10 Royal Facts About Corgis
Queen Liz loves a Corgi or two. In fact, the whole royal family has a penchant for this pocket-sized dog. But what makes Corgis so special? Check out these ten facts that will fill you in on the breed, the history and their royal creds.
1. There are two breeds
The Pembokes and the Cardigans. They come from different ancestors. They’re similar from crossbreeding in the 19th century. Pembrokes don’t have tails and Cardigans have rounded ears.
2. Cardigans are Bronze Age old school
A warrior tribe of Celts brought Corgis to Cardiganshire around 1200 BCE. So Corgis have been in Wales since well before Tom Jones.
3. Pembrokes come from the Cardigans
Most agree that the Pembroke Welsh Corgi dates back to 1107, when Flemish weavers came to make proper jumpers in Wales. The Spitz-type dog bred with the original Cardigan Corgis. Woof!
4. Both breeds used to be seen as one
Both breeds were registered as one in 1925, which made breeders lose their hair. Judges would favour one breed over the other, which was super controversial at dog shows. But after a bit of strife, the breeds gained unique recognition in 1934.
5. Corgis were originally herders
Back in the 10th century, Welsh fields had no borders. So Corgis nipped cow heels to herd them. But this meant Corgis often felt the heavy punt of a heifer’s hoof!
6. Fairies and elves ride Corgis
Some would say it’s a Welsh legend, but we know it’s real. These ‘enchanted dogs’ pull the carriages of elves and fairies into battle. And so it’s said, the markings on a Corgi’s coat are the outline of secret saddles and harnesses. Fact!
7. Royals love Pembroke Welsh Corgis
Queen Liz has cared for more than 30 corgis since 1933. She now has a purebred Corgi called Muick and a Dorgi (corgi/dachshund mix) called Candy. Some of the royal Corgis bred with Princess Margaret’s dachshund, Pipkin. Lovely stuff.
8. Corgis are bad mediums
In 2015, when Wills and Kate were expecting their second, people took bets on the name. Ladbrokes used racing Corgis wearing vests with different names to predict the coming royal. Alexandra won. Oh well! Don’t give up the day job.
9. Corgi means 'dwarf dog' in Welsh
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, cor is derived from Welsh and means dwarf. And gi means dog.
10. California loves a big Corgi meet up
SoCal Corgi Beach Day started at Huntington Beach in 2012 with 15 dogs. The most recent tri-annual meet up hosted more than 1100 Corgis. Visit www.socalcorgibeachday.com for info and Corgi merch.
Putting Corgis, vets, and pet owners top of our tick list
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