It’s nice to own a dog with a truly storied history; Corgis are just such dogs.  Corgi puppies are not only adorable, cute, and friendly, they are descended from a long line of faithful companions and one of the pride and joys of the entire Welsh people.

The history of the Corgi stretches back into the fog of pre-history (at least to 1200 B.C. or so), before the Romans showed up, before the Vikings came to conquer, before the Normans came across the straits to besiege the famous British Isle.

When Corgis first came about the whole of northern Europe was settled by the Celts, mysterious tribes who many people in British Isles see as their true forefathers.

Such noble beasts as the Corgi are a little slice of history and a connection to our distant past, and people love a long history that’s attached to their homeland.  We all do.

People love their own special breeds of dog, and the same goes with the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, they seem to embody quintessential Welshness in their temperament, loyal to the last.

These are quiet country dogs that, however, need a  surprisingly good quantity of exercise for a medium sized canine, they only grow to be about 30 pounds or so but they are energetic and alert; these dogs were bred to herd cattle all day, and this evolution has left us with a truly hardy breed.

The physical stature of the Corgi is unique, with the most prominent feature being their short legs.  They also have a long tail (Cardigans), and very low center of gravity, wide set eyes, and usually black ears.

The Pembrokeshire Corgi (a cousin of the Cardigan) is very similar but can usually be distinguished by the fact that they have a variety of tails — their tails can be short, bobbed or long.  A Cardigan has a long tail.

These smallest of the herding dogs, and saints of the western farmlands of Britain live to be around 12 to 15 years on the average, which is typical for a dog of this size.  They are highly intelligent, just like most other herding dogs, they have to be, in order to out-smart the here and wily predators.

Of course these days the predators are mostly long gone as well as herds of cattle in many parts of the country (and the world); today these dogs make great companions, even though their herding roots are still ever present in their demeanor.

Corgi puppies and dogs are very friendly and safe with children which make them a great family dog.  If you’re looking at a litter of Corgis try to select the one with the clearest eyes and hopefully with a nose that isn’t running.

This is a good way to tell which puppy is going to be healthiest and therefore happiest as well, of course you should also choose the one that seems to choose you.