Pembroke and Cardigan Corgis: What’s the difference?

February 15, 2021

When you think of corgis you probably think of a long, short dog that looks like a perfectly toasted loaf of bread. You might even think to yourself “Those are the Queen’s dogs!”.

And you would be right, but you’d only be HALF right. Not many people know this, but there are actually two distinct breeds of corgis: Pembroke Welsh corgis, and Cardigan Welsh corgis.

Pembrokes have become increasingly popular over the last few years. You can see them all over social media and in tv shows and movies. (Who else loves Cheddar from Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). Their round fluffy booties are so cute, they have serious potential to break the internet.

Even though Pembrokes are stealing the spotlight lately, Cardigans are equally awesome. Anyone thinking about welcoming a corgi into their home should definitely consider a Cardigan. Plus, who doesn’t love an underdog?!

Since Pembrokes and Cardigans are two different breeds with different ancestors, there are many differences between them. Check out the infographic below to learn more about their differences and similarities when it comes to:

–       Heritage

–       Appearance

–       Personality

–       Grooming

–       Exercise

Reminder: As with any dog breed, and especially for breeds that are very popular, it is incredibly important to ensure that you choose a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders prioritize the health and happiness of their dogs above all else, complete rigorous health and temperament testing, guarantee and health of their puppies, register their dogs and puppies with the Canadian Kennel Club, usually only have a few litters per year, complete a thorough screening of potential families to ensure they are well-suited to the breed, usually have a long waitlist, and don’t advertise on places like Kijiji.

If a breeder doesn’t sound like the description above, they may be a “backyard breeder”. “Backyard breeders” produce unhealthy, low-quality dogs at the expense of the animals. Their main motivation is to make quick money, and they care little about the safety of the animals or the betterment of the breed. Supporting “backyard breeders” contributes to overpopulation and the euthanasia of healthy unwanted pets.

Please DO NOT purchase a dog from a “backyard breeder”. If you can’t wait for a reputable, responsible breeder, adopt one of the millions of healthy, loving, abandoned dogs in shelters instead. There are also many breed-specific rescues that rehome purebred dogs.

Sam Coral

Hi there! This post was written by me, Sam Coral Rowe, and not some spooky web-scraping AI entity. I'm an award-winning professional dog photographer in Saguenay, Québec. I specialize in creating big epic Wall Art that captures the unique personality of every dog. I love exploring the region with my dog Basil, discovering locally-made treasures, and connecting with other dog people. Think we'd get along? Reach out to connect with me!