Premier Pups > Dog Breeds > Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Breed Info
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are lively, outgoing, playful, and highly affectionate dogs. Famous for being the favored pets of royals for centuries, Corgis are among the top 10 most popular breeds in the United Kingdom and the United States. Although small and often referred to as “dwarf dogs”, these adorable-looking pooches have great speed, agility, and an even greater capacity for learning. They are exceedingly bright, loyal, kind, and caring. Some of the features that these pups are adored for are their contagious good mood, excellent behavior around children, and eagerness to please their owners.
BREED TYPE / MIX
Purebred
ENERGY
Moderate
SHEDDING
Regularly
TRAINING
Determined
TEMPERAMENT
Gentle, Kindly, Sweet, Playful
ADULT WEIGHT
22-31 lbs
ADULT HEIGHT
10-12 in
LIFE SPAN
12-15 yrs
Characteristics
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is also known as PWC, Pems, Pembroke, Pem Corgi, or simply Corgi
- Happy and with a constant desire to show affection, Corgis make excellent emotional support dogs
- The Corgi puppy is smart and easy to train
- Kind, patient, and gentle, the Pembroke is fantastic with children of all ages. These small dogs make excellent companion pets for families
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has a weather-resistant coat and is comfortable in both hot and cold climates
- Alert, brave, and vocal when need be, Corgis make great watchdogs
- The Pembroke Corgi is a wonderful companion pet for families with kids, couples, singles, seniors, and first-time pet owners
- Highly adaptable and easygoing, Corgis fit best in a house with plenty of space to roam around in. If properly exercise, they will be just as happy in an apartment
- Energetic and fun-loving, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is the ideal jogging and hiking companion
Appearance
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is very unique, precious, and adorable-looking. A dog of royal background and appearance, the Corgi looks friendly, confident, and happy. The Pembroke has a sturdy-built, strong, and muscular body, a smooth gait, and short legs in proportion to the body. With features that make it impossible not to fall into enchantment, Corgis have a foxlike face, large upright ears (erect ears) that are rounded at the tip, and oval-shaped adoring eyes that come in shades of brown. Their muzzle forms a wide beautiful smile and they always appear in a joyful mood. Their long tail is often docked short for a more unique appearance.
Small to medium in stature, Corgis stand at 10 to 12 inches tall and weigh between 20 to 30 pounds fully grown, with the female Corgi being slightly smaller.
Corgis sport a thick double coat that is straight to slightly wavy, medium length, and glossy. The most common Corgi coat colors are fawn, sable, red, blue, with white markings, and combinations of black and tan or black and white.
Photos
Temperament
Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs are fun-loving, adventurous, and sweet-tempered. They are remarkable with children, instant friends with other dogs, and affectionate with their human family and strangers alike. These gorgeous dogs love to go on hiking trips, long walks, jogs, and even swims in shallow waters. They also enjoy canine games and sports like tug of war, treat puzzles, fetching, agility and herding sports, flyball, and tracking. Because they have always been working dogs, Corgis crave to be on the move as much as possible, and they feel the need to be involved in all family activities.
Corgi puppies are beyond adorable. They are energetic, playful, and cuddly, and they pass on their joy to everyone around them. These lovely puppies are very intelligent, eager to learn, and please. They find training as easy and as fun as any game, and they pick up on commands very quickly.
When it comes to their family, Corgi dogs are exceptional companion pets. They have a strong loyal nature and a positive disposition. Corgis enjoy cuddles and adventures in equal measure, just as long as they are with their people.
For more insights on training dogs effectively, check out our blog Easiest Dogs to Train - Top 5 Pups for Effortless Training
Insights
Queen Elizabeth II And Her Love for Corgi Dogs
Queen Elizabeth II has had an enduring relationship with Corgi dogs. As you probably know, this breed of dog is very popular among the royal family.
The Queen’s love of Corgis was well documented. In 2016, she told ITV News that she had owned more than 30 Corgis in her lifetime. She was also a fan of Dachshunds and Pembroke Welsh Corgis in her younger years. “As a child, I had lots of dogs, including Corgis,”...
Christmas is just around the corner. It's time to hang the big Christmas socks and stock up on hot cocoa and wine. Bring out the scented candles, the comfy pillows, and the warm puffy blankets, and join in on the wonderful Christmas spirit. Replace your regular coffee mugs with Christmas-themed ones and make sure to update your carol playlist. One more thing. Deck the halls and get a puppy! Don’t forget to...
Care
Grooming
Although Pembroke Welsh Corgis shed a bit, they are not considered a high-maintenance breed. It is recommended to brush them weekly during non-shedding seasons, and preferably daily when they do shed in order to manage the fallen hair. They should be bathed as needed and more frequently during shedding season.
Corgis should also have their nails trimmed and ears cleaned regularly, preferably once or twice a month. To avoid tartar build-up and the possibility of gum disease, it is recommended to brush their teeth weekly and no later than once every two weeks. These grooming steps should begin in early puppyhood. This will give Corgi puppies enough time to get used to the grooming process.
Understanding your puppy's dental health is crucial. Learn more about it with our Brushing Puppy Teeth Guide
Exercise Needs
The Pembroke Welsh Corgis have plenty of energy to go around and a great desire to be on the move. As energetic dogs, Corgis require at least two daily walks of a combined 30 to 60 minutes, and additional active play while indoors. They are happiest when they have a job to do. Treat balls, canine puzzles, interactive toys, and games of fetch or tug would be very beneficial for them as they need mental stimulation as well as a physical workout.
Health
Like all dogs, Corgis can be prone to a few health issues. Luckily, most are minor and not life-threatening. Some of the common health problems among Corgis are hip dysplasia, skin allergies, spine problems, and in some rare cases epilepsy.
Lifespan
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are known to live long, healthy lives. Although their life span is officially between 12 and 15 years, there have been numerous accounts of these dogs living up to 17-18 years.
Training
Corgi puppies are bright little bundles of joy who love to learn. They are very intelligent, people-pleasers, and fond of tricks. When training a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, it is recommended to use a gentle approach as they are sensitive dogs and would not react in any positive way to a harsh tone of voice. These cute puppies do best with treat rewards and praise. Training sessions should be kept fun, challenging, and interesting as Corgis are known to be focused pups that enjoy difficult tasks. Although they are not commonly known to suffer from separation anxiety, Corgi puppies should still undergo basic independence training before being left alone for the first time.
History
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi, also known as PWC, Pem Corgi, Pembroke, Corgi, or Pems, is a centuries-old breed famous for a well-balanced temperament, a brilliant mind, and a sweet affectionate nature. The Corgi was recognized as a breed by the United Kingdom Kennel Club in 1920 and by the American Kennel Club in 1934.
Up until 1934, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi shared a breed standard with the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, being classified as one breed under the Herding Group (now Working Group) of the AKC. Although very similar in personality and certain features, the two breeds are distinguished through their size with the Cardigan Welsh Corgi being slightly bigger and with a longer tail. In 1933, breed enthusiasts started working towards creating two separate breed standards for the Pembroke and the Cardigan, and in 1934 they were recognized as distinct breeds and each was given a separate standard.
Although there are many theories surrounding their ancestry, the Pembroke Welsh Corgis were developed as a breed in Pembroke Shire Wales in the United Kingdom. Mainly used for herding sheep, cattle, and horses, with the occasional ratting job, Corgis are and have been for many centuries a working breed. Corgis are believed to have arrived in the United Kingdom alongside Vikings in the 9th century or with Flemish weavers at the beginning of the 12th century. Regardless of their traveling companions, these amazing dogs have been the popular pets of royalty and the cherished working dogs of farmers ever since they set paw in the UK. King George VI was particularly fond of the herding dog breed.
The most famous breed fan is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who owned at least 30 Corgis since her father gifted her with her first Corgi in 1933. Queen Elizabeth has rarely been apart from her beloved dogs during her reign, and thanks to her, the Corgi popularity skyrocketed. There are now countless articles, documentaries, and movies about the Queen’s Corgis.
The Corgi breed is classified as the 11th most intelligent dog breed and holds 13th place out of 200 in the AKC popularity chart.
The royal connection of Corgis is well-known. Dive into the history of Queen Elizabeth II And Her Love for Corgi Dogs or The Luxurious Lifestyle of the Queen’s Corgis