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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox Dogbreed
| name = Pembroke Welsh Corgi
| nickname = Corgi, Welsh Corgi, Pembroke
| image = Welsh Pembroke Corgi.jpg
| country = [[Wales]]
|femaleweight={{convert|24|-|28|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}
|femaleheight={{convert|10|-|12|in|cm|abbr=on}}
|maleheight={{convert|10|-|12|in|cm|abbr=on}}
|maleweight={{convert|24|-|31|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
|coat=Medium length, thick, weather-resist double coat
|color=Fawn, Black & Tan, Black & White, Red, Sable
<!-----Kennel club standards----->
| kc_name        = [[The Kennel Club]]
| kc_std         = http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/152
| fcistd = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/039g01-en.pdf
}}
[[File:Archie the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.jpg|thumb|255x255px|Sable
 Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy (6 weeks old)]]<!-- End Infobox Dogbreed info. Article Begins Here -->

The '''Pembroke Welsh Corgi''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɔr|ɡ|i}}; [[Welsh language|Welsh]] for "dwarf dog"{{efn|name=efn1|See [[Wiktionary:corgi#Welsh|Wiktionary: corgi § Welsh]]}}) is a [[cattle]] [[herding dog]] [[dog breed|breed]] that originated in [[Pembrokeshire]], [[Wales]].<ref name="WelshCorgis"/> The name ''Corgi'' is of [[Welsh language|Welsh]] [[word origin|origin]], and is a compound of the words {{wikt-lang|cy|cor}} and {{wikt-lang|cy|ci}} ([[Consonant mutation|mutated]] to {{wikt-lang|cy|gi}}), meaning "dwarf" and "dog", respectively.{{efn|name=efn1}} It is one of two breeds known as a [[Welsh Corgi]], the other being the [[Cardigan Welsh Corgi]]. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are descended from the [[Spitz]] family of dog. 

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famous as the preferred breed of [[Queen Elizabeth II]], who owned more than 30 [[Royal corgis]] during her reign.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Tech-Culture/2012/0602/Queen-s-Diamond-Jubilee-Just-how-many-dogs-does-she-own |title=Queen's Diamond Jubilee: Just how many dogs does she own? |journal=Christian Science Monitor |date=2 June 2012 |access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> Although these dogs have been favoured by British royalty for more than seventy years, among the British public they have recently fallen into decline in terms of popularity and demand.<ref>{{cite web|last1=The Kennel Club|title=Vulnerable Native Breeds|url=http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog-or-puppy/finding-the-right-dog/vulnerable-native-breeds/|website=The Kennel Club|access-date=3 July 2016}}</ref> However, they remain very popular in the United States. Cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco hold annual "Corgi Meetups" in which hundreds of dogs and their owners congregate to spend the day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@EricHoRaw/how-i-became-the-leader-of-the-new-york-city-corgi-meet-ups-3fa39f286ac2|title=How I Became The Leader Of The New York City Corgi Meet Ups|last=Ho|first=Eric|date=17 November 2017|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref>

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been ranked 11th in [[Stanley Coren]]'s ''[[The Intelligence of Dogs]]'', which states that the breed is considered an excellent working dog. Pembroke Welsh Corgis were ranked 11th most popular breed of dog in 2020 according to the American Kennel Club.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/the-most-popular-dog-breeds-of-2020/|title=THE MOST POPULAR DOG BREEDS OF 2020 |access-date=19 October 2020}}</ref>

==Description==

===Appearance===
Pembroke Welsh Corgis differ from the [[Cardigan Welsh Corgi]] by being shorter in length, having smaller ears, and being slightly straighter of leg.<ref name="Beauchamp1999">{{cite book|author=Richard G. Beauchamp|title=Welsh Corgis: Pembroke and Cardigan: Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Grooming, Behavior, and Training|url=https://archive.org/details/welshcorgispembr00beau|url-access=registration|year=1999|publisher=Barron's Educational Series|isbn=978-0-7641-0557-9|page=[https://archive.org/details/welshcorgispembr00beau/page/15 15]}}</ref> 

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has erect ears that are in proportion to the equilateral triangle of the head. The breed standard indicates that the ears should be firm, medium in size, and tapered slightly to a rounded point. The head should be "fox-like" in shape and appearance. The Pembroke breed usually weighs around 22 - 27 lbs(10 to 12 kilos). They often measure between 8 to 12 inches, or 20 to 30 centimeters, and on average, live to be around 13 years old.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Gale - Product Login |url=https://galeapps.gale.com/apps/auth?userGroupName=albu78484&sid=ebsco&origURL=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.gale.com%2Fps%2Fi.do%3Fp%3DSTND%26u%3Dalbu78484%26id%3DGALE%257CA797172469%26v%3D2.1%26it%3Dr%26sid%3Debsco%26aty%3Dip&prodId=STND |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=galeapps.gale.com}}</ref>

Due to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi having a double coat, they shed heavily all year round, with peaks in the spring and autumn. With regular brushing, their coat is fairly easy to maintain, as well as naturally water- and dirt repellent (at the exception of "fluffies"){{what|date=May 2024}}. Intact females are also known to shed during heat.<ref name="DVM2009 2">{{cite book|author=Debra M. Eldredge, DVM|title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-PgLOoHM8kC&pg=PA70|date=25 February 2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-44364-4|pages=70}}</ref> Their coat has somewhat lighter markings on each side of the [[withers]] caused by changes in the thickness, length, and direction of hair growth.<ref name="DVM2009">{{cite book|author=Debra M. Eldredge, DVM|title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-PgLOoHM8kC&pg=PA17|date=25 February 2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-44364-4|page=17}}</ref> The Pembroke coat also varies in color, going from a reddish, or even sand color, to brown and black. Along with these differing colors, their coats will also sometimes contain a speckling of white spots.<ref name=":1" />

Breed faults exist and should not be bred on purpose; such as corgis with a very long and thinner coat coming from a recessive gene<ref>{{cite book|last=Eldredge|first=Debra M|title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD|date=2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-44364-4|page=17|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-PgLOoHM8kC&q=Pembroke+Welsh+Corgi+fluffies&pg=PA17}}</ref> and red coats present with a bluish cast which have a diluted colour.[[File:Pembroke Welsh Corgi.jpg|thumb|Tricolour Pembroke Welsh Corgi|left]]While some outlying Pembroke Welsh Corgis are born with their tail naturally short, the majority often have their tails [[Docking (dog)|docked]] between 2–5 days old due to historical tradition or to conform to the Breed Standard.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pwcca.org/standard_of_perfection.html |title=PWCCA Standard of Perfection |access-date=20 January 2015 |archive-date=18 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118095553/http://www.pwcca.org/standard_of_perfection.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Artificial docking was not needed for the dog to do its job as a herding dog in the United Kingdom as many claim (since Cardigan Welsh corgis were also herding dogs but never docked) but rather because a non-herding dog was considered a luxury under tax law and attracted a tax, so to demonstrate that their dogs were herding dogs, owners had to ensure the dogs had docked tails.{{Citation Needed|date=June 2023}} The Kennel Club,<ref>{{cite web |last=Kennel Clun |title=Pembroke Welsh Corg |url=http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breeds/PembrokeWelshCorgi |url-status=dead |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614150428/http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breeds/PembrokeWelshCorgi |archive-date=14 June 2012 }}</ref> the United Kennel Club,<ref>{{cite web |last=United Kennel Club |title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi |url=http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=5145 |access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> and the FCI allow intact tails in Conformation shows. The AKC Standard states tails should be docked no longer than {{Convert|2|in|cm|0}}. In many countries including the United Kingdom, docking has been deemed illegal.<ref name="Lambert">{{cite book|author=Cathy Lambert|title=Getting to Know Poodles: A Guide to Choosing and Owning a Poodle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1AA_BR9ISq8C&pg=PA15|publisher=Animalinfo Publications|isbn=978-1-921537-06-6|page=15}}</ref>

===Temperament===
[[File:Fawn and white Welsh Corgi puppy standing on rear legs and sticking out the tongue.jpg |thumb|upright|Welsh Corgi puppy standing on rear legs and sticking out the tongue]]
[[File:PembrokeCorgiAgility wb.jpg|thumb|Pembroke leaving teeter-totter during a [[dog agility]] competition.|left]]
Pembroke Welsh Corgis love to be involved in the family, and tend to follow wherever their owners go. They have a great desire to please their owners, thus making them eager to learn and train. The dogs can also be challenging to train due to their working background, stubbornness and intelligence – they were ranked as the eleventh most [[Dog intelligence|intelligent dog]] in Stanley Coren's ''The Intelligence of Dogs''. Besides herding, they also function as watchdogs due to their alertness and tendency to bark, which can be aggravated if they are not stimulated adequately. Most Pembrokes will seek the attention of everyone they meet and behave well around children and other pets.  It is important to socialise this breed with other animals, adults, and children when they are very young to avoid any anti-social behaviour or aggression later in life. Another thing to keep in mind is that with this need for stimulation, they also have a need for exercise, as they can easily become overweight.<ref name=":1" /> They love to run around and dig holes, and due to their herding and – for some – prey instinct, they love to chase anything that moves, so it is best to keep them inside fenced areas. The herding instinct will also cause some younger Pembrokes to nip at their owners' ankles as this is what they were bred to do with cattle.<ref name="akc.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/pembroke_welsh_corgi/index.cfm |title=Get to know the Pembroke Welsh Corgi |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-date=2 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802023106/http://www.akc.org/breeds/pembroke_welsh_corgi/index.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Health==
[[File:Pembroke Welsh Corgi wheelchair (cropped).jpg|alt=A 14 year old Corgi|left|thumb|186x186px|A 14 year old Corgi affected by [[Canine degenerative myelopathy|degenerative myelopathy]] using a [[wheelchair]] to walk]]
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.2 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for [[Mongrel|crossbreeds]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1=McMillan | first1=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=531| pmid=38302530 | pmc=10834484 | bibcode=2024NatSR..14..531M }}</ref>
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are [[achondroplastic]], meaning they are a "true dwarf" breed. As such, their stature and build can lead to certain non-inherited health conditions, but genetic issues should also be considered. Commonly, Pembrokes can suffer from [[monorchidism]], [[Von Willebrand's disease]], [[hip dysplasia (canine)|hip dysplasia]], [[Canine degenerative myelopathy|degenerative myelopathy]]  (DM), and inherited eye problems such as [[progressive retinal atrophy]].  [[Genetic testing]] is available for Pembroke Welsh Corgis to avoid these issues and enhance the genetic health pool.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pembrokecorgi.org/genetics_health.html |title=From the Genetics Committee of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, Inc. |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-date=16 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116035404/http://www.pembrokecorgi.org/genetics_health.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Pembrokes are also prone to [[obesity]] given a robust appetite, characteristic of herding group breeds.<ref name="Burton2011">{{cite book|author=E. Hywel Burton|title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yNQJBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT116|date=18 October 2011|publisher=Kennel Club Books|isbn=978-1-59378-890-2|page=116}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Corgi at 4 months.jpg|thumb|Corgi at 4 months, when they are starting to get their typical fawn colour. Compared to other dogs, their ears look big compared to their head.]]
While the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is thought to originate with the arrival of Celtic culture (around 1200 BCE), the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is more commonly stated to originate with the [[Plantation_(settlement_or_colony)#Wales|Flemish plantations]] that were settled in Pembrokeshire following the [[Norman Invasion of Wales]]. These isolated settlements were entirely dependent on the English crown for their survival in Wales and would have brought continental dog breeds such as [[Pomeranian dog|Pomeranians]] and [[schipperke]] with them. As such, the lineage of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been traced back to AD 1107.<ref name="WelshCorgis">{{cite book|last=Wheeler|first=Jill C.|title=Welsh Corgis|date=2010|publisher=ABDO|isbn=978-1-61613-641-3|page=6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMbUoWHTgQkC&q=Pembroke+Welsh+Corgi+1107&pg=PA6}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/pembroke_welsh_corgi/history.cfm |title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi - HISTORY |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-date=29 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229093003/http://www.akc.org/breeds/pembroke_welsh_corgi/history.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref> These breeds, with their agility, smaller stature and shorter legs, were excellent working dogs and were used by both the Flemish and native Welsh to herd of cattle.<ref name=":1" />

As show dogs, Pembrokes and Cardigans first appeared together in 1925 when they were shown under the rules of The Kennel Club in Britain.<ref name="Eldredge2009">{{cite book |author=Debra M. Eldredge |title=Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fXzO-AokvVcC&pg=PA21 |access-date=10 December 2011 |date=27 January 2009 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-0-470-39061-0 |pages=21–}}</ref> The Corgi Club was founded in December 1925 in [[Carmarthen]], [[Carmarthenshire]].<ref name="Eldredge2009" /> It is reported that the local members favoured the Pembroke breed, so a club for Cardigan enthusiasts was founded a year or so later.<ref name="Eldredge2009" /> Both groups have worked hard to ensure the appearance and type of breed are standardised through careful selective breeding.<ref name="Eldredge2009" /> Pembrokes and Cardigans were officially recognised by the Kennel Club in 1928 and were initially categorised together under the single heading of Welsh Corgis before the two breeds were recognised as separate and distinct in 1934.<ref name="Eldredge2009" />

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are becoming more popular in the [[United States]] and rank 15th (24th) in [[American Kennel Club]] registrations,<ref>{{cite web |title=AKC Dog Registration Statistics |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/most-popular-dog-breeds-2024/ |access-date=27 October 2025 |publisher=American Kennel Club}}</ref> as of 2024 (2012). However, corgis are now listed as a "vulnerable" breed in the United Kingdom; the decline has been said to be due to a 2007 ban on tail-docking (the practice of cutting off the animal's tail) in the UK, as well as the lack of breeders in the UK<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/corgis-now-vulnerable-breed-britain/story?id=28832662|title=Dog Gone! Why You're Seeing Fewer Corgis|date=9 February 2015|website=ABC News|access-date=8 October 2016}}</ref> In 2009, the corgi was added to The Kennel Club's "At Watch" list of British breeds when annual registrations numbered between 300 and 450.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/press-releases/2018/april/corgis-and-the-queen-celebrating-the-breed-that-the-queen-made-popular/|title=Corgis and the Queen: Celebrating the breed that the Queen made popular|website=www.thekennelclub.org.uk|language=en|access-date=4 January 2019}}</ref> In 2014, the breed was put on the Club's "Vulnerable Native Breeds" list when registrations dropped under 300.<ref name=":0" /> In 2018, the breed came off the "At-Risk" list with 456 puppies registered in December 2017.<ref name=":0" /> The Kennel Club has credited the renewed interest in the breed to the popular [[Netflix]] television series, ''[[The Crown (TV series)|The Crown]]'',<ref name=":0" /> and others.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|title=Corgis: How the Queen fell in love and started a phenomenon|author=Rebecca Seales|date=3 June 2022|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61606972|access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has also appeared in the American television ''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]'' as the pet dog of [[List of Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters|Captain Raymond Holt]] and [[List of Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters|Kevin M. Cozner]] and is shown to be extremely loyal. [[List_of_Cowboy_Bebop_characters#Ein|Ein]], a Corgi with human-level intelligence, is one of the 5 main characters in the TV show ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]''.

==Folklore==
[[File:Corgi with fairy saddle.jpg|alt=A red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi lying on the floor wearing a bandana. The traditional "fairy saddle" pattern of fur is visible on the Corgi's back.|thumb|An eleven year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. The area of fur around the shoulders has a distinct thickness and direction to the rest. This is known as a "fairy saddle" from the belief that fairies would ride the dogs as steeds]]
In [[Welsh folklore]] the Corgi is associated with the [[Tylwyth Teg]] (Welsh fairies). While there are variations on the story, most state that the dogs were gifted to two human children by the Tywyth Teg. In one version, following a battle between the Tywyth Teg and the [[Gwyllion]] (night spirits), two of the Tywyth Teg are killed. Two human children happen upon the procession of the fallen warrior's funeral but instead of being unwelcome, the two children are presented with the deceased steeds.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Allison |first=Sarah |year=2023 |title=The Fairy Mythology of Corgis. |journal=University of Chichester: Gramarye |issue=24 |pages=19–24 |issn=2050-2915 }}</ref> Corgis are said to have played the role of war horses for fairies before they became herding dogs for humans. At the base of the haunches of Corgis, there is a line of slightly rougher fur called the fairy saddle.<ref name=":2" />

==Activities==
Pembroke Welsh Corgis can compete in [[dog agility]] trials, [[obedience training|obedience]], [[Dog showmanship|showmanship]], [[flyball]], [[tracking (dog)|tracking]], and [[herding]] events. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests.<ref name="Hartnagle-Taylor and Ty Taylor">{{cite book|first1 = Jeanne Joy | last1 = Hartnagle-Taylor | first2 = Ty | last2 = Taylor |year = 2010|title=Stockdog Savvy|publisher=Alpine Publications|isbn=978-1-57779-106-5}}</ref> Corgis, despite their dwarfism giving the illusion of small slow legs, can reach up to 25 mph if they are healthy and fit. This is because Corgis tend to use more upper body strength to run than most dogs, giving them enhanced abilities with such activities as agility and herding and racing.

==Royal corgis==
{{main|Royal corgis}}
At a young age, the Queen's passion for this breed started when her father, [[King George VI]], brought home their first royal corgi who was later named Dookie.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animalwised.com/what-are-the-queen-s-corgis-called-all-about-elizabeth-ii-s-dogs-1177.html|title=What Are the Queen's Corgis Called? All About Elizabeth II's Dogs|work=animalwised.com|access-date=24 July 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> The Queen ceased breeding corgis around 2012 so as not to leave any behind after she died; her last corgi, Willow, died in April 2018.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=18 April 2018 | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queens-beloved-dorgi-vulcan-dies-23112703 | title=Queen left with just one dog as her beloved dorgi Vulcan dies 'of old age' | date=3 December 2020 | last=Wilkes | first=Joseph | language=en | website=The Guardian}}</ref> She was gifted two new corgi pups by her family in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/uk-world-news/queens-new-corgi-pups-named-5208572|title=Queen's new corgi pups are named after relative and favourite beauty location|work=The Cornishman|first=Tianna|last=Corbin|date=20 March 2021|accessdate=21 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/13/queen-given-corgi-puppy-by-andrew-on-prince-philips-100th-birthday-14764093/|title=Queen 'given corgi puppy' by Andrew on Philip's 100th birthday|work=Metro|first=Emma|last=Brazell|date=13 June 2021|accessdate=14 June 2021}}</ref>

On 3 April 2019, the film ''[[The Queen's Corgi]]'' was released.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5244572/queen-elizabeth-last-corgi-dog-willow-died/|title=The Queen's Last Corgi Is Dead and the Internet Is Inconsolable|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of dog breeds]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{portal|Dogs}}
{{Dog breeds originating in Wales}}
{{Welsh dogs}}
{{Pastoral dogs}}
{{Spitz}}

[[Category: FCI breeds]]
[[Category: Dog breeds originating in Wales]]
[[Category: Herding dogs]]
[[Category: Spitz breeds]]