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The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a long, low fox-like dog with large upright ears, a brushy tail, moderate bone, and front legs slightly bowed around a deep chest. His appearance should conform as closely as possible to the AKC Standard, which states, "...a small, sturdy but powerful dog capable of endurance and speed." The average size is handy, approximately twelve inches at the shoulder with females ideally ranging from 25-34 pounds and males from 30-38 pounds. The Cardigan's practical coat is medium length and double with a variety of colors, shades and patterns. They usually have white on the neck, chest, legs, muzzle, underneath, tip of the tail, and as a blaze on the head.
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Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppy!
Temperament in the Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Originally bred for herding sheep and cattle, they have proven themselves as excellent companion animals and are outstanding competitors in sheepdog trials and dog agility. Cardigan Welsh Corgis were bred long and low to make sure that any kicks by cattle would travel safely over the dogs without touching them. Like most herding breeds, Cardigans are highly intelligent, active, athletic dogs. Affectionately known as "a big dog in a small package," Cardigans are affectionate, devoted companions that can also be alert and responsible guardians. However, Cardigans can nip, especially small children, in an attempt to "herd" people.
Cardigan Corgis are typically a 'one-man dog'. They are quite wary of strangers and prefer to reserve their affection for a select few with whom they are familiar.
Formal Breed Standard for the Cardigan Welsh Corgi
General Appearance
Low set with moderately heavy bone and deep chest. Overall silhouette
long in proportion to height, culminating in a low tail set and
fox-like brush. General Impression--A handsome,
powerful, small dog, capable of both speed and endurance, intelligent,
sturdily built but not coarse.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Overall balance is more important than absolute size. Dogs and bitches
should be from 10.5 to 12.5 inches at the withers when standing
naturally. The ideal length/height ratio is 1.8:1 when measuring from
the point of the breast bone (prosternum) to the rear of the hip
(ischial tuberosity) and measuring from the ground to the point of the
withers. Ideally, dogs should be from 30 to 38 pounds; bitches from 25
to 34 pounds. Lack of overall balance, oversized or undersized are serious
faults.
Head
The head should be refined in accordance with the
sex and substance of the dog. It should never appear so large and heavy
nor so small and fine as to be out of balance with the rest of the dog.
Expression alert and gentle, watchful, yet friendly.
Eyes medium to large, not bulging, with dark rims
and distinct corners. Widely set. Clear and dark in harmony with coat
color. Blue eyes (including partially blue eyes), or one dark and one
blue eye permissible in blue merles, and in any other coat color than
blue merle are a disqualification. Ears
large and prominent in proportion to size of dog. Slightly rounded at
the tip, and of good strong leather. Moderately wide at the base,
carried erect and sloping slightly forward when alert. When erect, tips
are slightly wide of a straight line drawn from the tip of the nose
through the center of the eye. Small and/or pointed ears are serious
faults. Drop ears are a disqualification.
Skull--Top moderately wide and flat between the
ears, showing no prominence of occiput, tapering towards the eyes.
Slight depression between the eyes. Cheeks flat
with some chiseling where the cheek meets the foreface and under the
eye. There should be no prominence of cheekbone. Muzzle
from the tip of the nose to the base of the stop should be shorter than
the length of the skull from the base of the stop to the high point of
the occiput, the proportion being about three parts muzzle to five
parts skull; rounded but not blunt; tapered but not pointed. In profile
the plane of the muzzle should parallel that of the skull, but on a
lower level due to a definite but moderate stop.
Nose black, except in blue merles where black noses
are preferred but butterfly noses are tolerated. A nose other than
solid black in any other color is a disqualification.
Lips fit cleanly and evenly together all around. Jaws
strong and clean. Underjaw moderately deep and well formed, reaching to
the base of the nose and rounded at the chin. Teeth
strong and regular. Scissors bite preferred; i.e., inner side of upper
incisors fitting closely over outer side of lower incisors. Overshot,
undershot, or wry bite are serious faults.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck moderately long and muscular without
throatiness. Well developed, especially in males, and in proportion to
the dog's build. Neck well set on; fits into strong, well shaped
shoulders. Topline level. Body
long and strong. Chest moderately broad with
prominent breastbone. Deep brisket, with well sprung ribs to allow for
good lungs. Ribs extending well back. Loin- short,
strong, moderately tucked up. Waist well defined. Croup-Slight
downward slope to the tail set.
Tail- set fairly low on body line and reaching well
below hock. Carried low when standing or moving slowly, streaming out
parallel to ground when at a dead run, lifted when excited, but never
curled over the back. High tail set is a serious fault.
Forequarters
The moderately broad chest tapers to a deep brisket, well let down
between the forelegs. Shoulders slope downward and
outward from the withers sufficiently to accommodate desired
rib-spring. Shoulder blade (scapula) long and well laid back, meeting
upper arm (humerus) at close to a right angle. Humerus nearly as long
as scapula. Elbows should fit close, being neither
loose nor tied. The forearms (ulna and radius)
should be curved to fit spring of ribs. The curve in the forearm makes
the wrists (carpal joints) somewhat closer together than the elbows.
The pasterns are strong and flexible. Dewclaws
removed.
The feet are relatively large and rounded, with
well filled pads. They point slightly outward from a straight-ahead
position to balance the width of the shoulders. This outward point is
not to be more than 30 degrees from center line when viewed from above.
The toes should not be splayed.
The correct Cardigan front is neither straight nor
so crooked as to appear unsound. Overall, the bone should be heavy for
a dog of this size, but not so heavy as to appear coarse or reduce
agility. Knuckling over, straight front, fiddle front are serious
faults.
Hindquarters
Well muscled and strong, but slightly less wide than shoulders. Hipbone
(pelvis) slopes downward with the croup, forming a right angle with the
femur at the hip socket. There should be moderate angulation at stifle
and hock. Hocks well let down. Metatarsi perpendicular to the ground
and parallel to each other. Dewclaws removed. Feet
point straight ahead and are slightly smaller and more oval than front.
Toes arched. Pads well filled.
Overall, the hindquarters must denote sufficient power to propel this
low, relatively heavy herding dog efficiently over rough terrain.
Coat
Medium length but dense as it is double. Outer hairs slightly harsh in
texture; never wiry, curly or silky. Lies relatively smooth and is
weather resistant. The insulating undercoat is short, soft and thick. A
correct coat has short hair on ears, head, the legs; medium hair on
body; and slightly longer, thicker hair in ruff, on the backs of the
thighs to form "pants," and on the underside of the tail. The coat
should not be so exaggerated as to appear fluffy. This breed has a
shedding coat, and seasonal lack of undercoat should not be too
severely penalized, providing the hair is healthy. Trimming is not
allowed except to tidy feet and, if desired, remove whiskers. Soft
guard hairs, uniform length, wiry, curly, silky, overly short and/or
flat coats are not desired. A distinctly long or fluffy coat is an
extremely serious fault.
Color
All shades of red, sable and brindle. Black with or without tan or
brindle points. Blue merle (black and gray; marbled) with or without
tan or brindle points. There is no color preference. White flashings
are usual on the neck (either in part or as a collar), chest, legs,
muzzle, underparts, tip of tail and as a blaze on head. White on the
head should not predominate and should never surround the eyes. Any
color other than specified and/or body color predominantly white are disqualifications.
Gait
Free and smooth. Effortless. Viewed from the side, forelegs should
reach well forward when moving at a trot, without much lift, in unison
with driving action of hind legs. The correct shoulder assembly and
well fitted elbows allow for a long free stride in front. Viewed from
the front, legs do not move in exact parallel planes, but incline
slightly inward to compensate for shortness of leg and width of chest.
Hind legs, when trotting, should reach well under body, move on a line
with the forelegs, with the hocks turning neither in nor out, and in
one continuous motion drive powerfully behind, well beyond the set of
the tail. Feet must travel parallel to the line of motion with no
tendency to swing out, cross over, or interfere with each other. Short
choppy movement, rolling or high-stepping gait, close or overly wide
coming or going, are incorrect. This is a herding dog which must have
the agility, freedom of movement, and endurance to do the work for
which he was developed.
Temperament
Even-tempered, loyal, affectionate, and adaptable. Never shy nor
vicious.
Disqualifications
Blue eyes, or partially blue eyes, in any coat color other
than blue merle.
Drop ears.
Nose other than solid black except in blue merles.
Any color other than specified.
Body color predominantly white.
Approved December 13, 1994
Effective January 31, 1995
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