History of Pembroke Welsh Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a cattle herding dog breed that originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as a Welsh Corgi. The other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, and both descend from the line of northern spitz-type dogs.

In medieval times, the kings of Europe advertised their majesty to their subjects and visiting emissaries by the richness of their possessions like carpets and textiles. The era’s best weavers were centered in Flanders, now northern Belgium. It was in the year 1107, Henry I of Britain invited a community of these master craftsmen to live and work in southwestern Wales. The weavers accepted Henry’s invitation and brought all they needed to re-create their way of farming in their new homeland, which included the dogs they bred to herd cattle and sheep. These sturdy, short-legged herders were the foundation for the breed we now know as the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

The Pembroke has been a distinctly separate breed from the Cardigan Welsh Corgi since the late 1800s. The Pembroke’s ears are pointed and erect while the Cardigan’s ears are rounded. Also, the Cardigan’s tail is much longer than the Pembroke’s. The world’s most famous Pembroke fan is Elizabeth II. The queen got her first Pembroke, Dookie, in 1933 and the last being Willow who died in 2018.

The Pembroke is a bright, sensitive dog who enjoys playing with his human family and is surprisingly quick and agile.