Welsh Corgi Pembroke vs Cardigan

Those who are not too familiar with the Welsh Corgi dog breed may not know that it is divided into two groups: Pembrokes and Cardigans. Despite the common ancestry, the differences between the Pembroke and the Cardigan are even greater than the similarities.

Welsh Corgi vs Pembroke Corgi

Corgis are unique dogs that, despite their short stature, belong to the group of shepherd dogs that do an excellent job of grazing flocks of sheep. It so happened that the Pembrokes gained more popularity than cardigans, but this is not due to the fact that the second group is worse in temperament or appearance. So what’s the difference between them?

Origin

The common homeland of the Welsh Corgi breed is the County of Wales. The Pembrokes were bred in Pembrokeshire, the Cardigans in Ceredigion. The subspecies did not interbreed with each other, since they were geographically far from each other (the county was divided by an impassable mountain range).

It is believed that the Cardigans are older than the Pembrokes. The first became known back in the 10th century, the latter appeared in the 13th century. The ancestors of the Cardigans were Dachshund dogs, the Pembrokes – Spitz.

Appearance

Differences in the appearance of the corgi immediately catch the eye if you put the dogs next to:

• Height. Pembroke (30 cm) is slightly lower than the cardigan (31 cm).
• The weight. Pembrokes are lighter, weighing from 12 to 16 kg. Cardigans weigh 1-3 kg more.
• Eyes. Queen Elizabeth’s favorites have rounder eyes, the color matches the suit. Opponents may have blue irises.
• Coat. The Pembrokeshire natives have a soft, elongated coat on the legs and chest. In the second breed, it is more rigid and shorter.
• Colors. Cardigans can be the same color as other corgis, plus brindle and tabby.
• Body type. Due to the fact that cardigans are descended from dachshund dogs, their paws are turned out slightly. The back of their torso is narrower than the front, half of the weight is in front. Pembrokes are folded in proportion.
• Tail. Used to be docked by the Pembrokes. The procedure is prohibited today.

Temperament

In general, the corgi is very nice and friendly. They practically do not show aggression and get along well both with people and with other animals. Few differences between the compared breeds can be found in the following:

• Cardigans respond better to loneliness;
• Pembrokes do not like to walk for a long time;
• Cardigans are not too demanding in attention and affection;
• Pembrokes are more frivolous.

Health

Corgis can have several health problems, including eye problems, urinary tract problems, and joint problems. Pembrokes are more susceptible to epilepsy and hypothyroidism, while cardigans, due to a lack of immunoglobulin in the blood, may not live up to 3 months.

Another key difference between the two corgi subspecies is price. Due to the fact that cardigans are less common than Pembrokes, they can cost an order of magnitude more than their opponents.