Welsh Corgis come in two varieties: the Pembroke and the Cardigan. They were registered as one breed by the Kennel Club in the U.K. until 1934, but many breeders believe the two breeds developed separately. Both have similar heads, bodies, levels of intelligence, and herding ability, however, the Cardigan is slightly larger and heavier boned than the Pembroke.

For the untrained eye, the easiest way to tell the difference between a Pembroke and a Cardigan is to look at the tails. Pembrokes’ are docked and Cardigans’ are long. (You can think of it this way: the Pembroke has a “broke” tail; the Cardigan has a long tail like the sleeves of a cardigan sweater.)

Pembroke Welsh Corgis (also called Pembrokes, PWCs, or Pems) are the smallest of the American Kennel Club’s herding group, and are also recognized by the United Kennel Club. Their coats can be red, sable, fawn, or tri-colored (red, black, and tan), usually with white markings on the legs, chest, neck, muzzle, and belly. They also may have a narrow blaze on their heads. Pembroke heads are shaped much like the head of a fox.