cardigan welsh corgi
WITH DAVID & DEBBIE ANTHONY, LEAH JAMES, JON KIMES, TEDDY MCDOWELL, VIVIAN MORAN, CINDY SAVIOLI & DR. JEFFREY WELCH
Q&A
1. Describe the breed in three words. D&DA: Low, sturdy and beautiful.
D&DA: No, not that are feared to threaten the breed as a whole. JL: Length, oversized and loss of proper hindquarter TM: I think the most exaggerated trait at the present would be size. Both dogs and bitches are becoming over- sized. When a handler has a difficult time placing their dogs on the table, I think that says it all. Over groom- ing would be a second pet peeve. Dogs don’t herd with blown open coats! VM: The notion that if some turn out is good, more must be better is a fallacy that we can’t seem to get away from. CS: I find some breeders spend too much time focusing on the front assembly and forget that there is the rest of the dog. JW: I am concerned about the upward trend in the size of Cardigans coupled with a shorter rib length. These two attributes could lead to dogs which move poorly, are predisposed to back issues and would be unable to act as drovers, guiding stock over long distances. 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? Why or why not? D&DA: It varies; in general they are better, but sometimes you still shake you head and ask why this person feels the dog is worthy of a championship. JK: The breed is improving, slowly. Movement is more open, rears are pushing through better, the silhouette is being held better as the dog moves. I feel the breed could easily move the wrong direction at any point in time, but there are enough in the breed who know true breed type that keep it fairly well in the middle ground. There are specif- ic big winners I don’t agree with but that is true in every breed. It amazes how few really good heads I see. You know, the Cardigan breed standard and Pembroke breed standard regarding head are not all that far apart. Study them both. Then ask yourself why the best Pems have gorgeous heads and many of our top winning Cardigans have heads that make your eyes water. It escapes me. LJ: They are definitely better than they were in 1981 but now we are running into some problems that need work. Our dogs are getting too big and exaggerated. We are seeing too many dogs with no rear drive (sickle hocked) and improper balance. There are also too many dogs that have lost our beautiful round bone and large rounded ears. We are seeing too many dogs that have Pembroke characteristics of bladed bone and pointed ears. Interestingly enough, too many Pembrokes have taken on the characteristics of the Cardigan in regard to bone and ears. TM: With the onset of the Cardigan popularity, we now have many new breeders who are just starting to develop their own line. These new breeders are just beginning to understand breed type and often times we as judges see
LJ: Loyal, achondroplastic and curvaceous. TM: Beautiful, curvaceous and colorful. VM: Cardigans are sturdy little dogs, that are loyal and clown like.
CS: Athletic, funny and stubborn. JW: Intelligent, alert and devoted.
2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed? LJ: Temperament, balance, long, low, moderate, proper front, side gait and proper head. JK: Outline is very informative and here I am looking for balance, meaning I want the head to fit the body and not be incorrectly proportioned or too large, a good reach of neck, good angulation on both ends, a long silhouette with a rather short loin, a prominent prosternum that sweeps down between the forelegs and slightly rises to the undercarriage, and reasonably heavy, round bone. I want a front that is symmetrical and one that is functional, the wrap should fit the front like a glove and the pasterns must be strong and not weak and sloppy. The head must be beautiful, the proportions all exactly correct with a good sized and well placed ear, a correct finish to the muzzle, a good sized, chiseled eye and the correct wedge without any cheekiness. Body shape should possess good rib spring with a moderate waist and then widen again to the rear quarters. Bone should be round, solid with good sized round feet. I want elegance and class. TM: My “must have”, breed type (large ears, wrap around front, large round feet to support the front) and balance would be a close second. VM: Cardigans must have good structure allowing them to move effortlessly with no excess motion. They must have a correct front with a deep chest, good rib spring and an upper arm that wraps neatly around the chest when viewed from the front; front feet may turn out a little for balance. CS: Must have Cardigan trait a correct front assembly. For us, it also includes effortless movement, correct outline with a level topline with proper tail carriage. Of course, correct temperament is a must have! JW: The front assembly is the hallmark of the breed. The head should be strong, slightly coarse with large ears and an alert expression. Correct shoulders should not be too far forward and when paired with a strong rear will produce fluid movement with full leg extension front and back. I also look for good length of rib and a moderate size.
3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated?
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