Pembroke & Cardigan Welsh Corgi - View Single Post

Michael Romanos · 02-18-2006, 10:59 PM

Other countries national dog organisations such as NZ and Australia had recognised Pems and Cardis as acceptable pure breeds well before the USA, and like Britain, these countries did not classify Corgis as Terriers. The Americans got it wrong.
There's precious little about a Corgi that's Terrier. Think about it. What Terriers are designed for and what Corgis were bred for. They are worlds apart. I don't care how many mice and rats a Corgi can catch. I had Corgis who got rid of a mouse problem I had once but this is meaningless. I wrote a story about a English Cocker Spaniel who went hunting for rabbits with his cat friend and they caught and killed hundreds. Cockers are not diggers ( BUT TERRIERS ARE) and they are not into rooting for rabbits and killing them (BUT TERRIERS ARE). Does this mean that Cockers are Terriers or Terrier related. I think not.
The most plausable scenario for the origins of Pems is a mix of Cardi and a Spitz type dog (Valhund) that came from Norway/Sweden and found its way to Wales via the Vikings. Valhunds are not Terrier type dogs either. That is why Pems are accepted as part of the Spitz group of dogs- and there are Spitz dog grouping clubs around the world.
Having said all that, it is now accepted that all dogs originated from "first parents" - meaning that even the tiny Chihuahuas and the "small horse" Great Danes are related.

And as for the mention of a Terrier front as a fault in the Pem standard: that is simply terminology - not a fact of history.

02-18-2006, 10:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
Michael Romanos Global Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Silverstream (near Wellington, the capital of NZ) Posts: 5,185	Other countries national dog organisations such as NZ and Australia had recognised Pems and Cardis as acceptable pure breeds well before the USA, and like Britain, these countries did not classify Corgis as Terriers. The Americans got it wrong. There's precious little about a Corgi that's Terrier. Think about it. What Terriers are designed for and what Corgis were bred for. They are worlds apart. I don't care how many mice and rats a Corgi can catch. I had Corgis who got rid of a mouse problem I had once but this is meaningless. I wrote a story about a English Cocker Spaniel who went hunting for rabbits with his cat friend and they caught and killed hundreds. Cockers are not diggers ( BUT TERRIERS ARE) and they are not into rooting for rabbits and killing them (BUT TERRIERS ARE). Does this mean that Cockers are Terriers or Terrier related. I think not. The most plausable scenario for the origins of Pems is a mix of Cardi and a Spitz type dog (Valhund) that came from Norway/Sweden and found its way to Wales via the Vikings. Valhunds are not Terrier type dogs either. That is why Pems are accepted as part of the Spitz group of dogs- and there are Spitz dog grouping clubs around the world. Having said all that, it is now accepted that all dogs originated from "first parents" - meaning that even the tiny Chihuahuas and the "small horse" Great Danes are related. And as for the mention of a Terrier front as a fault in the Pem standard: that is simply terminology - not a fact of history. Last edited by Michael Romanos; 02-19-2006 at 06:56 PM.