A corgi is not a corgi is not a corgi.....

  The most common misconception is that corgi is a breed, it is in fact not, corgi is actually a type (just like shepherds, terriers, hounds etc) the word corgi is a welsh term simply meaning "dwarf dog"

  The corgi family is made up of two very separate, distinct breeds, the Cardigan and the Pembroke (queens dog)

  The Cardigan is an ancient breed, thought to be approximately 3000 years old (give or take a few years haha) and is derived from the teckel family of dogs, meaning the Cardigan is technically more closely related to the Basset hounds and the Dachshunds than it is the Pembrokes who derived from the spitz family about 1000 years ago.

  Cardigans were initially bred to be a versatile farm and herding dog used for droving cattle and sheep in the rocky, rugged terrain of Cardiganshire, Wales.

  These days Cardigans make an excellent versatile companion and working dog excelling in many areas.

 

Is a Cardigan for me?

 This is the biggest question you must ask yourself, how will a cardi fit into your lifestyle?

I'm biased, I think Cardigans are the perfect breed, however, they are not for everyone.

Cardigans are highly intelligent, and with a thinking brain comes the propensity to get into trouble.

Cardigans require a lot of stimulation, puzzle toys, activities, outlets for energy and last but not least, training, they get bored easily if they are lacking stimulation in their lives which can lead to distructive behaviour.

Cardigans can be a vocal breed, you get the odd one who may be quiet but as a breed in general, they are noisy.

The wind blew? You'll know!

The neighbour down the road has company? Oh they'll tell you!

Someone sneezed up the road? You'll be aware first thing!

You get where i'm going with this i'm sure.

 

Breed of Many Colours

The Cardigan coat comes in many colours, below I have posted a stock image of base colours they come in.

 

 

Grooming

By trade I am a groomer, the one thing I love about cardigans is they are fairly easy maintenance.

They require occasional baths (not very often, mine get done probably every 6 weeks or so except during show season) I use a good conditioner that will maintain the rough coat and not soften it.

A good slicker brush and greyhound comb weekly (I use Chris Christenson slickers and combs but for regular pet grooming at home you can pick these items up at any pet store)

I clip the hair on the pads flush to the feet (do not dig in between the toes, you can nick them) and I dremel toe nails every 10-14 days.

Nails are done so often to keep them short, long nails can eventually cause physical problems over time in your dog so proper nail care is paramount.