Appearance
Tricolor Corgi with predominant black coloring.
A Pembroke is between 10 and 12 inches (250 to 300 mm) tall at the withers (tallest point in the shoulders) and weighs no more than 30 lb (15 kg); dogs in peak condition weigh about 27 pounds (12 kg) for the male and the females are about 2 pounds (1 kg) lighter. Pembrokes can be red, sable, fawn, or black and tan (tri color) with or without white markings on the legs, chest, neck, muzzle, underneath, and as a narrow blaze on the head. There are technical names for these Tri Colors, and they are Black Head Tri, and Red Head Tri Color. Too much white is not acceptable for show dogs. Historically, the Pembroke was a breed with a natural bob tail (very short tail). Due to the advent of docking, the trait was not aggressively pursued, with breeders focusing instead on other characteristics, and the tail artificially shortened if need be. Given that some countries are now banning docking, breeders are again attempting to select for dogs with the genes for natural bob tails. Corgis have a short undercoat as well as a longer thicker overcoat. These coats shed continuously all year round, with extensive seasonal shedding occurring at least twice each year (as well as after the weaning of pups in the intact females). Also common is a "fairy saddle" marking over the dog's withers, caused by changes in the thickness and direction of hair growth. The phrase supposedly comes from mythology, with the dogs being used as steeds or carthorses for fairies, but it is possible the legend is a modern explanation that came after the term.
Content provided by Wikipedia
|
