Raining Cats & DogsDog Year 2027 · Every Day Has Its Dog
Week 26 · Jun 27 – Jul 3

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Short legs, big ears, and a herder’s heart.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a cattle dog that forgot to grow tall. It never noticed. It herds anything that moves, and a few things that do not.

The breed comes from Pembrokeshire, in Wales. Farmers there kept low dogs to drive cattle. A Corgi nips at the heels, then ducks under the kick. Short legs are a survival skill.

Welsh legend says fairies rode Corgis like horses. The saddle markings on the shoulders prove it. The fairies have not commented.

The Pembroke reached America in the 1930s, and the AKC recognized it in 1934. Then a young princess got one for her birthday, and the whole world took notice.

At home, a Corgi is a big dog in a small package. It barks to announce the mail. It circles your ankles when the family walks in different directions. It is only trying to keep everyone together.

Give it a job, a fence, and a beach. Watch the waistline. A Corgi will eat your whole lunch and look surprised.

12Dogs of Summer countdown, 13 to 1annual rank No. 16 (AKC)

Wales’s low-slung cattle dog (AKC)

Expected age
12–14 years
Height
10–12 in
Weight
25–30 lb
Breed group
Herding
Origin
Pembrokeshire, Wales

Origin of the Name

Cor means dwarf and ci means dog in Welsh. Pembroke is the county where the breed took shape.

Notable Corgis

Susan, Queen Elizabeth II’s first Corgi, an 18th birthday gift in 1944. The Queen kept more than thirty over her reign.

Good to Know

Herding instinct means ankle nipping and barking. Short backs need care, so skip high jumps. Corgis shed all year.

Coats & Colors

A thick double coat in red, sable, fawn, or tricolor, with white markings. The tail is short or docked.

By the Numbers

Twenty-five to thirty pounds. Ten to twelve inches tall. Recognized by the AKC in 1934.

The week
Pembroke Welsh Corgi on SundaySundayJun 27Pembroke Welsh Corgi on MondayMondayJun 28Pembroke Welsh Corgi on TuesdayTuesdayJun 29Pembroke Welsh Corgi on WednesdayWednesdayJun 30Pembroke Welsh Corgi on ThursdayThursdayJul 1Pembroke Welsh Corgi on FridayFridayJul 2Pembroke Welsh Corgi on SaturdaySaturdayJul 3Last walk of the weekLast WalkWeek close

Shop the Pembroke Welsh Corgi

BORN TO LOAF. A mug and a tee made for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi fan.

BORN TO LOAF Pembroke Welsh Corgi mugMug11 oz or 15 ozBORN TO LOAF Pembroke Welsh Corgi teeT-shirtPhotos on the frontDog Breeds book coverDog BreedsNo. 16 of 50
See the Pembroke Welsh Corgi mug and teeRead about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi in Dog Breeds

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Books from Raining Cats & Dogs

Cat Breeds coverCat BreedsBreed guideDog Breeds coverDog BreedsBreed guideEvery Dog Has His Day coverEvery Dog Has His DayIdiom bookThe Cat's Pajamas coverThe Cat's PajamasIdiom book
Dog Year 2027 · Every Day Has Its Dog · Raining Cats & Dogs