Pembrokes versus Cardigans
I don't have a Corgi of my own yet, but plan to get one this summer. I've done a lot of research, read a lot of articles, as well as many discussions on various online forums and blogs, but one thing that I have hard time finding good information about is a good list of similarities and differences between the two Corgi breeds.
From what I've read, the differences I found so far are as follows:
- Cardis are slightly bigger (taller/longer) than Pems
- Cardis always have a tail while Pems maybe be born with a natural bob-tail or have it docked at a young age
- Cardis also have larger, rounder ears than Pems
- Pems come in red/white, sable, or tri colors, Cardis come in all of those, plus various brindle and merle variations
- Cardis are generally said to be more calm, while Pems are knows for their hyperness
If you have anything to add onto this list or to correct it, please do reply. I'd love to hear thoughts on personality differences especially since that's not as obvious as the different looks.
From what I've read, the differences I found so far are as follows:
- Cardis are slightly bigger (taller/longer) than Pems
- Cardis always have a tail while Pems maybe be born with a natural bob-tail or have it docked at a young age
- Cardis also have larger, rounder ears than Pems
- Pems come in red/white, sable, or tri colors, Cardis come in all of those, plus various brindle and merle variations
- Cardis are generally said to be more calm, while Pems are knows for their hyperness
If you have anything to add onto this list or to correct it, please do reply. I'd love to hear thoughts on personality differences especially since that's not as obvious as the different looks.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Elaine on
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For me, the best way to distinguish Pembrokes from Cardigans visually is via coat and eye color; depending on the country, Pembroke tails may be docked or full, so that's not necessarily the best clue. (See the website of Annline's Pembroke Corgis, based in Finland--she breeds beautiful corgis, who have full tails.)
Pembrokes have a mixture of colors--red and white, or tricolor (black, white, and reddish-brown), but the colors are always a nice solid color, while the Cardigan coats, while the same colors, often appear to be almost striped, or come in the brindle/merle configuration, which I frankly don't find as attractive. (Sorry, Cardis.)
The other big visual difference is that Pembrokes always have medium to dark brown eyes, while Cardigans often have blue or gray eyes; I think the big, brown Pembroke eyes contribute in a mighty way to their appeal. However, there are a few Cardis working the movie industry, but their markings are more typical of Pembrokes, which may be why they get work in Hollywood.
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Permalink Reply by D46 on
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Bubba is a shy, laid back Southern boy and is anything but hyper and seems to prefer being at home on the couch than romping in the back yard. He has some Cardigan traits such as being aloof with stangers and I've only seen him once take a cookie from a sales lady at PetsMart. I've seen a wide gamut of personalities in Pembrokes from wild and barky to shy and stoic. Out of a litter of five, you'll get five personalities. With such a variety of personalities, I don't know how anyone ever came up with a "standard" for either Pembrokes or Cardigans. I think the best thing is to talk with a breeder of either choice and pick one that suits your lifestyle and personality. That's what I did and Bubba has fit me like a glove and I think his breeder knew him well.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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I thought I would resurrect this thread. I have two and I'm already thinking of my next one, though it will likely be years away! I prefer the look of a Pem to a Cardigan, but I have really come to love the look of the black-and-white Cardi, and I do miss the tails on Pems. I am so hopeful that by the time we get another dog, Pems will either have tails or a natural bob because I feel like I miss so much of my dogs' moods because of lack of tail.
Anyway, I have been considering that I might like to own a Cardi one day, but my concern is with that "reserved" personality. Jack is just a bundle of exuberance with every person and dog he meets and I adore that about him. Madison is very good with people and a bit iffy with strange dogs on-leash (better off-leash when she can interact but still maintain a distance) and I don't know if a more reserved dog would suit me.
I was just wondering if anyone has more info to add since the last time this thread was open.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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Hi Beth, I think I would like to try a cardigan next. I love to go to our annual big dog show here and always make a point of seeing both the Pems and Cardis. Of course I always talk to the breeders and pet the dogs too. Generally they all say the the Cardigans are more reserved and the Pembrokes are more outgoing. My observation is (not surprising) that it totally depends on the dog. I have over the years met very outgoing Cardis and reserved Pems and vice versa. I guess it is like any other breed. It helps to talk at length with breeders and be honest about your homelife in order to get a puppy that is a good fit as you know already. I think I would like a Cardigan just because it would be a new adventure and they come in some great colors. I love how pretty the Pems are and the "dorky" look of the cards. I had fun reading this old thread by the way!
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Permalink Reply by Alice on
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Beth, Finnigan (as we've established in the past) is much like your jack. He too is a bundle of exuberance. He loves every person, dog and cat he meets. Everyone who meets him says he's the happiest, most loving dog they have met. I think the "reserved" description is a bit misleading. As with any dog, how they are socialized and raised will determine much of how they react to other people and dogs. The Cardis I know love people and pets, many of the Pems however do not like other dogs. Again, exposure as puppies may have to do with that, but don't let it get in your head that Cardis are any less loving than Pems. I've been around both breeds and almost got a Pem before deciding that I really would rather have a Cardi. I think it's safe to say we will always have a Cardi and maybe we'll throw a Pem into the mix down the road.
The tail does make a difference. I love when Finn is sitting and will start to wag just the white tip of his tail like he's testing to see if he can get me in a play mood or not. :)
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Permalink Reply by Theresa + Caitlyn on
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One of my favorites is, "Pembrokes are the party animals; Cardigans are the designated drivers."
Pembrokes are from the ancestral line that also produced Terriers, Spitz, and Schipperkes. Cardigans are from the Teckel ancestral line (which also produced Dachshunds).
For articles on Cardigan breed history - http://www.cardicommentary.de/History.htm
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Permalink Reply by Joanna Kimball on
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Since I am currently buried under a pile of Cardis, I thought I'd answer ;).
Cardis are bigger all over than Pems. It's not just that they're a little taller and longer; they outweigh them considerably and they have much bigger bones. Cardis tend to gallumph all over the place where a Pem would scurry.
Where a Cardi "goes bad" it tends to be what we call spooky or shy - the dog doesn't want to be touched by strangers. Where a Pem "goes bad" it tends to be hyper or even a little aggressive. Very, very few Cardis have aggression issues. However, I personally think most of the issue in both dogs is lack of socialization and training. They're very undemanding puppies so you don't think you need to get them out and get them exposed to things, leaving them insecure as adults. An insecure Cardi is going to be shy; an insecure Pem tends to be more reactive. Neither is much fun.
Cardis are exceptionally - and I mean exceptionally - easy to live with. Whatever activity level you're at, they're at. If I am sitting and reading they're lying around on the couches. If the kids are outside the dogs are at a dead run with them. They tend to hit the off switch quicker than a Pem would; they're not "busy" like Pems are. They think before they act.
Cardis come in lots of cool colors and have more white (as a generalization) than Pems. Red (like the Pem red) is actually the least common Cardi color and Cardis don't have urajiro like Pems do (I don't know that Pems have a word for it, but it's called urajiro in Shibas so I am stealing it - it's the white or cream shading coming up the chest and under the tail so you're often not sure whether the white on the chest is a "spot" or just the shading). Cardi colors are (with some exceptions) unshaded. Merle cardis can have blue eyes; the other colors have brown eyes. Cardis have larger eyes and larger heads than Pems. Oh, and many Cardis have freckles or ticking on their faces or paws.
Cardis get to keep their tails. That's a big one for me.
Pems tend to get descriptor words like "sparkly" and "frisky" and "charming" and "bright." Cardis tend to get words like "sweet" and "funny" and "gentle" and "lovely."
Cardis are very physical. They are always crashing into each other and thwacking things with paws or tails or skidding into the kitchen counters. When they are with you they are sprawled out on your feet or pressed up against your side. Clue has always laid across my shoulders like a scarf.
Cardis tend to get along with other dogs very well. They tend to be extremely tolerant of children and little dogs. Cardis love silliness and they "get" jokes. If I am playing with them and they're running around the circle of our kitchen and living room and then I reverse direction and pop up where they're not expecting it, they fall all over themselves with excitement and bark and roll and wag.
In our house, Clue is FANTASTICALLY outgoing. She wiggles all over and her tail whips back and forth as soon as she sees a human and WOW does she love kids. When she was at the vet last year with a terribly fractured pelvis (car hit; she escaped from a boarding kennel) the x-rays show a blurry tail because she was wagging it and licking the techs as the films were being taken. Even in that much pain she thought being at the vet's office was the best thing that had ever happened to her. So that kind of temperament certainly does show up in Cardigans, though it's true that as a breed they tend to be more worried by strangers.
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Mine may be unusual, but his legs are shorter than Pems. Visually he doesn't look much bigger than the Pems at the park but weight wise he outdoes them and after walking both breeds, I can tell you that it's mostly muscle. He's like a little tank with fur!
It's true, Cardis are happy and easy going. Finnigan loves people (even new people), kids, dogs, cats. I don't even know why he loves kids and cats because we don't have either. Finn even loves seeing the vet. Any attention is ok with him. He'll give them kisses while they give him a shot. He has only growled at a person twice and both times I think he was right to. They were men who approached me while I was walking him and normally he would have liked the visit, but these men he didn't sit well with him and I felt uneasy too. They were not giving off a friendly vibe. In a case like this, I'm glad he'll growl. He says only nice people can approach the mamma. :)
Ha ha, I totally know what you mean about "getting" jokes. Finn is the same way and he loves being scared. My husband and I jump out at him occasionally and he may yip from being startled but then wags his tail like made and gets so excited.
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Permalink Reply by Sam on
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I do not think one can say pems are more hyper. They are generally more outgoing then cardis are. Cardis are not as apt to approach strangers but much depends on the specific dog. Pems are more readily available especially if you are considering a rescue dog. Good luck in which ever corgi you choose. My suggestion would be to try to find some shows in your area and spend a little time with each breed. That will be the ticket that will help you choose.
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I absolutely think it depends on the dog and how it was raised. Finnigan and the Cardis I know are more approachable and friendly than many of the Pems I've met. To generalize either breed would be a mistake and to just read about them and think you're going to get the picture would be wrong as well. I agree that the best way to learn about a breed is to spend some time with them. We spent time with Pems and Cardis before choosing a Cardi. I was very surprised to find that in person, Cardis are nothing like the books make them out to be (other than the clown part).
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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on
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I know nothing about Cardis. We've had 3 Pembrokes, and they're so cool their poop don't stink.
If I was getting a Pembroke now, I would look for a serious breeder who (A) tests dam & sire for DM, (B) doesn't dock tails, (C) is active and successful in showing their animals (in other words, seems to know what they're doing).
Note on DM: I would not insist on a "clear" dog; but if at least dam or sire is clear, the pups will not be "at-risk". I would think that testing breeders for DM indicates some dedication to the improvement of the breed and the eventual elimination of this tragic disease. [Look for further elucidation of DM in the future.]
Note on docking: this is kind of a religious issue, but it seems to me that the only reason tails are docked is because it's written into the breed standard; it's a really invasive thing to do to an animal; and I think undocked Pems have beautiful tails (look for photos on this site from Europe/Australia). Trouble is, here in the US, most (not all) breeders are docking tails, and you're not going to find a "serious" breeder who will, say, reserve one undocked pup for you because they will want to pick a pup for you based on their evaluation of its personality. That was our experience. We tried to find an undocked Pem and gave up (no regrets, we have the best dogs).
But check out the wagging tails on these Cardi pups, and consider:
cardi pups
Our breeder has been showing her dogs, successfully, for a long time; is active in the local Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club; the litters are right there in her house (not some outbuilding) with lots of human contact and socialization; she didn't let us pick a pup, she picked the pup for us and delivered it, spending well over an hour observing Al in his new home; she kept the pups until 12 weeks. I don't know if all this makes a difference or not, but we love the personalities of these animals and they have had no problems so far (ages 6+ and 3+).
But do take the time to read through some of the posts here on how to pick a breeder. You'll find advice much more knowledgeable than mine.
And for all that, some of the best dogs I see in the neighborhood are mutts from the shelter.
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