Corgi Expert Article

SHORT LEGS, DON’T CARE

An in-depth look at the cutest dogs in the world: corgis.

Long before corgis were known today for their bodacious butts, a warrior tribe of Celts brought the corgis in their aboriginal form to Cardiganshire, Wales around 1200 BCE (AKC). This early breed was a member of the Teckel family of dogs that went on to later include the dachshund. The Celts trained the corgis to nip at the heels of cattle to herd them. Corgis’ low height off of the ground and their innate agility helped them to avoid the hooves of cattle but keep them moving.

The name “Corgi” means either cur dog or dwarf dog (cor = dwarf, gi = lenitive of ci, dog) in the Welsh language, which was not intended as an insult to the dog's size, rather as a purely descriptive term (AKC). Folk legend says that corgis were a gift from fairies.

Two types of corgis: Pembroke Welsh vs. Cardigan Welsh

Now there are two types of corgis that you need to be aware of. First there is the Pembroke Welsh corgi, the more popular of the two. The Pembroke does not have a tail and has pointy ears as you can see here (Todd).  

 

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

On the other hand, the Cardigan Welsh corgi does have a tail and has rounded ears as seen below. Despite the Pembroke being the more popular corgi breed, the Cardigan welsh is the older breed (Todd).  

 

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The separate corgis were a result of cross breeding.

What about their personality?

Now I know everyone thinks corgis are just silly little goobers running around with their tiny legs and long torsos (honestly body goals), but they are actually the 11^th most intelligent dog breed! They are very competitive and obedient since they were herding dogs. Their herding instincts kick in a lot, which makes them active and strong dogs despite their tiny stature. Corgis are the happiest when they have physical activity. They are also smart and alert, affectionate but not pushy, and bold but kind. I wonder what Myers Briggs personality a corgi would have?

According to the American Kennel Club, corgis are great companions for children. They also behave well with other dogs for the most part. Corgis can become agitated if another dog challenges their territory or dominance.

But what about their health?

As we have discussed, they do have quite the unique body shape. Male corgis are between 10 to 12 inches and weigh 22 to 31 pounds. Female corgis are also between 10 to 12 inches but weigh 22 to 29 pounds. Corgis live twelve to fourteen years (Petersen-Jones).

However, their anatomy does deeply affect their health unfortunately.  Corgis are prone to serious health concerns such as intervertebral disc disease and canine hip dysplasia, as well as other less severe issues like epilepsy and degenerative myelopathy (Petersen-Jones). Additionally, it is common for corgis to develop progressive retinal atrophy, which is a hereditary disorder where the retina degenerates and eventually causes blindness.

Corgis in pop culture

If you have read this much of my expert article then I would hope you are an avid corgi fan and know about Queen Elizabeth’s corgis. If you didn’t know that the Queen of the United Kingdom adored corgis then you are in for a treat. Ever since she was a child, Queen Elizabeth has been a fan of corgis. In fact, she has owned more than 30 corgis since became the Queen. At one point the Queen owned five corgis in 2007. Their names were Monty, Emma, Linnet, Willow, and Holly. Three of these corgis even appeared in the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony alongside Daniel Craig. Sadly, the Queen’s last corgi Willow died in 2018 (“11 Short Facts About Corgis”).  

Queen Elizabeth and Corgis

The Queen and her corgis have created such a name for themselves that there is a now a movie coming out in February about them called The Queen’s Corgis. The animated film follows a corgi named Rex who gets lost and tries to find his way home. You bet I’ll be in the movie theatre watching this movie on its midnight premier.

Former Governor Jerry brown also had a liking for corgis just like the Queen. Jerry Brown and his wife had a Pembroke Welsh corgi named Sutter. Sutter was originally from Ketchum, Idaho. He was named after the early Sacramento settler, John Sutter. Sutter even had his own twitter! Unfortunately he passed away. Rest in peace.

Aside from just the Queen and former Governor Jerry Brown creating major publicity around corgis, there is also an event that takes place three times a year at the Huntington Dog Beach called So Cal Corgi Beach Day. The event brings over 1000 corgis to the beach for giveaways, costume contests, and talent competitions. People from all over the United States fly to Huntington Beach to attend this unique event, including me.

 

Osborne, O. 2016

There is also an annual corgi race that takes place at the Santa Anita Park, which is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California. The corgis race in heats and then quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand finale. During the grand finale, the corgis actually race on the big racetrack where the horses race. It’s probably my favorite athletic event that takes place once a year. Take a look at the video here.

Corgis for life

And there you have it, an in depth look at the world’s sweetest pooches, corgis! They may have been breed to herd sheep and now just look thick as hell, but they will remain some of the most unique little dogs on the planet. What other dog breed offers such a beautiful body, intelligence, and cuteness wrapped into one little creature? Shorts legs, don’t care. Corgis for life.

 

Corgi Meme

Works Cited

Club, A. K.  Pembroke Welsh Corgi Dog Breed Information. Retrieved November  14, 2017, from http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi/

Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee (2004).     Retrieved April 10, 2016, from "Summary results of the Purebred Dog Health  Survey for the Welsh Corgi Cardigan breed" (PDF). Kennel Club.

Osborne, O. (2016). A photo from SoCal Corgi Beach Day.

Petersen–Jones, S. M., Entz, D. D., & Sargan, D. R. (1999). cGMP phosphodiesterase-α  mutation causes progressive retinal atrophy in the Cardigan Welsh corgi dog.            Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 40(8), 1637-1644.

Todd, J. (2016, February 29). 10 Facts About Corgis You Paw-bibly Didn't Know.           Retrieved November 14, 2017, from https://stories.barkpost.com/our-favorite            barrels-of-fluff-10-fun-corgi-facts/  

11 Short Facts About Corgis. (2015, April 27). Retrieved November 14, 2017, from            http://mentalfloss.com/article/63484/11-short-facts-about-corgis