Cardigan Welsh Corgis are similar to Pembroke Welsh Corgis, but they have much longer tails, and they are also more active. They will live happily in an apartment, but they need at least one long walk every day. They need training to stay mentally stable and strong, so should always be made to heel when taken out for a walk. This also shows them that the pack leader is the human. They make very good watch dogs as they are prone to bark at strangers, but also make very good pets, being gentle with children and very devoted.

Appearance

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi sits low to the ground and is much longer than it is high. It has a head that is rounded and slightly tapered.but is in good proportion to the rest of the body. The nose is usually black except with merle coloured dogs that have a butterfly coloured nose. They have quite large oval eyes that are brown with black rims. The ears are big, and not in proportion to the rest of the body. They stand erect and are very wide at the base, tapering at the ends. They have short legs and a long tail that hangs low towards the ground. They have double coats with the outer coat being quite coarse to the touch. Colours vary between red, fawn, black, brindle, tan or a mixture of colours. They are known to have white markings on their legs, chest and muzzle.

Temperament

Corgis make wonderful pets because they are obedient, willing to please and very loving. They can be barkers, and are particularly wary of strangers at first. This means that they do make good watch dogs however. If they are not introduced to other animals for a young age, they can be a bit aggressive with other dogs as adults, however this can be trained out of them. They are very gentle with children but must understand their place as lower than humans in the pack. Exercise is very important, and they must get plenty to stay balanced and healthy. They are very intelligent so can be trained easily and make excellent show dogs. They sometimes like to try and “herd” humans by nipping at their heels, but again, they can be trained not to do this.

Working and Tasks

Cardigan Corgis make very good farm guards. Not only can they guard the place well, they can seek out vermin and even drive cattle. Although they are small, they can nip at the hooves of the cattle to get them to go in the right direction, and because of their small stature, are even able to duck out of the way of a cow that takes a kick at them! They also make good show dogs due to their willingness to be trained, particularly at obedience tasks and exercises.