Cardigan Welsh Corgi Overview: The Dog Even Your Kids Will Love
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the older of the two breeds of Corgi that exist today. Corgis are a funny and adorable looking breed that also happen to be extremely intelligent and playful. They were originally bred to help herd cattle and get rid of vermin.
In this article, we’ll give you a thorough overview of all the key facts including the breed’s characteristics, personality, health, care requirements, and costs. With this information, you’ll have a better idea of whether or not a Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the right dog for you and your family.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Characteristics
Because it was originally bred as a herding dog and a hunter of small vermin, the Corgi needed to be both energetic and intelligent. And it still is both. In this section, we’ll talk about the physical traits and the personality traits of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Physical Traits
Corgis have a very unique appearance. Their body and head are about the size of a normal, medium sized dog. But their legs are extremely short. This gives them an adorably unique appearance that causes many people to fall in love at first sight.
Here are the basics of the physical traits for a fully grown, adult Cardigan Welsh Corgi:
- 10 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder.
- Between 25 and 38 pounds.
- Average life span of 12 to 15 years.
Their fur can come in a variety of color combinations. But the neck, chest, stomach and paws are often white while the back, sides, and top of the head can be black, grey, red, brown, or just about any color.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Personality Traits
Corgis don’t herd cattle as much as they used to but they are still a favorite breed among horse owners because the corgi can be a huge help in helping to herd the horse into a trailer. Some of the best aspects of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi’s personality include:
- High intelligence which makes them easier to train than other breeds.
- Fierce loyalty which makes them protective and obedient to you and your family.
- Great with children.
With that in mind, these same traits can have kind of a negative side if not handled correctly:
- High intelligence makes them independent thinkers. With proper training, they will be obedient but they will also probably add their own unique flare to the way they carry out your commands. And without proper training, they can become troublemakers.
- Fierce loyalty makes them more reserved around strangers or people they don’t know well. If you don’t socialize them from an early age to be used to a wide variety of sights, sounds, and smells, you can expect to hear a lot of barking as they attempt to warn you about every strange new thing that catches their attention.
Fortunately, they are not a very violent breed. They may be wary of new people but they will not attack. They will just bark and behave reserved.
The most you will have to worry about with a Cardigan Welsh Corgi is nipping at the ankles. This is a habit bred into them so that they can herd cattle. And they may try to do it to you or your children. They don’t mean to cause harm but with small children, they might. So it is best to train this behavior out of them as soon as you see it happening.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Care & Grooming
To give your Cardigan Welsh Corgi the best and longest life possible, keep the following things in mind:
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Health Issues
As with any breed, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is prone to certain illnesses and conditions. This doesn’t mean your dog will definitely get every single one. It just means, as an owner you should be extra alert for signs and symptoms of these conditions:
- Intervertebral Disk Disease
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
A regular checkup once or twice per year can help you catch signs early on.
Grooming Cardigan Welsh Corgis
Grooming is one of the more demanding aspects of owning a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. They shed constantly all year round. And on top of that, there are two times a year when they “blow” or shed even more than usual.
If you want to keep the amount of fur in your home to a minimum, you should try to brush your Corgi a bare minimum of once per week (but daily would be better). During the high shedding seasons, you will definitely want to brush daily.
Once every month or two, you should get their fur clipped and their nails trimmed. You should also consider brushing their teeth weekly or giving them dental chews to prevent tartar buildup.
Feeding Cardigan Welsh Corgis
A full grown Cardigan Welsh Corgi needs between 1 to 1 ½ cups of quality dry food per day depending on their activity level. Don’t feed this to them in all in one sitting. Instead, give them half in the morning and half in the evening.
If you notice that your dog is becoming obese, you either need to decrease the amount you are feeding them or make an effort to give them extra exercise. While they don’t need as much physical activity as some larger breeds, you should still aim for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of walking per day.
Training Cardigan Welsh Corgis
One of the great advantages of this breed is that Cardigan Welsh Corgi training is easier than most others. Their intelligence and their history as a herding dog meant to help farmers makes them capable and eager to please.
They will learn obedience commands and other instructions fairly easily. Although, as mentioned, they may adapt it to their own independent personality.
Despite their willingness to learn, you will want to train as early as possible to avoid stubbornly independent habits from developing. Do obedience training as early as you can and if you notice any nipping at the ankles, train them immediately to stop that behavior.
Costs & Buying Tips
Cardigan Welsh Corgi costs will depend on whether you are going with a breeder or getting a rescue. If you don’t actually need your dog to be a certified pure bred, a rescue is a great way to save a lot of money and to provide a dog with a second chance at happiness!
If you do go with a breeder, though, expect to pay somewhere between $600 and $2000. By contrast, you can get a rescue for as low as $100! So it’s really important to consider just how important it is to get a certified pure bred. If you are only planning to keep it as pet and have no intention of breeding or taking it to dog shows, there really isn’t a reason to pay that much more for a pure bred.
In addition to the initial cost of buying, you may also need to pay for things like vaccinations, spaying, or neutering. Many rescue shelters will take care of all this for you. And a good breeder will take care of vaccinations. That brings us to a final point about breeders:
You need to do careful and thorough research if you are going to go with a breeder. It is very easy to accidentally buy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills are cruel and inhumane places where dogs are kept in terrible conditions. Not only is this sad in its own right but it puts you at risk for buying a dog that is so mistreated or ill that it will develop lifelong disabilities.
If you’re paying more for a purebred, you want one that is physically and psychologically healthy. And you definitely do not want to give your business to a puppy mill. So check out these tips for doing your research and making sure you are supporting a professional and legitimate breeder.
Final Word
Cardigan Welsh Corgis are adorable and super lovable. They are a great pet for families or for people living in apartments that might be too cramped for larger breeds. However, you should only get a Corgi if you are prepared to give it the best care and treatment that you can.
That includes a lot of brushing to minimize the amount of dog fur that ends up all over your furniture and home. You may also need to put some extra effort into training your Cardigan Welsh Corgi not to bark or nip. But if you are prepared to take these steps, they will make a wonderful and fun addition to your family and home!
