Cardigan Welsh CorgwnThis guide is still under construction, so check back for updated versions. I also hope to post a downloadable PDF version in the near future.
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Is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi the right breed for me? Cardis are not a breed for everyone. Take time to learn about the breed, meet some cardis and determine if this is the right kind of dog for you. The best way to meet cardis and their breeders is to go to a local dogshow. The Moss-Bow Show Superintendent website, Infodog (http://infodog.com/showInfo/state.htm) and the AKC (http://www.akc.org/dic/events/search/index.cfm) both have website listings of dogshows throughout the US. If you are from a country outside the US, check my Dog & Cardi Links page for international kennel clubs, other dogshow superintendents and breeder links or try a web-search.
Is every family member involved in this decision and agreeable to having a new addition? If everyone is not in agreement about adding a dog to the family, there could be problems in the future. Be sure to involve everyone in the decision. In the case where the puppy or dog will be a 'surprise', be certain the reciptient not only wants a dog, but is also willing and capable of caring for it. Instead of giving a puppy directly, especially during a holiday, a better idea might be to give a certificate, a dog collar or other item that can later be exchanged for a puppy when the time is right. Remember, a puppy is a pet for a lifetime.
Is there at least one or more members of the household willing and able to care for a dog that will live from 11 to 19 years? Before deciding to own a dog, establish exactly who will be caring for it and how feasable it will be to keep a dog for many years. What will happen to the dog while the family vacations? Who will care for it in emergency situations? Who will feed and clean up after the dog? Who will be responsible for veterinary trips and any home medical care if needed? If the dog is intended as a child's companion, is the child mature enough to consistently help in caring for the dog? If the child will be going off to college in the dog's later years, who will keep the dog?
Are there any plans over the next year or so, to have a baby or move? New family additions, changes in job schedule, divorce and moving are major reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters. It is always hard to predict the future, but if you think there might be one of these major changes coming up sometime over the next few years, please consider carefully how much time you might have for a dog in the family.
Does anyone in the family have allergies? This is another common reason for re-homing or placing a pet in a shelter. If a family member has allergies, take time to seriously determine if bringing a dog into the family will be a good descision. Cardigans are a shedding breed and not recommened for families with allergies.
Would a puppy or an adult better suit my household? There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. Take time to consider what would work best for your lifestyle and schedule.
If a puppy is the choice, will there be enough free time in my schedule over the next 6 months to a year or more for properly housebreaking and training an active, intelligent youngster? Cardis are dogs that do require time and training to ensure they grow up into well behaved adults. Puppies of ALL breeds normally do not gain voluntary bladder and bowel control before the age of 16 weeks and smaller dogs may take longer. Crate training and arranging for someone to periodically take the puppy out during the day for relief is a must. Just like any small child, unattended puppies can also get into a lot of trouble, so someone will have to take the time to make sure a puppy learns what is appropriate behavior. Crate training, just like using a playpen for a toddler, is a useful way to temporarily confine a puppy in a safe area, help it to remember bladder control and give it a place to nap, but a crate should never be used as an extended-time puppy parking place. Just like human children, puppies need physical contact and regular guidance to become good adults. Check with local obedience schools to see if they offer puppy training classes. This is a great way to get a good start.
If an adult is the choice, will there be enough time in my schedule over at least the next 3 to 6 weeks to be sure the dog is able to adjust to it's new surroundings and family? An adult or rescue dog will need time to get accustomed to the new routine. It may take time for family members and other pets to get used to the new dog. Some accidents may happen since many dogs need to re-learn the rules of housebreaking in their new home. Be sure to thoroughly discuss any specific needs or problems that may come with the new dog before making a final descision to adopt.
Am I willing to put up with some shedding and the other aspects of having a Cardi? Cardis ARE a shedding breed. They usually shed twice a year in spring and fall. Although they do not shed as much as some other breeds, they do require regular brushing and/or trips to a groomer to keep things manageable. Cardis are smart and many live up to their reputation of being the descendants of mischievious elves turned into dogs. They love to play and if they aren't given useful work, will quickly find ways to get attention, making a game of stealing slippers or tea towels for the fun of the chase. Some cardis like to bark and can become nuisance barkers if left to their own devices. A few cardis can be aggressive towards other dogs or animals outside the family. The cardi was mainly used as a farm dog intended to safeguard their owner's livestock, family and property. They accomplished this by alerting their owner to intruders, killing rats or other vermin and driving off stray animals, so in some cardis, this instinct is strong. Proper training and socializing is important to make sure this doesn't become a problem.
Am I interested in learning to show or do other fun things with my cardi? Showing dogs is a fun hobby for many people. It is a good way to get out and do something with your dog, meet other people who love dogs and maybe even win a few ribbons and show titles. Many cardi owners show their own dogs to gain titles with them and a lot of obedience schools offer show handling classes. Local clubs often hold Fun Matches to help beginner handlers and young dogs learn and newcomers are always welcome. Cardis are versatile dogs who love to do things with their owners and there are so many things to do! If you don't want to show in conformation, you can try obedience, agility, flyball, tracking, herding and even freestyle (a form of obedience competition set to music). Cardis have also been used as Search and Rescue, Therapy and Hearing Assistance Dogs.
Has the issue of preference for gender, color and other considerations been discussed and agreed upon by eveyone in the family? Color and gender preference should always be decided last. Cardis of both genders and all colors make wonderful pets. Many people want female dogs on the mistaken belief they make better pets. In cardis, both males and females have good companionship qualities. Cardis come in a wide variety of colors. Some breeders specialize in some colors, but a cardi of any color is still a cardi.
Do you have a health guarantee? Many breeders offer a health guarantee. Duration of this guarantee can vary from a few days to years. Be sure ask the breeder what they are willing to guarantee and what they would do in the case of a health problem (i.e. - refund part or all of the puppy's price to pay for theveterinary care, take the puppy back or some other option).
Do you check for internal and external parasites and vaccinate? Breeders and veterinarians all have differing opinions on how soon and how often a puppy should be vaccinated and which diseases require early vaccination, but puppies should have at least one booster shot to get them started by the age of 8 weeks. Take time to read up a little on the topic and make sure to have appointments with your veterinarian for your puppy's first exam and next booster shots. Parasites are difficult to avoid, so a good breeder will take time to both screen for parasites and move to eliminate them. A healthy puppy should be clean and free from parasites. A little dirt is normal because puppies are notorious for getting themselves messy just before visitors arrive, but a puppy should NOT be filthy. Both a shot record and record of worming done on the puppy should be provided by the breeder.
Do you screen for breed specific health problems? According to Dr Padgett in his book, Control of Canine Diseases, Cardigan Welsh Corgis as a breed have at least 32 known and documented genetic problems (compared with other breeds like Poodles, American Cockers and GSDs who have over 100 documented genetic problems and mixed breeds which may have over 200 possible genetic problems). All living creatures have at least 3 genetic defects (in humans, diabetes, back problems, bad knees, poor eyesight and crooked teeth can be listed as common genetic problems and there are many more) and most genetic problems are inherited recessively. It takes a knowledgeable breeder to determine what troubles might occur in their particular family of cardis. Health problems can and will occur, but a good breeder will try to screen to eliminate as many of them as possible. Here is a list of known health problems in cardigans.
Do you register parents with a health registry like OFA, PENNHip and CERF? Good breeders will usually register their dogs with a health registry. Health registries are useful ways to both evaluate dogs, understand how a problem might be inherited and determine if a particular breeding might produce a problem. Some health problems, like hip dysplasia involve several genes, which makes it hard to predict a problem. Careful selection can reduce the chances. Registering dogs will provide not only the breeder with useful information, but can aid future breeders and the breed in general. No system is infalible and mistakes can happen, but for the most part registries are a valuable tool and should not be ignored.
What health problems should I be aware of regarding your line? All living creatures have genetic health problems and cardis are no exception. A good breeder should know and be willing to discuss any health problems they know might occur in their particular line. Advance knowledge of a potential health problem can help pet owners identify and get treatment before it becomes serious or even lethal. Any breeder who denies having problems in their line may only be fooling themselves and ultimately hurting the breed if they sell dogs for showing and breeding without full disclosure.
Do you temperament test or evaluate temperaments in some way? There are many ways to evaluate puppies for acceptable temperament and every breeder has their own method and standards. What may be acceptable temperment to one breeder may not be to another. Using a puppy temperament test is one way to evaluate a puppy's tolerance of different situations, adaptability and trainability. Cardis, as a breed, should be friendly towards people, but usually are not everyone's instant best-friend in the same way as their cousins, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Do you evaluate for working ability as well as conformation? Some breeders only breed for conformation and some for additional qualities. Although they are listed primarily as cattle dogs, cardis were used on a varitey of livestock and as general purpose farm dogs. As a result, cardis are both intelligent and adaptable to a variety of canine sports. Some breeders may not only do temperament testing, but might also evaluate how a puppy reacts when exposed to livestock or to other training situations if they are interested in other performance work like agility or obedience. Even if the cardi will only be a pet, trainability is important. Many animals end up in shelters each year because they were untrainable in some unacceptable way.
Do you try to match a future owner with the puppy to ensure compatibility? Dogs that are not compatible with their owners are another reason dogs are surrendered to rescues and shelters. Individual dogs, just like people, have differing personalities and activity levels. Take time to tell the breeder anything that might be helpful in finding a good match. Make sure the entire family is available to meet the future member when going to see the litter. As nice and as personalizing as it might seem, don't let children make the final choice and listen to the breeder's recommendation. Take time to discuss every concern you have before arranging to bring the puppy home.
Do you socialize your puppies? A good breeder will not only select for the best temperaments, but will do all they can to ensure a puppy grows up to be a well adjusted and happy adult. Socialization is an important need of every developing puppy, especially between the ages of 3 to 12 weeks. The most crucial time between 4 to 7 weeks helps the puppy develop normal behavior toward other dogs and people and in how they learn to handle stressful situations. Careful exposure to a variety of good experiences, interaction with littermates and regular human contact gives a puppy the best start. Be wary of any breeder who places puppies before the age of 7 weeks. Just because a puppy is weaned enough to be able to eat solid food on it's own is no indication of it's readiness to leave the security of it's mother and littermates. Many behavior problems stem from puppies being placed at too early an age, before they have developed enough emotionally to handle all the stress such a dramatic change causes.
Does the puppy come with AKC or (if not in the US) other breed club registration papers? All purebred Cardigan Welsh Corgis should be sold with proper registration. In the USA, two primary breed registries are the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC). If you are in another country, there may be other all breed registries that accept cardis. A recent change in AKC's stud and litter registration rules has caused some puppy millers to try starting their own registries, so don't be afraid to avoid puppies that do not seem to be properly registered, even if you just want a pet. Be suspicious of any breeder not offering proper registration papers and never buy puppies from petstores. Money is the biggest concern to petstores who more often than not get their puppies from puppy mills. Puppy mill practices often include poor animal husbandry with little consideration of the dog's well being and puppies are frequently removed from their mothers at as early an age as three weeks in order to ship them to stores while they are at their best 'selling' age. Removing a puppy from it's mother and siblings too early often results in a lifetime of problems for both the dog and it's future owner. Also be careful of buying from someone who 'just wanted to breed a litter'. Many 'backyard' breeders usually do little or no pedigree research and rarely test for known health problems in their breed. Puppies may or may not be socialized, vaccinated or checked for parasites. Be sure to ask questions before committing to a purchase and don't be swayed by a cute face. Always buy from a reputable breeder!
What, if any, other breed club(s) is the dog eligible for registration? The UKC is another breed registry that has been growing in popularity in the US. It was a club founded over a hundred years ago by hound fanciers and has since grown to accept many other breeds and some rare breeds. Because the USA shares borders with Canada and Mexico, some dogs may also be eligible for registry in these countries. In Europe and other places abroad, dogs may also be eligible in neighboring countries, allowing owners to show and gain international titles. Japan is also a country with a growing interest in purebred dogs and dogshowing. If you are interested in travel as well as dogs, showing can be a fun way to visit other countries.
Do you provide limited registration for puppies sold only as pets? Puppies sold as 'pet only' should be sold with a limited registration. This sort of registration is intended to certify that a dog is purebred, but not eligible for breeding. A good breeder knows that for every great show champion seen in the ring, there are many other good puppies living simply as family companions. The adaptable nature of cardis means that they can not only be show dogs, but great family pets at the same time and even dogs sold on limited registry can still be shown in obedience, agility, flyball and herding events.
About Identification and other concerns
Do you microchip, tattoo or otherwise permanently identify your puppies and dogs? Permanent identification using a microchip and/or tattoo is the best way to positively identify an individual dog.
Are you willing to discuss why my puppy is being sold as pet/show quality? A breeder should be willing to discuss why they are selling a puppy as 'pet only' or as potentially show quality. Most puppies sold as pets have some minor trait that will not affect the puppy as a pet, but minimize it's chances of gaining a show championship. A puppy might simply have the wrong coat length, undesireable markings or some other minor fault. In the case of a show hopeful, the breeder can go over the puppy's vitues and discuss possible ways the puppy might mature.
Are one or both parents available to see how the puppy might look and behave as an adult? Exceptions to this might be if the dam died following C-section or other unforseen problem and the sire is living elsewhere, such as out of state or in antoher country. In that case, would the breeder be willing to show other dogs of the same breed, perhaps relatives?
Will the breeder allow visitors to their kennel facilities? Most good breeders welcome visitors. It is important to remember that it isn't always convenient to have people drop by at a moment's notice, so always call ahead and arrange a time to come see the breeder's facilities and dogs. One can usually expect things to be clean and relatively odor-free, but be aware that dogs can be like kids. If company is coming, it's almost a given someone will find a mud puddle or create a spill of some sort! Be willing to forgive a little dirt and pawprints, but a breeder''s facilities should not be filthy and littered with waste. In the case of visiting a litter, puppies are usually not terribly interesting before the age of 4 or 5 weeks. Before that time, just like a human infant, they do very little besides eat and sleep.
Does the breeder have a return policy? Be sure to ask what sort of return policy a breeder offers. Some will only take back a puppy under certain circumstances while others will take a dog back at any age, no questions asked. Go over the breeder's policies and make yourself aware of your state's 'Puppy Lemon Laws' before committing to a purchase.
Permission granted to copy and use this guide as needed.
Kathleen Carter, Wyntr Cardigans
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