsh Corgis are a sturdy dog breed that has been part of families for years. Many myths and legends have been laid down about their origin. To this day, many people consider the legend as the history of Pembroke Welsh corgis and how they were bred.
This breed radiates joy and cordiality with all its appearance. Despite the indisputable cuteness, this attractive dog is distinguished by a fearless shepherd’s character and remarkable intelligence.
Let’s get to know about Pembroke Corgis by knowing about their history, origin, and how we breed this dog today.
History Of Pembroke Welsh Corgis And The Legend
The appearance of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed is truly fabulous. Sweet legends add a veil of mystery to the origins of these dogs.
The Ancient Legend of Pembroke Welsh Corgis And Fairies
One day, the shepherds’ children found two small foxes in the fields and brought them to the farm. The parents explained to the kids that these were puppies donated by fairies and allowed them to keep the dogs for themselves.
According to Welsh legend, a corgi was given to people by grateful fairies. The winged fabulous creatures used small, short-legged dogs as sled dogs. Therefore, on the backs of the corgi, there are areas on which darker wool grows.
In shape, these spots resemble a saddle and can be regarded as an indirect confirmation of the fabulous history of the origin of the breed. True, the beautiful legend does not mention why the fairies thanked humanity with such a generous gift.
Since then, it has been believed among superstitious Englishmen that the Welsh fairies made these dogs into chariots and rode them.
If you believe Welsh legends, nothing can be cuter than this. But again, there are also scientific and historical theories of their origin.
Scientific And Historical Theories For Origin Of Pembroke Welsh Corgis
This is one of the oldest dog breeds because the history of the origin of the corgi has many unclear moments. The first mention of a short-legged shepherd dog dates to the 10th century.
In the records of that time, there is information that the breed was created specifically for grazing cows. Compact, undersized dogs deftly dodged the blows of cattle. Biting their wards by the legs, drove them in the right direction.
For the specific habit of biting cattle by the hind legs, the corgi received the nickname “tongs dog”. And for the elongated body of the mini-shepherd was called the “Welsh yard.”
Written mentions of the breed are first found in the code of laws of the Welsh king Hiwal the Good, who ruled in these parts in the 10th century.
But there is another version, according to which the emergence of mini-shepherd dogs is related to completely different breeds. According to this, the origin of the corgi is associated with the Scandinavian shepherd dogs that came to the territory of Wales thanks to the Vikings.
Icelandic dogs and Swedish Walhundas took part in the formation of mini-shepherd dogs. The fox’s face was inherited from the first corgi, from the second they received short legs and an extended body.
Experts still do not come to a consensus on the account of the emergence of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Some believe that the dogs were brought in by Flemish weavers, others that the Pembroke corgi descended from the Swedish Wahlund. Historians agree only on one thing: the first mention of the breed dates to the distant 10th century.
Importance Of Pembroke Welsh Corgis In 10th Century
According to the provisions of the law, for the killing of corgi grazing cattle, its owner had the right to demand from the culprit a whole ox as compensation for damage.
It is interesting that for dogs of any other breed, even if they were the property of the king, no one gave more than a ram.
The fact is that the Welsh Corgi grazed herds without human participation, independently accompanied the herd, fearlessly protected it from wolves and robbers.
They worked for themselves and the owner. The death of such an assistant was indeed a very tangible loss.
How did Pembroke Welsh Corgis become famous?
Despite its centuries-old history, the breed remained unknown for a long time. It was only possible to bring the Welsh Corgi out of the shadows in 1892 after being shown at a dog show.
But the real popularity of mini-shepherd dogs came only in 1933, when the Duke of York, who later became King of Great Britain, George V, presented puppies of this breed to his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret Rose.
Since then, these wonderful dogs have become permanent residents of Buckingham Palace and even participate in official receptions. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is rightfully considered the world’s greatest lover and connoisseur of the breed.
The English Queen could not resist these adorable animals, and since 1933 the Pembroke Corgi has received the status of a permanent royal pet. Today, in the vastness of Buckingham Palace, a whole flock of these mischievous short-legged dogs frolic.
In 1920, the Welsh Corgi was officially approved by the British Kennel Club as a purebred breed. In those distant times, the Cardigan and the Pembroke were not yet distinguished as separate species. Only in 1936 in America was the Pembroke Corgi recognized by the American Kennel Club as an independent breed.
Today the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is one of the 50 most popular breeds.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis Breed’s Personality And Features
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are lovely dogs with a long history as a capable working dogs, as well as very loving and loyal pets.
Personality Of Pembroke Welsh Corgis
Pembroke Welsh Corgi are dogs that can truly enjoy life. It seems that these cute dogs simply do not know what blues and bad moods are.
Communication with the owner, walks, and even work – everything gives the dogs pleasure. Their smiling faces, full of enthusiasm and optimism cannot leave anyone indifferent.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been used for grazing for centuries. To this day, these dogs display some herding instincts.
An inexperienced young dog may try to knock family members into a flock and begin to bite the owners on the heels so that they move in the right direction. Correct and consistent training will help correct the pet’s behavior.
Features Of Pembroke Welsh Corgis
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a stocky, compact, and sturdy dog. The length of the body (from the withers to the base of the tail) is approximately 40% longer than the height from the withers to the ground (25-30 cm).
The weight of the animal is proportional to its height and is up to 12.7 kg for female dogs and not more than 13.6 kg for males.
Show representatives of the breed should have a lower weight – about 11.4 kg and 12.4 kg, respectively.
Head and Skull
The corgi’s head is shaped like a fox, the skull is wide enough and flat between the ears. The muzzle is proportional to the skull in a ratio of 3: 5, tapering slightly towards the nose. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is moderate. The nose is always black.
Jaws and Teeth
The corgi has strong jaws with a well-defined regular scissor bite.
Eyes
Small in size, rounded. The color of the iris is brown, in harmony with the color of the coat.
Ears
Medium in size, sharp, with slightly rounded tips. A conventional line drawn from the nose through the center of the eye should cross the tip of the ear or go very close to it.
Frame
Average. The rib cage is rounded, slightly ovoid, and of moderate length. The top line is flat, with a possible slight depression at the withers.
Tail
In the Middle Ages, Great Britain introduced a tax on all dogs except service dogs. To highlight the working dogs and avoid additional duties, the owners docked the tails of their pets.
This fate did not pass by the shepherd of the Pembroke corgi. In the 1980s, zoo protection achieved a ban on cosmetic surgery, but the bobtail remained in the genotype.
Some breeders still purposefully breed short-tailed representatives of this breed, but future owners have a choice – to buy a puppy with a normal tail or the notorious “bob”.
Limbs
The front pasterns of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi are short and as straight as possible. The bones are wide up to the paws, without narrowing. The elbows are close to the sides. The shoulders are harmoniously laid and are at right angles to the forearms. The hind legs are short and strong. The angles of the knee joints are good, the metatarsus is straight. Strong bones.
The feet are oval with strong toes, the two central ones are slightly forward. The pads are firm and well filled. The nails are short.
Wool
Straight with a good dense undercoat. It is never soft and wavy, nor is it wiry.
Color
The colors of the Welsh Corgi are red, light red, black, and tan with possible light markings on the chest, neck, and legs (tricolor), sable. The breed standard allows white markings on the head and muzzle
How To Breed Pembroke Welsh Corgis
To be good breeders of the Pembroke Corgi breed requires learning and acting in the interests of the health and character of the breed.
Knowing, and, if possible, applying it in reproduction, you can get good offspring, healthy and free from any genetic diseases. Therefore, you just need to study and understand the basics of the genetics of dogs of the Welsh Corgi Pembroke breed.
After all, breeding is not just the production of offspring by the breeder, but hard work, which is designed to multiply and improve the breed.
Why Is Knowing Genetics Important for Breeding?
Breeders must do genetic tests that determine the main diseases of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed.
Breeding dogs based on the absence of defects means that in every kennel you will find dogs that can never become champions, as they do not meet all breed standards.
Try to breed dogs based on their merit, not the absence of defects. That’s because it will let the offspring become champions.
The Welsh corgi will give birth to beautiful children because they have good characteristics that they pass on to their offspring.
Ultimately, the breeder’s job is to create a happy and lasting relationship between the puppies and their future owners.
Difficulties in Breeding Pembroke Welsh Corgis
Pembroke is a difficult breed of dog, and that’s a fact. When you first look at a Pembroke, you often get confused about this:
The dog is strong, sturdy, of medium size (by no means a dwarf), with good bones and motor activity, sanguine by temperament.
Despite all of this, Pembroke Welsh Corgis often experience difficult childbirths.
Why do Pembrokes so often undergo surgery during childbirth?
There is no definite answer, but there are some thoughts, namely:
The Pembrokes, in comparison with other breeds, do not have very good labor activity.
When the uterus is overstretched due to many fetuses, its normal contraction does not occur, there are no contractions, and childbirth does not occur.
With a small size of dogs Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed, puppies are born not so small! The standard weight of a puppy during childbirth is on average 250 grams.
But very often newborns weigh 300, 400, and even 500 grams! This is a very large birth weight, considering that the weight of the mother herself (also on average) is 10-11 kg!
Planned cesarean section
This is a very dangerous undertaking!
Let’s say that the birth traditionally takes place on the 62nd day, but from what point should you start counting the days? We cannot know exactly when fertilization took place, even if mating was performed only once, without a control day.
Spermatozoa do not immediately, on the day of mating, fertilize the egg.
This can happen on the fifth (and according to new data, on the tenth) day after the mating.
Thus, by planning the operation, simply counting 62 days from the mating produced, you risk losing litter, namely, getting premature, non-viable puppies.
Therefore, the cesarean section is carried out exclusively and only when the female dog has already “entered labor”: her temperature has dropped, the first, or better the second stage of labor has begun.
Overcoming The Difficulties Of Breeding Pembroke Welsh Corgis
Please consider the experience of the previous generation of breeders when breeding this breed!
Don’t be so arrogant in assuring yourself and others that this cannot happen to you. Don’t flatter yourself with your previous experience in breeding other breeds! This is a big mistake.
At every birth, you should have a competent veterinarian who, if necessary, can perform an emergency operation.
Add to this the fact that few of the owners do elementary tests on the health of the female dogs giving birth.
Before mating, it will not be superfluous to have the corgi pass a clinical and blood test to make sure that the expectant mother has a healthy liver, kidneys, and other indicators are normal.
Also, get the mother’s blood tested for blood clotting rate in advance for cases if the operation becomes necessary.
How to Sell Pembroke Welsh Corgis
The hype and fashion are never good news in dog breeding, in particular in breeding Welsh Corgi. What is happening is that nowadays the general public loves Pembroke Corgi dogs due to their peculiar appearance and wonderful temperament.
What will unscrupulous breeders do? Of course, to create what is in demand.
Instead of breeding healthy and beautiful dogs, many breeders breed smaller corgi and change the appearance of this breed.
The readers of this article clearly do not belong to this group of unethical corgi breeders, but you will suffer too in the long run.
People will pay a lot of money for the non-purebred breed, and good breeders will not be able to sell their healthy puppies.
Responsible breeders will incur additional costs and will not be able to sell the dogs at an adequate price. And it is very difficult to accept this information.
However, with so many online platforms these days to sell your dogs, you can do a few things that will help you sell your puppies.
Selling Your Puppies Online
The first thing that your potential customer does when the idea of buying a Welsh Corgi pops up in their mind is that they look for one online.
Your customers are online, so you need to be present there as well. There are so many websites these days where you can post ads about selling your dogs. The customer will contact you after seeing your ads.
If everything goes well, you can sell your Corgi puppies.
Creating an Ad That Sells
Practically the most important factor influencing a purchasing decision is the photographs of the puppies being sold.
It is best to take pictures of the puppies with the mother. Then people planning a purchase will be able to understand what a grown puppy will look like. It is almost impossible to sell dogs without photographs.
The better the picture the sooner the sale.
The ad must indicate the breed of the dog, its age, color, and sex. Include in your ad all information that you consider important. Be sure to write what vaccinations have already been made to the puppies, what documents they have.
Do not forget to write your phone number where you can be contacted, as well as your email address or other messengers. Mark if you can bring the puppy to another city if necessary.
NOTE! If the puppy has any flaws, you don’t need to hide them. Your honesty will appeal to potential buyers more than lying.