Animal register · DogIn the app
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Welsh Corgi (Cardigan), Cardi
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi comes from Great Britain; the FCI lists it among the cattle dogs. The American Kennel Club standard gives a height of 10.5–12.5 inches (about 27–32 cm) at the withers and an ideal weight of 30–38 pounds (about 14–17 kg) for dogs. Unlike its cousin the Pembroke, it has a long, full tail.
The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day, lists a small house with a small or medium garden as enough, and says the breed needs grooming more than once a week and sheds; it gives a lifespan of over 12 years and lists the Cardigan as a vulnerable native breed. The PDSA says Welsh Corgis are willing to please, so training should be fairly easy, that two to three brushes a week are usually enough, and that they may nip at the heels of running children — socialisation with children and training at a young age help.
Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).
Updated:
At a glance
- Size
- small — The Royal Kennel Club S515
- Adult weight
- males 13.6–17.2 kg, females 11.3–15.4 kg — Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America S517
- Daily exercise
- up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S515
- Brushing
- more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S515
- Shedding
- sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S515
- Lifespan
- more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S515
Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.
Who it suits
The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
What it needs
From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.
Exercise
- Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S515
Coat and grooming
Meals
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Lifespan
- Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S515
Life stages
- Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Size and weight
Training
Questions and answers
Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.
How much exercise does a Cardigan Welsh Corgi need?
According to our sources, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S515.
How long does a Cardigan Welsh Corgi live?
According to our sources, the lifespan of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S515.
Game rules, not veterinary advice
How PetPrep simulates it
In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.
| Life stage | Starts | Meals a day | Daily step goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy | arrives at 2 months | 4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2 | 1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6 |
| Young dog | month 9 | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Adult | month 36 (3 years) | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Senior | month 108 (9 years) | 2 | 4,500 steps |
- Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
- Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
- Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
- Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
- Combing 3 times a week.
Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S206S515
Health
For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.
- Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S206
- Intervertebral disc disease, a problem with the cushioning discs between the bones of the back, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S206
- Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S206
- Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S206
- Eye problems can occur in the breed, such as cataracts, which cloud the lens, and a dislocated lens (lens luxation). — The Royal Kennel Club S515
Before you buy: what to check with the breeder
Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.
For every breed
- See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
- The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
- Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
- Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
- National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
- Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10
Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.
Health tests of the parents for this breed
Further tests for best practice
These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.
Similar breeds
Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.
Sources
Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.
- S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
- S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
- S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
- S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
- S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
- S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
- S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
- S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
- S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
- S206PDSA — Welsh Corgi breed information (one page for both corgi breeds)https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/welsh-corgi
- S513FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — WELSH CORGI (CARDIGAN) (38)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/CARDIGAN-WELSH-CORGI-38.html
- S515The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/welsh-corgi-cardigan/
- S517Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America (AKC parent club) — Official Standard of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi (approved December 13, 1994, effective January 31, 1995)https://cardigancorgis.com/cwcca/breed/standard/
- K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
- K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
- K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
- K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
- K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.
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