Corgis are short dogs with an elongated body. They are popular with dog breeders and amateurs. Sometimes the fluffy gene gets into the dog’s gene pool, the animal is rejected and cannot participate in exhibitions. This gene is responsible for the degree of hairiness. Welsh Corgi Pembroke and Welsh Corgi Cardigan puppies may have this gene. Puppies are sold quite actively, as the price of them is almost halved. It is nevertheless necessary to evaluate all the pros and cons of the future pet, so as not to be disappointed in the purchase.
What is fluffy?
Fluffy is a recessive type gene that can be present in parents of both sexes. If he was passed to a puppy or puppies, they will visually differ from others in the litter with elongated soft hair.
By standard, Corgi wool is a short type, harsh with a very thick undercoat. Corgi fluffy doesn't have one.
To determine whether puppies will have fluffy puppies in the litter, knowing the rules of the gene:
- if both parents are carriers, 1 out of 4 puppies will appear with fluffy;
- if the Corgi is crossed according to the standard with a carrier, the fluffy litter will be outwardly standard, but all puppies will become carriers;
- when the gene carrier and fluffy are combined, half of the puppies will be born fluffy, half - carriers;
- if there are no fluffies in the litter, it is not a fact that there are no carriers among them.
Breeders concerned about improving the quality of the breed conduct DNA tests to identify gene carriers. For dog owners, this is not a big deal. In any case, pedigree documents are started on the puppy. Shaggy Corgi are as popular as purebred, the fluffy gene makes the dog look great, but does not degrade the breed qualitatively.
There are a number of breeders who exclude carriers and fluffy from breeding; opinions on this are ambiguous. Such behavior reduces the population of thoroughbred corgi, making its immunity less stable.
Description
After birth, only a specialist can see a Welsh Corgi puppy - fluffy.
Fluffy will differ from its counterparts in about a month, when the fluffiness of the hair becomes apparent. The first elongated hairs will appear in the area of the paws and ears.
Over time, the hair throughout the body will become longer. The weight of the dogs does not differ, but due to the greater amount of hair, puppies with the gene will look more overall.
The Pembroke Corgi with the gene does not differ in color from the standard ones. Pembroke suits are very diverse, especially if parents are of different colors. Possible suits of pembroke:
- reddish, with black locks in the area of the paws;
- golden with white spotting on the limbs, chest and muzzle or without it;
- black and red and white.
Pembroke fluffy in many ways looks more interesting, more original, more spectacular than its purebred brothers, therefore it is very popular. When choosing puppies from a litter, he may even seem the most beautiful and pretty.
The Corgi cardigan with the gene also coincides in color with purebreds, if its parents are such. Possible options:
- tiger type - black-white-red;
- sable type;
- dark red with red;
- blue merle;
- black with blue;
- marble type;
- gray-haired.
Snow-white individuals are discarded, but white spotting is allowed in the area of the tail, abdomen, paws, breast, chin.
Regardless of the presence of a gene, there are standard indicators of body weight and growth for both breeds. Pembrokes grow from 25.4 to 35 cm, body weight varies from 10 to 12 kg. Cardigans grow from 26 to 31 cm, their body weight ranges from 12 to 15 kg. According to the standard, the tail should be exactly two times shorter than the body.
Corgis live with and without a gene from 12 to 15 years, but there are cases when the life expectancy has increased to 20 years.
Advantages and disadvantages
The first thing to prepare for is the absence of exhibitions in the dog’s life, since the fluffy cannot occupy places on them. This is offset by the qualities of the dog as a companion and friend. Corgi's temperament is very flexible and obedient, they are playful, cheerful, cheerful. Dogs of this breed get along well with children, sociable, love people, loyal to the owner.
Extra long coat requires more care. For example, after walking in the snow, fluffiness turns into hard-to-comb clods. It is necessary to untangle the wool immediately, otherwise you will only have to cut it later.
You need to purchase a special brush for combing and after each walk to put the wool in order.
In rainy weather Corgi fluffy does not look too pretty. The absence of undercoat causes the dog to get wet instantly.
The coat dries for a long time, and the dog can catch a cold if it is not dried.
This disadvantage is quite relative if the dog is properly cared for. If everything is done correctly, the pet will delight you with a spectacular appearance. It is recommended to purchase special weatherproof clothing to facilitate hair care. You can also cut the dog so that litter and grass do not get tangled in the hairs when walking.
Maintenance and care
Regardless of the variety, Corgi is a very active, energetic dog. Therefore, it doesn’t matter who you choose: Pembrokes, cardigans with a gene or not - seem clumsy, but extremely clever. They like to jump, run, walk with them for a long time, providing enough physical activity. This dog is not suitable for sedentary people. Qualitative walking affects not only the health of the dog, but also the character, otherwise the Corgi will constantly seek entertainment in the house and spoil things.
The dog is thermophilic, therefore, in cold weather with precipitation, they walk with it a little and always in overalls.Quality walk includes ball games, plates. You must play with the dog.
It is very important to teach a dog not to pick anything from the ground, to rummage through foliage, wallow in the grass. The dog may eat something harmful to her or become very dirty.
The main problem in taking care of fluffy is wool. The dog will have to comb and clean after a walk daily. Corgi is washed as needed and must be allowed to dry in a warm room. For washing, only special products for dogs should be used.
It is very important to regularly inspect and brush your teeth, ears, eyes. The claws are trimmed as the claw grows. Do not use scissors.
Good care will ensure your dog has a long and healthy life. Although Corgi is fluffy and hardy, they often catch a cold due to lack of undercoat. Running a cold can lead to complications, such as pneumonia. At the first sign of illness, the dog should be shown to the veterinarian. In addition, there are a number of diseases that Corgi are genetically predisposed to:
- cataract;
- epilepsy;
- joint dysplasia;
- narcolepsy;
- thyroid disease;
- poor blood coagulation.
It is very important to show the dog to the veterinarian annually for examination in order to timely identify the disease and begin treatment. With a diagnosis of dysplasia, care for corgi is more thorough, you need to carefully monitor the dog, otherwise he will dislocate his paws. In addition to physical, fluffy is prone to behavioral disorders. This is expressed in aggression or anxiety, fear.
Corgi's health is directly dependent on nutrition, it must be balanced, of high quality.
Despite the fact that the dog is not prone to allergic reactions, it is better to opt for ready-made feed. The composition is thought out in them, vitamins and minerals are included. If you decide to feed Corgi with natural food, be sure to add vitamin-mineral type complexes. Puppies are fed 5 to 6 times a day, gradually moving to two meals a day at the age of 8 months.
It is strictly forbidden to feed the dog:
- potatoes;
- citrus fruits;
- milk and dairy products, with the exception of cottage cheese;
- pork;
- lamb;
- raw fish;
- oat and pearl barley;
- bean.
See how to bathe and dry your dog properly in the next video.
