Pembroke or Cardigan?

A Corgi looks like a Corgi, whether it's the very popular Pembroke Welsh Corgi, or the more refined Welsh Corgi Cardigan. They have many more physical characteristics in common than differences, but you can usually guess what type of Corgi you have in front of you based on their coat color and a few other breed-specific traits.

Despite its small stature, the Corgi is considered a medium-sized breed because it is robust and quite long in body. They usually have a height between 25-30 centimeters, and a body weight between 10-16 kg. When you look at a Corgi, you get the feeling that their legs have not grown in proportion to the rest of their body. The robust body is adorned with short, beautiful fur in various colors: reddish, tricolor, black and white, brindle, blue (blue-merle). There is also the extremely rare long-haired variety (Fluffy).

Except for their size and coat color, Corgis have two very distinctive breed-specific features: large, erect ears and a foxlike face. Their ears are pricked, and Corgis hear exceptionally well with those ears (which is one of the reasons they are notorious "barkers"). Corgi puppies look like they are made of ears only. The adorable foxlike face seems to have a constant smile, another reason why the Corgi is such a popular dog – both varieties are smiling and happy all the time. And really are!

The Pembroke and the Cardigan have more differences in their personality than their physique. However, some traits are common.

They are incredibly intelligent, and as long as you are consistent and take care of their basic training, you should have a fantastic companion. He learns and perceives extraordinarily quickly. This is another reason for the breed's popularity, and even those who have never owned a dog can enjoy this special breed. During training, the Corgi is extremely quick to understand what you want from him, although this often means that he is just as quick to figure out how to break the rules. If you're not careful, in no time, you'll be the one being trained by a Corgi.

One of the few characteristics they have in common with other small or medium dog breeds is that they bark. Bark a lot! This is the biggest flaw of the breed. With their big ears, full of sensors, sound receptors, they hear everything, and almost instantly they will warn everyone about what they hear. For this reason, it is very important to socialize a Corgi. This training prevented the dog from being disturbed by any barely perceptible sound.

They are very high energy dogs, which means they need several long walks a day, or a large yard where they can run freely, this is the only way to make sure they won't cause you any damage.

They are working dogs, which means there are several specific traits to watch out for, such as jumping. They like to jump, on/off the bed, on people, on the fence, on/off the steps, in the water/sea, etc. Corgi is a wonderful family dog, it gets along perfectly with everyone, even with small children or very old people.

Like other intelligent working dog breeds, they tend to be individualistic and strong-willed - bordering on stubborn. While this characteristic is an excellent trait for herding dogs, you would certainly want to avoid it in a companion dog, this is again where training comes in, with which behavior can be corrected.

Ultimately, they are individualists, but they don't like being alone for long time. If left alone at home during an 8- to 10-hour workday, they tend to become restless and anxious, starting to destroy in the house. Training can also fix this behavior (or a pen in the house), but it would be best not to leave them alone for long time. If you have nowhere to go, a play partner – another dog – would help a lot.

It's a Pembroke

The two Corgi varieties are physically incredibly similar. You can confirm that you have a Pembroke in front of you by checking a few characteristics specific to the variety.

A Pembroke's ears are triangular, so the tips appear more pointed. This look highlights the sharper muzzle and accentuates her especially adorable face.

A Pembroke's tail is usually very short (1-2 vertebrae), but it can also have a long tail, with the tip of the tail hanging down to the ankles. Generally, the long tail carries its bagel on its back when it is more agitated; or put down when he is attentive to something. If you see a Corgi without a tail, you have a Pembroke in front of you.

While coat color is a less edifying reference point than ear shape and tail, the Pembroke always has red on the body. Pembroke can have only two-color variants: red and tricolor. There is the Pembroke which appears to be predominantly black and white, but if you look closely, you can always find the red color as well, especially on the face. There is less white on the face of a Pembroke than on the face of a Cardigan.

The Pembroke tends to be a bit shorter, but that doesn't help much unless you have both varieties in front of you. You usually must rely on the other morphological characteristics to distinguish one variety from another.

The Pembroke is more sociable and friendly – the favorite breed of the Queen of the United Kingdom – and adapts to different conditions much more easily. When faced with a challenge, a Pembroke will most likely adapt to the situation, or as they usually do, bend the rules. It also has a much higher energy level than its counterpart, the Cardigan, thus being a better choice for an active person, for long walks, trips or hikes.

Their charming personality makes it the more popular variety of the two.

For those who want a constant, tireless companion, always on the go, without the risk of tiring too quickly, Pembroke is the perfect choice.

It's a Cardigan

We can characterize Cardigan as the more sober of the two varieties. They tend to be calmer, quieter and don't like change. They may not be as popular as their cousins, but they are incredibly adorable.

The tips of a Cardigan's ears are much rounder, giving it the appearance of having two giant radar antennas on its head. The ears are longer, and this is more noticeable when the dog turns them around to hear everything that is going on around him.

If you see a Corgi that has a tail of normal length, even longer than normal, you almost certainly have a Cardigan in front of you. The very long, continuously moving tail is one of the characteristics of the Cardigan.

While you are focusing on the ears and tail, you will also be able to assess the coat. The cardigan is the more colorful of the two varieties, with lots of white on the face and body. Practically Cardigan can be worn in any color variant. It can have black and white fur, red, brindle or blue (blue merle), the only variety of color prohibited in the Cardigan is the tricolor. If a Corgi is brindle or blue, it is surely a Cardigan. If it is black and white in color, it is almost certainly a Cardigan, but to be safe it should be checked for red markings on the face. There is a color variety found in both Cardigan and Pembroke: red. To be able to tell what variety it is you must check the tail and ears, even then it is more difficult.

The cardigan is slightly taller than the Pembroke, it is also much more massive.

The cardigan is the more relaxed of the two varieties, and it wants to stay that way. It's harder to adapt, but they like routine better, that is until it includes strangers. They are very suspicious and aloof with strangers, tend to become aggressive with other pets, especially males with males. They are more comfortable with lack of movement, daily walks, because of this they are perfect apartment dogs. It's less likely to have excess energy to destroy your furniture if you don't take it for a walk.

While it is true that the personality types of Corgi varieties can be generalized, however, every Corgi is different. The Cardigan can be as adventurous and friendly as a Pembroke, or the very level-headed Pembroke who prefers a nice quiet evening at home. Most of their personality has to do with their genetic line and training. It's certainly not something to be overlooked, as all their basic personality traits are pretty universal, making the Corgi a highly prized breed. Many people don't even know that there are two different varieties: Welsh Corgi Pembroke and Welsh Corgi Cardigan.