I always wanted a dog when I was little but I was allergic. It was a dream to have a hot dog, a weiner a dog, a dachshund. 30 years of life go by and a dream is realized. I got my first dog, a weinder dog. A black and tan, smooth, standard dachshund. I did so much research into dog breeds, hairless, size, temperament and more. But I wanted to see if I could realize my dream of a wiener dog. I did. And I lived the dream for almost 16 years. I really got accomplished to the big dog in a compact, short body. I loved the long back and short legs breeds of dogs. This includes basset hounds and corgis. Eventually, I would learn that there actually two breeds of corgis and not just a single breed called, Corgi. As my first dachshund got older I started thinking about my next dog, not that I was planning it out, but just dreaming again. The dream started with a breed, another long-back, short-legged dog. This next dream was going to be a basset hound. They look so sad but also so much fun with those long, droopy ears. He even had a name, Norm.
Eighteen years after that first dream, I started looking at the second dream. It was hard. The word had changed, COVID restrictions were lessing, COVID puppies were being returned, and puppy prices had skyrocketed. It was tough. It was hard to find that second dream basset hound. I tried registered breeders, humane societies, and shelters. Eventually, I resorted to online sellers on platforms like Kijiji and Craigslist. I started reaching out to the people on Kijiji just to get a feel for what these “breeders” were like. Appointments were scheduled and I started by visiting a few, but no basset hound. I even considered another dachshund, a mini dachshund this time. That fell through. I then started looking at corgis. I had a few appointment visits lined up and the first one was the charm. Dream number 2 is Norm, not a basset hound, but a corgi. His sisters and mother were traditionally coloured Pembroke corgis, tan, white, black, red, or some combination of these colours. The mother, dame, was Canadian, while the father, sire, was American. Norm, however, was a little different. He was Merle.
Since getting dream 2, Norm, the merle corgi, we are stopped all the time when we go out. People asking, no guessing, what breeds have been crossed to get his colouring. Everyone that stopped us was an expert on dogs, breeds, and corgis. All I knew was he was all corgi. I wanted to be clear on what Norm was and why his coat was the colour it was, or at least have a concise conjecture as to what he is.
What is a corgi?
A corgi is a dog. There are actually two distinct breeds of corgi, Cardigan Welsh Corgi and Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
What is the difference between the two breeds of corgis?
The most obvious difference between the two breeds of corgi is the physical differences. Before we get into the difference between the two breeds, what are some of the commonalities between the two breeds?
The Corgi is a long-back dog, that has short legs and a long back. The Corgi is a herding dog used to herd cattle. They have a double coat which means that they have an undercoat and a top coat. This helps keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This means, however, that they shed a lot. There are a few times during the year that are particularly bad for shedding, which I’m slowly learning about. They are very energetic, playful dogs. And they bark a lot! This herding instinct that they have translates into them being very interested in being around people and their hooman, in particular. Like other herding dogs, they have a tendency to follow you around, nip or nose you around, and bark at you if you “leave the herd”. They have this look about them that gives them the appearance of “smiling”. I’m not sure if they are really smiling but they are very happy to be around you and their humans.
The history of the corgi is quite interesting and where they (may) have originally come from, but I won’t go into detail on that here. References will provided throughout their history. Now let’s take a look at the main differences between the two breeds of Corgi.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
A Pembroke Welsh Corgi has no tail. These dogs are smaller in weight and size. Males can reach 28-30lbs while females are slightly smaller. Coat colour ranges from combinations of white, tan brown, black and red but no merle. This is the main thing about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi to keep in mind, they do not come in the merle colouring. There are a few other physical differences compared to the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, the ears are a bit more pointy, and the bone structure is a bit more square. In terms of temperament, they are more active and energetic than the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
A cardigan Welsh Corgi has a tail. They have a nice long, gentle, curled tail. These dogs are larger in weight and size. Males can reach up to 38lbs and females are slightly smaller. Now the coat colours are more varied including combinations of white, tan, brown, black, red, and merle. This is the key feature we’re interested in the fact that Cardigan Welsh Corgis can have the merle coat colouring. Again there are a few other features that differ from the Pembroke Welsh Corgi including the ears are more rounded, bigger and wider set on the head. They have a rounder bone structure than the Pembroke cousins. Regarding their temperament, they are the quieter and more calm of the two corgi breeds, however, this isn’t saying much. They are still corgis!
Now that we have some clarity on the two breeds of corgis, who can a tail-less corgi have the merle colouring? Let’s start with what it exactly means to have the Merle colouring.
What exactly is the Merle colouring?
Everyone seems to associate the Australian shepherd with the merl colouring. Well so did I. I do know that dachshunds come in this colouring but are called “dapple”. The merle colouring is not exclusive to Australian shepherds. Many breeds can have the merle coat colouring and in some cases, it is called dapple. Below is a list of some of the registered breeds that can have the Merle pattern.
- Dapple Dachshund
- Australian Shepherd
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Pyrenean Shepherd
- Bergamasco Shepherd
- Catahoula Leopard Dog
- Koolie
- Sheltie
- Great Danes
- Border Collie
- Rough Collie
- Smooth Collie
- Scottish Collie
- Chihuahua
- Bulldogs
- Beauceron
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- French Bulldogs
- Mudi
- Aussiedoodle
- Mini Aussie
Merle is not actually a colour but a genetic pattern on the dog’s coat, regardless of coat colour, solid or piebald. There are two main patterns of merle. There is brown/liver (red) or black (blue-merle). This pattern can also affect the skin pigmentation and even the eye colour. When breeding animals that carry the alleles for the merle pattern, care must be taken since there are health issues that can arise from having the merle gene. In particular, vision and hearing impairment can result. Below are two charts to show how a merle puppy can occur. First, let,
M = the merle allele, n = non merle allele
In the first chart both mother and father have the merle allele, M. There is the chance that an offspring will be a double merle, MM. All in all, there is a probability of ¾ of a merle offspring, a probability of ¼ of a double merle offspring and a probability of ¼ of a non-merle offspring.
In the second chart, only one parent has the merle allele. We see that half the offspring have the merle allele. The probability of a merle offspring is ½ and the probability of a non-merle offspring is also ½. There is no chance of a double merle offspring.
Now that we’ve done the math of a merle dog occurring, let’s try and figure out how a corgi with no tail can be a merle. Since a Pembroke Welsh Corgi does not have the merle allele and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi does have the merle allele, these two breeds of corgi were bred together to give a merle corgi with a stump of a tail. Who would do this?
American Corgi
An American Corgi is a dog that results by breeding a Cardigan Welsh Corgi with a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Irresponsible breeders will do this to try and achieve the merle coat pattern. However, these American Corgis come in a variety of colours. The reason for breeding these two corgi breeds together isn’t clear. But responsible breeding is important. Important breeding means that both parents do not carry the merle allele otherwise there is a chance of a double merle offspring occurring.
More can be learned about American Corgis below.
Cowboy Corgi
A cowboy corgi is a dog that is bred from a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and an Australian Cattle Dog. I haven’t yet found a reference to when the first successful attempt at breeding a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Australian Cattle Dog occurred to give the Cowbody Corgi. Until I find a good reference for them, let’s look at the individual dogs themselves and the resulting Cowbody Corgi. We know a bit about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi already. What about the Australian Cattle Dog?
Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog, also called a Blue, Red or Queensland Heeler, is related to the Australian Dingo. They were bred in the 1800s. The first attempts were by breeding a Smithfield Collie with feral Dingos. Significant progress in creating the breed was made later when a Collie was bred with a Dingo. After this, a Dalmatian was added to the line and later a Black and Tan Kelpie was added to the line and the Australian Cattle Dog breed as we know it today was born. They were recognized by the AKC, American Kennel Club, in the 1980s. That’s the short history of this breed.
As the name suggested, the Austrial Cattle Dog is a herding dog. Their size is more of a regular-sized and shaped dog at about 17 – 20 inches at the withers and a weight ranging from 35-50 lbs, depending on whether the dog is male or female. They have a double coat that is usually blue or red merle.
When breeding the Australian Cattle Dog with a Pembroke Welsh Corgi we get a wonderfully energetic, loyal, intelligent, that can be stubborn. Their size and appearance range between that of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Australian Cattle Dog however they usually tend towards the stockier shape and size like the corgi with coat colours that have a wider range including the coat colours of blue and red merle for Australian Cattle Dogs. Great animal and family member but not yet recognized by the AKC.
After all this searching and understanding of the two breeds of corgis and the more modern, luxury, mixed breeds of corgis, I have a better understanding and conjecture of what Norm is. Norm, my dog, is mostly likely an American Corgi, possibly a Cowboy Corgi, more likely an American Corgi. Why? Well, his siblings were the conventional Pembroke Welsh Corgi colours. The breeder said that the mother was here in Canada but the father was from the USA. The father was either an American Corgi or a Cardigan Corgi. It was obviously not double merle otherwise the other offspring would have had the merle pattern as well as the merle allele is dominant. So the father was probably a Merle American Corgi or a Merle Cardigan Corgi. That’s my best guess but we will never truly know! It doesn’t really matter, Norm is fun and fine just the way he is!
References:
Cowboy Corgi
- Cowboy Corgi Breed Guide, Helpful Horse Hints, URL: https://www.helpfulhorsehints.com/cowboy-corgi-breed-guide/
- What is a Cowboy Corgi? 12 Facts You Should Know, Hayley Ward, Nov 2022, TrustedHousesitters, URL: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/blog/pets/cowboy-corgi-facts/
- What is a Cowboy Corgi?, Stumps + Rumps, URL: https://stumpsandrumps.com/what-is-a-cowboy-corgi/
- The Cowboy Corgi: Your Guide to the Australian Cattle Dog Corgi Mix, Tamsim De La Harp, July 2023, PawSafe, URL: https://pawsafe.com/blogs/dog-breeds/the-cowboy-corgi
- American Corgi vs Cowboy Corgi: What’s the Difference? , August Croft, Oct 2022, AZ Animals, https://a-z-animals.com/blog/american-corgi-vs-cowboy-corgi/
- Cowboy Corgi Guide: Everything you need to know, OfficiallyPets.com, URL: https://officiallypets.com/cowboy-corgi-guide/
- Cowboy Corgi (Corgi Cattle Dog): Temperament, Grooming, Training, Facts, and More!, Waqar Khan, March 2023, Keeping Pet, URL: https://keepingpet.com/cowboy-corgi/
- The Cowboy Corgi: Everything you want to know (2023), Wiggly Bums, URL: https://wigglybums.com/all-about-the-cowboy-corgi-temperament-size-more/
- Australian Cattle Dog, Dog Time, URL: https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/australian-cattle-dog
American Corgi
- American Corgi – Everything You Need To Know, PreFURRED, URL: https://prefurred.com/american-corgi/
- American Corgis, Hat Creek Corgis, URL: https://www.hatcreekcorgis.com/american-corgis
- American Corgis: What Are They and What You Need to Know About Them, Donald Johnson, Dog Training Advice Tips, URL: https://dogtrainingadvicetips.com/american-corgis
- Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
- American Corgi: Pictures, Origin, History & Facts!, Nicole Cosgrove, Sept 2023, hepper.com, URL: https://www.hepper.com/american-corgi/
- What is an “American Corgi”?, Stumps + Rumps, URL: https://stumpsandrumps.com/american-corgi/
- American Corgi vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi: What’s the Difference?, August Croft, October 2022, az animals, URL: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/american-corgi-vs-pembroke-welsh-corgi/
- Welsh Corgi, Wikipedia, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Corgi
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- History of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America, URL: https://cardigancorgis.com/cwcca/breed/history/
- What to Know About Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Christine Loconti, May 2022, WebMD, URL: https://www.webmd.com/pets/dogs/what-to-know-about-cardigan-welsh-corgis
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, American Kennel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Dog Time, URL: https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgis: What’s Good About ‘Em, What’s Bad About ‘Em, Your Pure Bred Puppy, URL: https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/cardiganwelshcorgis.html
- Canaidan Cardigan Corgi Club, URL: https://cardigancorgi.ca/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/breed/cardigan-welsh-corgi, WAG, URL:
- https://wagwalking.com/breed/cardigan-welsh-corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Tracey Kelly, July 2021, Daily Paws, URL: https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Britannica, URL: //www.britannica.com/animal/Cardigan-Welsh-corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Animal Health Clinic, URL: https://ahcfargo.com/client-resources/breed-info/cardigan-welsh-corgi/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Petfinder, URL: https://www.petfinder.com/dogs-and-puppies/breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Canadian Kennel Clubs, URL: https://www.ckc.ca/en/Choosing-a-Dog/Choosing-a-Breed/Herding-Dogs/Welsh-Corgi-Cardigan
- The Purebred Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Dog Breed Info, URL: https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/cardigancorgi.htm
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi: Dog Breed Characteristics & Care, Jackie Brown, April 2022, the Spruce Pets, URL: https://www.thesprucepets.com/cardigan-welsh-corgi-dog-breed-profile-4782025
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Jun 2009, PetMD, URL: https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_cardigan_welsh_corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, United Kennel Club, URL: https://www.ukcdogs.com/cardigan-welsh-corgi
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi! The Yard Long Dog!, Janice Jones, Feb 2020, Small Dog Place, URL: https://www.smalldogplace.com/cardigan-welsh-corgi.html
- Welsh Corgi (Cardigan), The Kennel Club, URL: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/welsh-corgi-cardigan/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi Association, URL: https://cardiganwelshcorgiassoc.co.uk/
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi, dogbreedlist.com, URL: https://www.dogbreedslist.info/all-dog-breeds/cardigan-welsh-corgi.html
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Wikipedia, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pembroke_Welsh_Corgi
- 8 Fun Facts About the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Jan Reisen, June 2023, American Kennel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/fun-facts-about-the-pembroke-welsh-corgi/
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi History: Centuries-Old Cattle Herder to Family Pet, Dec 2021, American Kannel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi-history/
- History of the Breed, Mayflower Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club, URL: https://www.mayflowercorgiclub.org/history-of-the-breed.html
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Dog Time, URL: https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi Association (Canada), URL: http://pembrokewelshcorgis.ca/
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, American Kennel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi/
- The Purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Dog Breed Info, URL: https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/pembrokecorgi.htm
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Barri Morrison, Sept 2022, PetMD, URL: https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, petfinder.com, URL: https://www.petfinder.com/dogs-and-puppies/breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi/
- Pembroke Welsh Corgis: What’s Good About ‘Em, What’s Bad About ‘Em, Your Pure Bred Puppy, URL: https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/pembrokewelshcorgis.html
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Dog Breed Characteristics & Care, Jenna Stregowski, January 2022, the Spruce Pets, URL: https://www.thesprucepets.com/breed-profile-pembroke-welsh-corgi-1117986
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Canada’s Guide to Dogs, URL: http://canadasguidetodogs.com/pembroke-welsh-corgi/
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Canadian Kennel Club, URL: https://www.ckc.ca/en/Choosing-a-Dog/Choosing-a-Breed/Herding-Dogs/Welsh-Corgi-Pembroke
- Welcome to Curig Pembroke Welsh Corgis!, URL: http://curigcorgis.com/
Corgis
- Stumps + Rumps, URL: https://stumpsandrumps.com/
- Love Corgis? Wigglybums, URL: https://wigglybums.com/
- What Were Corgis Bred For? Original History, Jobs and Role, Rebecca Bales, October 2022, az animals, URL: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-were-corgis-bred-for-original-history-jobs-and-role/
- Why Did Queen Elizabeth II Own So Many Corgis—and What Will Happen to Them Now?, Brooke Nelson, Feb 2023, Readers Digest, URL: https://www.rd.com/article/queen-elizabeth-corgis
- Male Vs. Female Corgis – (Differences, Temperament, and Training), Roy Z, Feb 2020, Corgi Adoption, URL: https://corgiadoption.com/male-vs-female
- Is a Corgi a Herding Dog? Everything You Need to Know, May Jones, April 2023, Corgi Planet, URL: https://corgiplanet.com/is-a-corgi-a-herding-dog/
- History of PWC, Pembroke Welsh Corgi Association (Canada), URL: http://pembrokewelshcorgis.ca/about-corgis/history-of-the-pwc/
- Meet Two Similar Yet Different Breeds: The Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Stephanie Gibeault, Oct 2019, American Kennel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/cardigan-welsh-corgi-pembroke-welsh-corgi/
Merle coat
- Merle (dog coat), Wikipedia, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_(dog_coat)
- What Makes the Merle in Dog Coats? The Science Behind the Pattern, Caroline Coile, Nov 2022, American Kennel Club, URL: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/merle-in-dogs/
- What is a Merle Coat?, Rebecca Bales, October 2022, az animals, URL: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-is-a-merle-coat/
- What is A Double Merle?, Deaf Dogs Rock, URL: https://deafdogsrock.com/what-is-a-double-merle
- What is merle?, The Kennel Club, URL: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dog-breeding/first-time-breeders/what-is-merle/
- 22 Merle Dog Breeds & What Makes Them A Merle Dog, Spirit Dog, URL: https://spiritdogtraining.com/breeds/merle-dog-breeds/
- Merle, UCDavis, Veterinary Medicine, URL: https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/merle
- The genetics of merle coat patterns in dogs, BMC, URL: https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/on-biology/2018/08/03/the-genetics-of-merle-coat-patterns-in-dogs/
- M Locus (Merle), Paw Prints Genetics, URL: https://www.pawprintgenetics.com/products/tests/details/171/
- Merle Dog Coat – Genetics, Double Merle & FAQ, Breeding Business, URL: https://breedingbusiness.com/merle-coat-in-dogs/
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