1. The Corgi breed is very old
The modern Corgi’s origins can be traced back almost 1,000 years to Wales.
Even further back, evidence suggests that Corgis are descended from spitz breeds brought by Vikings to what is now the United Kingdom, and may be related to the Swedish Vallhund and Norwegian Lundehund.
2. Pembroke Corgis are often tailless
One of the most notable differences between Pembroke Corgis and Cardigan Corgis is that the latter have long tails.
Pembroke Corgis have very short tails or no tails at all, and are often born this way.
3. Corgi is welsh for “dwarf dog”
The Welshmen who developed the breed came to call it “dwarf dog” due to its long, thick body set on short, stubby legs.
The name “Corgi” comes from combining the Welsh “cor” (“dwarf”) and “ci” (“dog”).
4. The Corgi is the “11th-smartest” dog breed
In the popular 1994 book, “The Intelligence of Dogs,” psychology professor Stanley Coren ranked the different breeds by intelligence.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi just missed making it into the top 10.
Corgis can learn a new command in 5 to 15 repetitions, and they obey a first command 85 percent of the time or better.
5. Corgis are excellent herding dogs
Corgis were developed for the job of herding livestock, and they are excellent at it.
Even today, Corgis are sometimes still used on farms for herding purposes.
6. Corgis are the preferred method of transportation for fairies
If Corgis seem like magical dogs to you, you may not be surprised to learn that in Welsh folklore, they actually are magical.
Legend has it that Corgis served as mounts for fairy warriors patrolling the forests of Wales.
The pattern of a Corgi’s coat is supposed to show the outline of the saddles and harnesses the fairies used to ride their Corgi steeds.
