Welsh Corgi, Cardigan

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi /ˈkɔrɡi/ is one of two separate dog breeds known as Welsh corgis that originated in Wales, the other being the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. It is one of the oldest herding breeds.

Cardigan Welsh Corgis can be extremely loyal family dogs. They are able to live in a variety of settings, from apartments to farms. For their size, however, they need a surprising amount of daily physical and mental stimulation. Cardigans are a very versatile breed and a wonderful family companion.

The Cardigan is a long, low dog with upright ears and a fox brush tail. The old American Kennel Club standard called it an "Alsatian on short legs".citation needed] The Cardigan's tail is long (unlike the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, whose tail may be long, naturally bobbed or docked). Cardigans come in a variety of colors including any shade of red, sable, or brindle, as well as black, with or without tan, brindle or blue merle, with or without tan or brindle points. Other unofficial colors can occur, such as red merle, but these colors are not considered acceptable per the Cardigan standard. They usually have white on the neck, chest, legs, muzzle, underneath, tip of the tail and as a blaze on the head, known as the "Irish pattern." Other markings include ticking on the legs and muzzle, smutty muzzles and monk's hoods, especially on sables (a pattern of darker tipped hairs over a basic red coat color.. An average Cardigan is around 10.5 to 13 inches (270 to 330 mm) tall at the withers and weighs from 30 to 38 pounds (14 to 17 kg) for the male and 25 to 34 pounds (11 to 15 kg) for the female.

• Life expectancy 12–15 years.

• In terms of breeding, a litter usually contains 4 to 6 pups. Litter size can vary though, from much smaller, to much larger.

source : wikipedia