Pembroke Welsh Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is moderately long and low, and less heavily boned than the Cardigan Welsh corgi. Its movement is free and smooth, with good reach and drive. This is a breed that needs to be quick and agile, even after herding all day, in order to avoid the cattle's kicking hooves. It combines a weather-resistant undercoat of medium length with a coarser outer coat of slightly longer length. Its expression is intelligent and interested, foxy, but not sly.

Quick and quick-witted, the Pembroke Welsh corgi has an active mind and body. It needs daily physical and mental exercise to be at its best in the house. It is devoted and willing to please, fun-loving, amiable and companionable. It is very good with children, although it can nip at heels in play. It is usually reserved with strangers. Many bark a lot.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi descends from a crossbreeding of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi with either the Schipperke and Pomeranian or the Swedish Vallhund, which travelled to Wales with the Vikings. It is the smallest herding breed. ‘Cor gi’ translates to ‘dwarf dog’ or ‘gathering dog’ in Welsh; the rest of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s name comes from its birthplace of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally used as a hunter and guard dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi was later trained to herd cattle and sheep. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was not used as a show dog until the 1920’s, and then met with only mild success. It was recognized as a distinct breed from the Cardigan Welsh Corgi in 1934, which led to a gradual increase in popularity. By 2006 the Pembroke Welsh Corgi had become the 22nd most registered breed with the American Kennel Club, far outnumbering the Cardigan variety. Famous Pembroke Welsh Corgis include ‘Ein’, the genius dog from anime ‘Cowboy Bebop’, and Stephen King's Pembroke Welsh Corgi ‘Marlowe’, who ‘Oy’ from ‘The Dark Tower’ series is based on. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is also highly popular with British royalty; Queen Elizabeth II reportedly has more than a dozen pet Pembrokes.