The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is a small dog, a beautiful shepherd and a friend who has a good-natured character. In our country, she is divorced as a pet. Due to the small height it can be kept in the apartment.
Story
There are several hypotheses about how the Welsh-Corgi-Cardigan breed appeared, but there is no reliable facts to this day. Some believe that the ancestors of the animal should be sought in the British Isles, where they lived in the Bronze Age. Other scientists claim that the Celts were the first to breed.
Even after the genetic analysis, the situation did not become clearer, since the breed has roots and Icelandic dog breeds, and Swedish Walhund. There, from where they began to bring the dog, they believe that it was presented to humans by fairies - fabulous creatures. They used Welsh Corgi Cardigans as a means of transportation and for them to carry their belongings.
Despite its small size and ridiculous appearance, the breed belongs to the shepherd dogs.
To modern breeders, there is a closer version, according to which the breed appeared thanks to enthusiasts from the county of Cardiganshire, which is located in Wales. After crossing the welsh corgi with the texes, the outer exterior of the resulting cross was distinguished by short legs and a long body shape.
In the 18th century, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, who differed from cardigans with a more attractive appearance, became popular among dog breeders. By the end of the 19th century, natives of Pembrokeshire could be seen at exhibitions, hence the numerous conflicts between dog breeders of two similar breeds. Often during the performances there were fights, the cause of which became prizes.
Considering present situation in 1934, the creators of the English Kennel Club had the idea to separate the two species and isolate them into independent breeds. An additional distinguishing feature was the tails cropped at Pembrokes.
Even after that, the described breed remained unclaimed for a long time, it was rarely possible to meet its worthy representatives at exhibitions. The dogs hid in the shadow of their relative. They began to be brought to other countries many decades later, and in Russia they have gained popularity since 2000.
Description
There is a standard according to which the breed is described. These small dogs have a long body and short, wide legs. They are very mobile, they love to frolic and play. They prefer to spend time on the street, so the apartment is often bored and depressed.
If we compare them with pembrokes, the cardigans have a larger body, the weight can reach up to 17 kilograms. Dogs have a lot of similarities with dachshunds: the legs are slightly curved, the chest is massive, the silhouette line is smooth. These dogs are real laborers, they do not like exhibitions, because they are not interested in them.
The head is proportional, the muzzle is moderately stretched, the skull is wide, but narrows closer to the location of the eyes. The animal has a strong jaw. Bite most often scissor, but may be horizontal.
Nose is medium sized, black, fleshy. The iris has a dark shade. The eyes are not round, planted far away, the corners stand out well. If an individual has a marble shade of wool, then her eyes may be blue, which is acceptable standard.
In the welsh corgi cardigan, the ears are erect, rather large, rounded at the tips. If the animal is alert, then they lean forward slightly, and when the dog is at rest, they diverge in different directions. Their neck is rather wide and long, muscular, smoothly turning into shoulders.
The welsh-corgi-cardigans have a good view of the waist line, the body is long, there are no bulging or sagging parts of the body. From the side, you might think that the paws of a dog are toy-like, in fact, they have enough power to make a push during a forced jump. The extremities of small length, pads are plump.
In front, the legs are slightly curved, which is most noticeable when viewed from the side of the muzzle.
The tail of the Corgi Cardigans should be low set and slightly down. If the animal is in a state of excitement, then it may be slightly raised, but not folded into a bagel.
These are short-haired dogs, moderately hard hairs which fit snugly to the body, under them there is a dense undercoat. Coat moderately smooth, should not be too soft or hard. If the cover is long and soft, then this is a defect.
There are fewer requirements for coat color. According to the breed, welsh corgi cardigan can have any shade of wool. Most often you can find the following colors:
- redhead;
- the black;
- brindle;
- tricolor;
- blue merle;
- marble.
Even the presence of a few white markings is allowed, but they should not dominate on the main color.
There is a list of defects that breeders try to exclude from the breed. Among them are not only drooping ears, but also completely blue color of eyes, earlobe not black.
Character
If a person is in search of a kind and obedient assistant, then this is exactly the breed that you should pay attention to. Welsh Corgi cardigans show maximum calm and patience even when dealing with children.
From the outside you might think that they are phlegmatic, lazy, but this is not so, since the animal will always respond to the game.
One of the advantages of the representatives of the described breed is the ability to get along with other animals. Jealousy is an unfamiliar feeling for this dog.
But as for the strangers, they will not trust them and will surely bark. If the dog is properly raised, it will not be bullied and make noise in the house, and if this happens, there is always a reason.
Dogs of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan breed are restrained, do not show obtrusiveness, have a docile nature, but do not allow to offend themselves. They like to spend time with the owner, but in his absence they will wait patiently. It is very convenient to keep the dog in a small room, because it does not make too much noise.
Representatives of this breed are distinguished by intelligence and ingenuity, but their lack of independence is more associated with age-old living side by side with man. But the welsh corgi cardigan doesn’t want to put themselves above the master, because they don’t know the feeling of ambition. A person does not have to prove his strength in order to gain credibility with a representative of a breed, it is enough to devote more time and give love to an animal.
If before the breed was used as a good shepherd and guard for sheep and cows, today it is an excellent guard, despite its modest dimensions. The Welsh Corgi Cardigan will immediately come to the defense of the child if it senses danger. Under the danger of a dog can perceive even a small violation of invisible borders. In this case, he will pull the child by the leg, returning him to the safe zone.
Encourage this behavior is not worth it, because the next time the animal can bite the child's foot. You should not scold the Corgi Cardigan either, you just need to quietly release the baby and threaten the dog with your finger.
Lifespan
The described breed can be safely ranked as long-livers. In 2004, the official statistics of life expectancy of Welsh Corgi Cardigans was collected. On average, these dogs delight owners of their good-natured 12 years.
Among the main reasons why a dog dies, natural aging and the formation of cancerous tumors can be noted. If a person provides the animal proper care, it can live up to 15 years.
How to choose a puppy?
Good genetics in many ways affects the lifespan and behavior of a dog.
Today there are not so many kennels where you can buy a representative of this breed, hence the high cost of puppies.
At the time of purchase, it is important to pay attention to how the animal meets the standard of appearance. If there is no experience, then it is desirable to enlist the support of a specialist. Canine advise to pay attention to the following points.
- Male, unlike bitches, more trusting, but he always clearly performs the task, learns commands faster. Girls of the breed described have a flexible character and can always adjust to a person’s mood.
- The Welsh Corgi Cardigan always inherits the physical characteristics of its parents, so when looking for a real champion, you should ask for their diplomas, which describe sporting achievements, when you buy them.
- Before tying a male and female individual, breeders conduct two dysplasia tests. The results can be requested when buying a puppy, so a person will be able to protect themselves from acquiring a puppy with poor heredity.
- To acquire a dog is at the age of 8-12 weeks. You may encounter a situation when a puppy is put up for sale in 45 days, but kennels respecting themselves and their authority do not do this, because they keep the dog until it passes the necessary vaccination and becomes stronger.
- If you choose between several nurseries, then preference should be given to where the animal is grown outside the city. There are no cramped cells here, so their development occurs in a different way. These puppies are healthy and strong.
A nursery who cares about its reputation always approaches with great responsibility the sale of the welsh corgi cardigan. They do not reserve puppies and do not drop the cost on them. If the seller is willing to give way, you need to think about the reasons. As a rule, the price is reduced when the animal has a number of serious defects. Only a specialist can see them, if they do not concern the defects of physical development.
The cost of a puppy with a good pedigree, vaccinations and stigma ranges around 80-100 thousand rubles.
Conditions for content
Although the Corgi Cardigan is famous for its activity, it is not necessary to train the dog to exhaustion, to train every day. Enough in the morning and evening to walk with a dog or engage in freestyle. Simple nature games are also suitable for maintaining health.
The presented breed has its own peculiarity - thick, though not long hair with a dense undercoat. With the arrival of summer walks will need to move to the early morning or evening, you can choose a shady park, next to the water.
The dog may overheat in the sun.
In the spring and autumn, because of the short paws, the dog’s belly becomes covered with mud. Even after a short walk in the rain, you will need to wash the animal afterwards. Some dog breeders have found another way out - a raincoat, tailored specifically for welsh corgi cardigans. Find this can be easily in the pet store.
When choosing a partner for a walk for a dog, it is worthwhile to dwell on a small breed dog. The fact is that the cardigan is not afraid of the size of other animals and in the event of a conflict situation will demonstrate its courage. If the Caucasian Shepherd Dog or other large breed becomes a companion for the walk, then the Corgi Cardigan-Welsh may suffer.
Special attention of the dog breeder requires the oral cavity of the dog.Teeth - a weak spot of the breed, often have to deal with periodontal disease. Veterinarians recommend regular cleaning using special tools that are sold at the pet store.
Another problem is obesity, which can be easily dealt with if the dog is offered proper nutrition. The rest of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan has excellent health. The animal inherits genetic ailments from its parents, which is why it is so important to choose a puppy correctly, paying attention to the pedigree. Often, dogs of the described breed suffer from:
- cataracts;
- keratitis;
- food allergies;
- eczema;
- cancer;
- joint dysplasia.
What to feed?
Nutrition plays an important role in the formation of healthy offspring. The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is not picky about food, hence the risk of obesity. When the owner does not want to engage in animals or he does not have enough time for it, the whole diet can be reduced to the consumption of dry food.
In some dogs, allergies occur in response, in rare cases the color of the coat changes, especially for individuals with a white coat. With the constant use of low-quality dry food, the dog breeder has to deal with problems with the pet's intestines.
Everything is much easier if you feed the Corgi Cardigan with healthy, natural food. The dog is perfectly fit lean, well-frozen meat. A serving should consist of 20 grams per kilogram of a dog.
In the list of healthy foods for dogs - liquid cereals, which are cooked in meat broth, sometimes in milk. The portion will need to be calculated correctly. A Welsh Corgi Cardigan may require a supplement, but it is not needed, it’s just that this breed likes to overeat. Be sure to include in the diet of the animal apples, dairy products, zucchini and carrots.
Rice and buckwheat porridge is useful to flavor a small amount of vegetable oil or fish oil.
A couple of times a week is allowed to feed the animal offal. The diet may also be present:
- boiled chicken;
- lean sea red fish;
- eggs;
- bread crumbs.
In no case do not give the dog mushrooms, nuts, legumes, grapes, as they cause flatulence.
Excessive consumption of baked goods, sausages, sweets and pasta leads to obesity. All this dog breeder should try to exclude from the diet of the animal. It is extremely harmful to chocolate corgi cardigan.
How to care?
A dog of any breed would prefer to live not in an apartment, but in a private house, where you can regularly walk in your own yard. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, but the described breed belongs loyally even to a small space. A dog will not be offended if he is left alone for the whole day, but he is extremely necessary for an evening or morning walk to maintain his health.
As soon as there is an opportunity to go out of town or go to the park, you should definitely take your pet with you.
Arranging a separate place for an animal in an apartment, you need to take into account the peculiarities of its body. If it is a mattress, it is better if it is orthopedic. When choosing a bowl for water or food, you must give preference to the product, which has an adjustable stand. The dog should not bend over much.
Care for the corgi cardi cardigan is simple, as its wool has unique water and dirt repellent properties. Experienced breeders are advised not to abuse with pet bathing. For 3 months only one bath day should be planned, it is enough to keep the animal's hair clean. Shampoo is bought in a specialty store, and only for tough wool.
Molding in the Welsh Corgi Cardigans happens twice a year. Wool from them remains a lot, it is literally everywhere in the house. Inexperienced dog breeders are unhappy with this, but this happens only for the first time, with age, the amount of animal hair in the house becomes less.
A small arsenal of combs like a massage brush or a rake-shaped pouderchee will suit the dog. At the time of molting, wool is combed several times a day, paying special attention to the undercoat.
Care and care require ears. To remove simple dirt, it is enough to have on hand a specialized veterinary lotion and cotton swabs. If signs of infection appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.
Be sure to cut the dog's claws twice a month, otherwise they will exfoliate and cause discomfort to the animal. In the pet store you can buy specialized tools. Dog to this procedure are taught from childhood.
Upbringing and training
The Welsh Corgi Cardigan shows intelligence and quick wit during training. Even novice dog owners have no problems with establishing contact. The most important thing is not to overdo it with monotony, but you should not shout at the animal either. The dog understands everything from the first, to prove his dominance will not.
The breed has a playful temperament, so it is better to master everything in the process of the game. The lesson should be easy, easy. If you demand too much of a dog, in a rude manner, it will soon lose interest and stop accepting commands. In the process of learning it is impossible not to take into account the fact that the welsh-corgi-cardigan is a shepherd's dog, which cannot be a guard or official.
A puppy is socialized since childhood, as soon as it appeared in the house. No need to wait 6 months for this, then it will be more difficult to accustom the animal to the normal perception of other people and animals. The learning process should be built in the following order:
- learning the first skills of proper toilet use;
- training to the collar and leash;
- the establishment of a framework of what is permitted;
- learning teams.
It is possible to accustom the welsh-corgi-cardigan to the toilet on the tray or diaper, but it is better if the dog learns to tolerate and wait until he is taken out for a walk.
From 3 months puppy can begin to get acquainted with the space surrounding it. To do this, they often try to take him outside to the park, yard, where there are other animals. Already in 5 months the dog is able to learn the most simple commands. From this period, you need to explain to her that barking for no reason is bad, even if another dog ran nearby.
It is possible to teach the dog even acrobatic circus numbers, but it must be remembered that jumping is absolutely contraindicated for them. Short legs will not be able to protect the dog from hitting the ground if it jumps from a great height, as a result, the internal organs of the animal may suffer.
As in the upbringing of a child, at a certain period a transitional age begins for the dog. At six months, he may suddenly stop listening to commands, will become flighty, restless. Sometimes shoes suffer from this behavior. The owner will need to be patient - this will pass when the dog matures. Shouting and especially not beating her.
All about breed dogs welsh-Corgi-cardigan, see the next video.