The dog breed Welsh Corgi Pembroke or Pembroke Welsh Corgi, stands out as an excellent shepherd dog and an invaluable guardian of the farm. Thanks to its playful nature, it is also a good family companion. At Petlifey, we explain the characteristics and character of the Welsh corgi Pembroke breed .
Characteristics of the Welsh Corgi Pembroke breed
The Pembroke welsh corgi is a breed full of virtues, provided they are exploited. Due to its physical conditions and temperament, it adapts very well to all kinds of life, but it needs to be dedicated enough time and given the opportunity to develop its conditions to the maximum.
Still, it can also be the happiest of dogs simply by keeping its owners company.
Let’s see in detail its physical characteristics and behavior:
Character of the Welsh Corgi Pembroke
Thanks to its character, in the words of many of its followers, this dog is “a big dog in a small suit”.
By nature, they are true clowns, they love to be the center of attention and have a playful and fun personality, but if the occasion calls for it they can be stubborn and protective. In fact, the fundamental desire of this breed is to do things and do them well, according to the wishes of its owner.
Sociable and cheerful by nature, the specimens of this breed interact very well with other dogs and even with other species of animals.
They love to discover new things and situations, so everything unknown will be a challenge for them as well as the opportunity to start a new adventure.
Due to its expressive, tender and funny look, this breed has become one of the favorites of dog lovers, including Queen Elizabeth II of England.
- Energy: High level. Very active both mentally and physically, this dog needs frequent exercise.
- Temperament: Alert and always active, the Pembroke is sociable and friendly, and lacks aggressiveness. It is intelligent and very sensitive.
- Adaptability: High. It adapts well to the city and life with family groups, especially if there are children.
- Sociability: High. It is very addicted to its master and family, whose members it goes out of its way to please.
- Health: Good. The breed has few hereditary diseases, its worst enemy is obesity.
- Longevity: High. It can live 12 to 15 years if it is well cared for.
- Utility: Very versatile. It can work as a shepherd, companion, therapy and drug detection dog. It also competes successfully in sports such as agility , flyball , sports obedience and dance with dogs.
The puppies Welsh Pembroke corgi is characterized by high dynamism and eternal a desire to play and participate in family activities, which makes them ideal pets.
The coat under which they appear can be very varied, ranging from red to charcoal fawn, and black and tan, with or without white spots.
Physical characteristics of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- General appearance: it is a small, strong dog with a robust constitution, alert and active, which gives the impression of having great strength and vigor enclosed in a small body. The legs are short but robust and flexible.
- Origin: Wales (United Kingdom).
- Size: small.
- Height at the withers: 26-30 cm (Male) and 26-30 cm (Female).
- Weight: 10-12 Kg (Male) and 10-11 Kg (Female).
- Body: the body is moderately long, with well sprung ribs and a long lumbar region. It is a dog with a clearly rectangular structure, since the length of the body far exceeds the height at the withers, since the legs are short. It is of strong, robust and vigorous constitution.
- Head: in shape and appearance, it resembles that of the fox, with an alert and intelligent expression.
- Skull: it is quite broad and flattened between the ears.
- Nose-frontal depression (stop): it is slightly marked.
- Muzzle: it is long, occupying about two thirds of the length of the skull, and it tapers slightly when it reaches the nose.
- Nose: it is black.
- Jaws: they are strong and have healthy, complete and well-placed teeth in the jaws. The bite is scissor-shaped.
- Eyes: Well placed and round, they are of medium size and are usually brown in color, in harmony with the coat.
- Ears: They are also medium in size, triangular in shape and slightly rounded at the tip. They are set high and the dog is used to wearing them upright.
- Neck: it is quite long and robust.
- Back: the top line is horizontal.
- Chest: it is wide and deep, well descended between the extremities.
- Tail: it is usually short and is inserted at the same level as the top line. If the animal is at rest, it carries it low, but when it is moving it raises it a little and places it at the same level as the back. Some specimens are amputated.
- Forelimbs: they are strong, well attached to the body and with a well bent back, forming a right angle with the arms. The forearms are short and as straight as possible. The arms, with strong bones, adapt to the shape of the chest.
- Hind limbs: they are short, strong and flexible. The legs have strong bones all the way to the feet. In the knees the joint is very angled and the hocks seen from behind are parallel.
- Feet: oval in shape, with strong toes, well arched and close together. The middle fingers slightly exceed the sides. The pads are strong and well rounded, and the nails are short.
- Coat: the hair is medium long and straight. The Pembroke welsh corgi covering coat consists of a dense undercoat and an outer layer of coarse and very tight hair, which constitutes an excellent natural insulator against the low temperatures of its area of origin, the British Isles.
- Color: it can appear in red, charcoal fawn, or black and tan, with or without white spots on the limbs, chest and neck. Sometimes they also have small white spots on the head and forehead.
- Movement: The movement of the Pembroke welsh corgi is lively and lively. Direct the forelimbs forward, without raising them too much and with the elbows neither loose nor too close, in harmony with the propulsive action of the hind limbs.
The high energy level of the Pembroke must be satisfied by regular and relatively intense sessions of exercise that keep your muscles and reflexes in shape.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Education and Training
The Pembroke is characterized by being an intelligent, sensitive and affectionate dog, and it is easy to educate as long as it is treated gently and overly aggressive training methods are not used.
You have to work consistently and with judgment, and it is essential that the training is based on positive reinforcement systems and that the owner rewards each of its progress so that the animal is aware of its usefulness and takes pride in it.
Being intelligent, versatile, lively and fast, any activity undertaken with them will be a success, which is why this breed is considered an excellent companion animal.
In general, it is a healthy animal that adapts very well to living in any environment, whether rural or urban, but as it is an energetic dog, it adores challenges and discovering new things, unknown places and different situations, if it lives in the city you have to provide adequate exercise.
In addition, it is never advisable to leave them alone for a long time, since it is very close to the man and needs the company of its family constantly to feel fulfilled. If it is routinely included in family life, it becomes one of the best companion dogs in the world.
As for their relationship with children, this will be perfect as long as the little ones are somewhat responsible and aware of the needs, care and rights that every dog should have.
It is necessary to remember that, in the relationship of dogs with children, to know the natural conditions and the temperament or character of the breed with which they live.
It is as important as educating children in responsible upbringing, the needs and particularities of animals, making them understand that they are not toys, that they deserve respect and that they need their own time and space.
Due to its build , the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is not the ideal dog for dog sports, but it can still be seen skillfully competing in the mini agility , flyball or sprint varieties . It is a benchmark in sports obedience and dancing with dogs.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi feeding
Diet is a fundamental aspect that must be taken care of in the extreme, because due to its body structure, excessive weight gain could generate certain health problems.
Thus, you must provide a balanced and quality diet, and not abuse the extras or rewards in the form of food. The best way to regulate its diet and weight is to follow these premises and periodically observe the evolution of the dog.
When in perfect condition, the Pembroke’s ribs are noticeable on simple contact. Not that they should be seen with the naked eye, but they never have to be hidden under layers of fat.
In addition, the waist of the dog should be somewhat noticeable with a slight reduction in the perimeter in the kidney area. If you are overweight, the best way to reduce your weight is to do it gradually, lowering your portion little by little, while increasing the amount of exercise you need to do.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi health and diseases
Prevention is the key to good health for this breed of sheepdog. The Pembroke welsh corgi needs adequate food and regular veterinary care, including a specific vaccination program to prevent the onset of diseases.
As for almost all breeds, good prevention is the best way to enjoy a happy and active animal for many years. The exercise is therefore essential for physical and mental health of this dog. At first the exercises should be gentle and gradually increase.
Walking at a good pace with the animal on a leash can be the fundamental part of the program. If you walk quickly, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, because of its build, is forced to trot most of the time. This is an appropriate rate for you to burn off excess fat and increase your cardiovascular performance.
In summer it is advisable to avoid walks in the hottest hours of the day. In addition, it should be remembered that, as it is a short dog, which carries its whole body very close to the ground, it captures the heat that rises from the ground with much greater intensity than other larger breeds. A great alternative to core exercise is swimming.
Not all specimens are fond of water, but if swimming is introduced as part of the physical routine since the animal is a puppy, it is an excellent exercise that can be practiced without problems in the summer.
It must be borne in mind that jumps, and abrupt ascents and descents must be carried out with great care with this dog. Your back can be one of your weak points. Thus, it should never be forced to do rough exercises, but rather leave it a bit to its own devices, playing with balls, discs or with other dogs.
Caring for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed
When it comes to grooming and grooming , the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has a very abundant coat of medium length and a strong texture. It has a very dense undercoat that protects it from inclement weather.
In addition to the fact that their shedding is spectacular, a constant brushing program must be followed, which is quite repeated over time, which should be daily at shedding times.To work the undercoat it is advisable to use a rake or a king coat type tool, very useful when dragging all the dead hair. The covering layer, on the other hand, is brushed with a metallic card of suitable hardness.
A first pass is made against the grain, then a second in the natural sense of hair growth, and it is just brushed with the help of a comb.
With sculpting scissors you can remove the excess hair that affects the dog’s figure, and with respect to the feet and hands, the ideal is to clean and shape them using small smooth scissors.
These health and hygiene care are essential especially when the Pembroke lives at home. Otherwise, this breed is ideal as a companion animal. Its fundamental desire is to please its master and feel integrated into the family, knowing themselves useful and taking pride in it.