The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is one of the oldest breed in the British Isles. The origins of the cardigan is due to the unwritten history from the hills people of Wales. These farmers had no reason to publicize these dogs, that had been so useful for them for centuries.

The Corgi came with the Celts from central Europe around the year 1200 BC. This means they were known in the land of Cardiganshire for roughly 3000 years. The dogs were members of the Teckel family from which the Dachshunds come. The village of Bronant in Mid Cardiganshire is where the early Celts settled .

Tales that have been handed down from father to son for generations identify the Cardigan as an intelligent and vigilance dog that was a valued member of the family circle. A wide variety of chores for this corgi which included guardianship of the children and his aid in beating out game .

In the early days of the Welsh history the Crown owned practically all the land . The tenants were allowed to fence off only a few acres around their door sites. The rest was open land in which the Crofters were allowed to graze their cattle. The little dogs were with the Celts for so many years ,which had almost human intelligent was trained to perform a service of driving the cattle, by nipping heels, as afar a field as the crofters desired. They were also used to drive neighbors cattle off his grounds. When the division of the crowns land and the appearances of fences, the corgi become useless to the crofters. Some kept the corgi as a guard dog or a companion, but to most he was a luxury they could not afford. The original type of the Corgi known in Bronant since time immemorial became very scarce. The ancient dogs of Bronant were crossed with the red herders but it did not prove to be successful. The brindle herder was a fortuitous cross . The progeny followed the dominant characteristics of the corgi. The gain was a finer coated dog with adding the brindle color.

The principal strains of the Cardigan of today go back to the old Bronant corgi with a slight infusion of the brindle herder blood. This dog is as approximates as nearly as possible as the dog that enjoyed the popularity of Cardiganshire a century or more ago.

This data which summarizes the breed history was collected and written by W. Lloyd-Thomas of Mabws Hall, Llanrhystyd, Cardiganshire, South Wales

Corgis have been referred to by many names down through the history of Wales. Cor meaning Dwarf and Gi meaning dog comes from the Celtic language Corgwn is the plural. In Welsh the meaning of dwarf and dog are dog corr and ci. Later studies indicate the word corgi became corrupted to Curgi. It was later shortened to cur, which meant any non-royal dog. It was also used to refer to all dogs owned by non-Norman Britons.

In 920 AD Howell Dda , King of Wales, undertook the formalizing of customs and practices to establish a system of laws in Wales. One law referred to the welsh cattle dogs owned by the farmers of the Day. They were referred to as "heeler" CiSawdl.

Later in history the Welsh were calling the Cardigan Ci Llanthaid or the meter-long dog. The Pembroke were called Ci Soldi meaning Heeling dog. This tend is prove that they were two district and separate breeds from the beginning.

During the 16th century, the British Crown would allow the corgi dogs to hunt the rabbit to keep the population down on the royal lands. This was done to keep the balance of nature for the deer population.

In the 17th and 18th centuries the closing of the royal land tended to deter the corgi population by eliminating the need for the hunting practices As a result the corgi was used exclusively for the herding of cattle

In the 19th century the increase interest in sheep, there was a need for a different type of corgi . The mouth of the cardigan was used on cattle. The farmers felt that they were to rough for herding sheep, so they were crossed with the Welsh Collie for a softer mouth . This also bought about the difference in the coat texture and quality.

In the early 20th century with better transportation and communication, the isolation began to diminish. This resulted in the Cardigan being brought to Pembrokeshire where they were crossed with the Pembroke. It is interesting that in the history of the two breeds that Cardigan blood was crossed with the Pembroke , but never was the Pembroke crossed with Cardigan Blood

In 1873 the founding of the English Kennel Club, formalized the interests of purebred dogs . The Welsh Corgi Club was not established until 1925, this club was limited to Pembroke. In 1926 the Cardigans Breeders established their own society Cardigan Welsh Corgi Association. In 1927 the Corgi classes were separated for the two breeds. In 1934 the English Kennel Club accepted the Standards for the Cardigan and the Pembroke. Since that date they have been separate breeds.

In the late 1920's interests of the corgis were expressed by dog lovers in the USA. Both breeds were imported to America every year till World War II

With King George VI interest in the Pembroke for his daughter Princess Elizabeth , the population of the Pembroke by 1960 was 8933 compared to the 1959 registration of the Cardigan at only 371.

The first pair of Cardigans were imported to the United States in 1931 by Mrs. P Bole. In 1934 the American Kennel Club recognized the Cardigan and the Pembroke as separate breeds.

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America was founded in 1935. The Cardigan has gone from the non-sporting to the working to the herding groups in the AKC organization. Today the Cardigan is in the herding group of the AKC .

Cardigans are an active, athletic dog. They are a small dog with the heart of a German Shephard. Yet still have the softness of a Collie. They are one breed that  still have the qualities of their ancestors. They make excellent pets. They have the intelligent of a small child. The are known to do well in obedience, agility, tracking, search and rescue. They can even be used for hunting, they have a nose as good as dogs of the sporting breeds. That makes the Cardigan breed a jack of all trades, in the dog world

References

1. The  Welsh  Corgi  by Leslie Perrins 1958

2. Know  Your  Welsh  Corgi  by Margaret Osborn 1970

3. Welsh  Corgi  by  Charles Lister-Kaye 1971

4 The  Welsh  Corgi  by  Charles Lister-Kaye and Dickie Albin 1965

5. Your  Welsh  Corgi  by Robert J Berndt 1978

Article may not be reproduced, copied  for any reason without  authors permission

Jean Runge  1998

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