CARDIGAN WELSH CORGI
by THE CARDIGAN WELSH CORGI CLUB OF AMERICA
T he Cardigan Welsh Corgi, one of the oldest breeds in the British Isles, descends, as does the Dachshund, from the old teckel breeds of Germany. Think long and low with prominent prosternum and front legs that wrap around the chest. A breed that is more than 3,000 years old evolves over time, but farm- ers who depended on these smart, agile little dogs required characteristics that remain important in dogs we see today: correct conformation, effortless move- ment and solid temperament. The Cardigan Welsh Corgi breed standard states: General Appearance: Low set with moderately heavy bone and deep chest. Overall silhouette long in proportion to height... General Impression: A handsome, powerful, small dog, capable of both speed and
endurance, intelligent, sturdily built but not coarse. Whether you view a Cardigan from across the ring or out in a field, the dog’s outline must unmistakably say “Cardigan.” Although the standard devotes a lengthy paragraph to the “head”, that paragraph should not dictate a major portion of your decision when you eval- uate a Cardigan. The important features are parallel head planes, the 3:5 muzzle to back-skull ratio and large, erect ears, set so that the tips are slightly wider than a line drawn from the tip of the nose through the center of the eye. Car- digans should also have a black nose (except the acceptable butterfly nose in a blue merle), a strong under-jaw and, preferably, a scissor bite. The wrap-around front is the hall- mark of the breed. The functional front allowed the Welsh farmer’s working
264 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2018
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