The
Welsh Corgi (
/ˈkɔːrɡi/,
Welsh for "dwarf dog";
[5] plural "Corgis" or occasionally the etymologically consistent "Corgwn";
/ˈkɔːrɡuːn/) is a small
type of
herding dog that originated in
Wales.
[6] Sometimes just known as a
Corgi, two separate breeds are recognised: the
Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the
Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Historically, the Pembroke has been attributed to the influx of dogs alongside
Flemish weavers from around the 10th century, while the Cardigan is attributed to the dogs brought with
Norse settlers, in particular a common ancestor of the
Swedish Vallhund. A certain degree of interbreeding between the two types has been suggested to explain the similarities between the two. The Pembroke is the more popular breed of the two, but still appears on
The Kennel Club's list of
Vulnerable dog breeds of the United Kingdom.
[7]
There are physical differences between the two types. According to the breed standards, overall the Cardigan is larger, both in weight and in height. Traditionally, the tails were of different shapes, but
docking had previously been used. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi gained in popularity because
the Queen has personally owned more than 30 Pembrokes or Corgi-
Dachshund crosses, known as
dorgis