Fluffy Corgi

[BlueNL6]

Does anybody have or has heard of a "fluffy" Corgi? I first heard about them about a year before I got Butters from another couple who had seen one. Butter's hair is softer and longer than tipical corgi hair. Her nose and mouth are thicker too and look more like a border collies than a corgi. She is pure breed, I got her from a breeder, the parents and her siblings all look like tipical corgi (although the stud had a little bit longer hair especially around the scruff of the neck) The breeder didn't seem to know why she came out looking like the little odd ball that she did. It doesn't really matter to me because I love the way she looks and we aren't interested in showing our dogs anyway. I was just wondering if anyone's heard of this before, if you think maybe it's a genetic flaw, or maybe one her great-great grandparents got too friendly with a border collie & the owner was dishonest on the breeding papers? What do you think?

[Michael Romanos]

Hi
Before Debby tells you all about the standard, I can tell you that you have a delightful fluffy Corgi. It is genetic and it pays not to breed from a fluff otherwise the fault will continue reappearing down the track.
The biggest Corgi I've ever seen was an overweight fluffy. He looked huge. Don't ask me why, but fluffs are usually blessed with a lovely temperament and disposition.

[Jane Austen]

Please Debbie tell us more about the Fluffies? I could have purchased a pup but I probably mistook that the breeder was asking a premium on the fluffy ones. Later I read that is it not a trait that is desirable in breeding stock.
Butters sounds delightful and such an interesting name. Does anyone have a corgi with a common name? They all seem so imaginative.

[glencorgi]

Fluffies are ADORABLE and I happen to have the good fortune to have been "christened" as "Aunt Debbiemom" to a fluorescent orange one. <G> I have also fostered a couple, both of them melt in your mouth sugar sweet. Butters sounds like a perfect name for a fluffy.

Genetically, they are caused by autosomal recessives - that means two normal coated parents both have to be carrying a gene for fluff for there to be fluffies in a litter. IF bred, fluffies can only contribute fluffy genes for coat. They are not "rare" and a breeder promoting them as such or asking premium prices for one is a breeder to walk away from. It just a trait that is in the breed(s) and they happen.

Fluffies can have a variety of lengths and amount of undercoat they carry. Some have no undercoat to speak of and those actually shed less than normal coated corgis. They do have softer coats and are not the "wash and wear" coats called for in the standard <for you Michael >. Now before someone brings up well Shelties and Rough Collies have long coats, their coats are harsh, weather resisitant, and protect them against the elements; not the case with fluffy corgis.

For fluffy owners there is a yahoo list devoted just to owners and fans of them called fluffycult. There is also a Fluffy Hall of Fame website
<http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/h/chrisandheidi/Heidi/great_hall_of_fluff.htm>

Debbie

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[Michael Romanos]

Hi Jane
Re names for Corgis - well you've done well. How many Corgis are named Duchess?
It's amazing what some people will try in bluffing other out of their dollars. There are certainly a lot of scumbag humans on the fringes of the dog world. Selling fluffies as a rariety to be savoured and at a price befitting those of show standard, has to be among the best examples.

[BlueNL6]

Thanks for the info guys! That is pretty crappy that someone would try and take advantage of a person and charge extra for something that is seen as an inperfection in the breed. Although I do agree with Micheal on their temperment and disposition, Butters is a sweetheart, very well behaved, easily trained. She is worth 2 times what I paid for her for that fact alone. Although I always attributed that to the fact that I got Butters from the breeder at 16 weeks. I got Ein at 8 weeks, she needed and sometimes still needs alot more redirection. Do any of you find that it makes a difference in personality as to how old the dog is when it is taken from it's mother?

I'm going to try to get pictures up, I need my husbands help though. I suck at uploading and downloading and loading in general stuff.

[Cardiguy]

My breeder would not let her pups go until 12 wks of age. I read that the earliest "acceptable" age is 8 wks but the additional 4 wks add to the socialization of the pup.

[glencorgi]

Oh I absolutely agree the age a puppy leaves its dam and littermates can make a big difference. The later a puppy leaves, as in the 10 to 16 week age range, they can learn so much from their siblings. Bite inhibition is a big one, they bite brother or sister too hard - brother or sister will bite them back so they learn biting isn't always the thing to do. They also pick up a lot of doggy social skills and manners from their siblings and dam. Another interesting thing to look at is the developmental stages of puppies and dogs. While 8 weeks is a fairly acceptable age, that is actually a fear period. Seven weeks is a bonding period with humans and a lot of the real performance oriented people used to like to get their puppies at that age. In my opinion and experience though, the older puppies are much better adjusted all around.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Just why or how are fluffy pure bred Corgis the world over all seem to possess such a great temperament? Is it purely physcological - people bent on saying nice things about an obviously gene-defect Corgi?

Well I have what could be the correct answer/s.

Like humans, dogs have thousands of genes. It is possible that the genes that relate to coat type in a Corgi could be closely linked to the behaviour genes. And it is this combination that can produce fluffy Corgis with great temperaments. This is dealing with a linkage of close genes on a chromosome.
Alternatively, A single gene in a Corgi may produce a protein which breaks down into the proteins which might affect behaviour in one part and hair type in the other part. There is ample evidence that in other animals including humans (eg red haired), hair color and behaviour are related. I know that there are differences between Yellow and BlackLabrador Retrievers.

[glencorgi]

May be a genetic link to coat length and behavior as Michael postulates and for the most part the fluffies I have met do have delightful temperaments. However, I do know of a few exceptions, one had an extremely bad temperament to the point of biting the new owner repeatedly (and this was not a novice corgi nor fluffy owner) and it had to be returned to the breeder.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

See next post

[Michael Romanos]

I know of red haired people who are an exception too. There can always be the possibility of the interference of other genes. What we do here is generalise with a fair degree of confirmation.