Pastoral group · Wales
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Also called Cardigan, Cardi, CWC.
What makes them remarkable
A long tail helps distinguish this Welsh cattle herder from its better-known Pembroke cousin.
- Affectionate
- Loyal
- Smart
- Alert
- Adaptable

- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 11 to 17 kg25 to 38 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 15 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- High
Training
Training a Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Keep the weight down
Start here
A long spine needs a lean dog, or the back suffers. Watch the portions.
Redirect Herding Instincts
May nip at heels naturally, channel this into appropriate activities like herding trials or fetch.
Mental Stimulation
Highly intelligent breed that needs puzzle toys and training challenges to stay engaged.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Cardigan Welsh Corgi and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsModerate
- StrangersModerate
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1 hour daily. Moderate walks and play, avoid excessive jumping.
- Grooming
- Heavy shedding. Weekly brushing, daily during shedding season.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Double coat, Medium length, DenseBrindle, Blue Merle, Red, Sable, Black & White
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Intervertebral Disc Disease
Severe
Long back makes them prone to spinal problems
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint malformation causing mobility issues
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Moderate
Degenerative eye disease leading to blindness
Where they come from
History
One of the oldest herding breeds in the British Isles, brought to Wales by Celtic tribes around 1200 BC. Unlike the Pembroke, Cardigans have a long tail and are slightly larger. Used for driving cattle by nipping at heels.
Similar breeds
All breeds
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Those short legs belonged to a cattle herder, bred to move much larger animals by nipping at their heels.
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