05/27/2021
Sharing from another site. Good information.
Recently we’ve been taking in a lot of corgis that are referred to as “American” corgis. An American corgi is the crossbreeding of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. A big misconception is that Pembrokes and Cardigans are the same breed. While the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi appear similar, they are actually two distinct breeds. Centuries ago, they developed separately in geographically distinct areas of Wales. They each have their own unique and individual histories and lineage.
Pembrokes and Cardigans are different in many ways. They are physically built differently and they have different personalities. One of the main characteristics that distinguish between Pembrokes and Cardigans is color. Cardigan Welsh Corgis come in two colors that have never occurred in purebred Pembrokes: blue merle and brindle. Since canine geneticists have proven that both of these traits are dominant, it is virtually impossible for either color to suddenly appear in a litter of Pembrokes. Therefore, blue merle or brindle Pembrokes are a result of crossbreeding Cardigans and Pembrokes.
This crossbreeding has been named “American” corgis, because it’s a crossbreeding that originated here in the United States. A big desire in the corgi world, among some other breeds as well, is the blue merle coloring. Irresponsible breeders will intentionally breed for this color, which can often lead to “double merle” puppies. A double merle is a puppy that receives the merle trait from both parents. This causes the dog to be blind, deaf, or both. It’s a very irresponsible and horrible practice. Now, “breeders” are crossbreeding Pembrokes and Cardigans in order to get the blue merle color, but to also get more of the Pembroke size and personality. When “breeders” specifically breed for one specific trait, a lot can go wrong, behaviorally and genetically. You still risk genetic diseases being passed along as it’s often not being tested for, behavior and health are not considered when breeding two dogs, and responsible breeding practices aren’t occurring.
We’ve recently taken in a handful of American corgis, and they have all come to us with medical and/or behavioral issues. While we cannot specifically say this is due to their breeding, there seems to be a common theme with these dogs, and it seems they are becoming more and more popular. While we are a rescue, we do support reputable and responsible breeding practices. In order for both the breeds to survive for many years to come and to be healthy, we need reputable and responsible breeders out there breeding them that way. Unfortunately, there are significantly less reputable breeders out there compared to puppy mills, backyard breeders, and pet stores. Please educate yourself and do a lot of research before selecting a breeder and getting a puppy.
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**Edit: American corgis are NOT the same thing as Cowboy corgis. Cowboy corgis are the cross breeding of a corgi and an Australian Cattle dog**and a Auggie is a cross between pembroke and Aussie , but people are trying to pass any merle that comes from any of these crosses as a American corgi #,