Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppies

About the Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the older of the two corgi breeds, a drover's dog from Cardiganshire used to move cattle by nipping at their heels and ducking the kick that followed. They are long and low with heavy bone, large rounded ears and a full brush of a tail, which is the quickest way to tell them from a Pembroke. The character is steady and adaptable: affectionate with their family, more reserved with strangers than their cousin, and quick to sound an alarm.

Cardigans fit almost any household as long as they get out every day, and most are obsessive about a ball, which is a useful way to burn energy off. The double coat needs a good weekly brush and should not be clipped short for summer, since it regulates temperature on its own. Trimming the hair under the feet keeps dirt out of the house. The thing to manage is the back: jumping off sofas and repeated stairs strain a long spine, so lift the dog and gate the stairs.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, screened by a hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Degenerative myelopathy (DM), detectable by DNA test
• Progressive retinal atrophy, rod cone dysplasia 3 (PRA-rcd3), detectable by DNA test
• Back problems in the long low spine, made worse by jumping off furniture and by stairs

Your Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 11.3 to 17.2 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 17.2 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Previous: Cane Corso · Next: Carolina Dog

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Cardigan Welsh Corgi breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: FatFairfax, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.