Do Corgis Have Tails? Why Should You Dock Your Corgis?

Introduction

It is quite a pleasure to have a Corgi at home. Certain enthusiasts are known to have more than one as well. This breed of dogs is also referred to as Welsh Corgi, owing to the origin around the area of Wales. This fact also makes it quite obvious that these dogs have been around for a long time. While they are designated as dogs only, they do not grow more than the size of a pup during their lifetime.

Their name itself translates to dwarf in the native language. Most of the time, this dwarfism is considered to be a disability by breeders and vets. There are set parameters to distinguish. Here, we will discuss another crucial factor – their tail. A dog’s tail is quite essential for its senses. Stepping on it is no less than a crime in the dogs’ world. Read on to get a lot of myths busted and you are sure to know more about this super cute breed.

“The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too.”

Types Of Corgis

There are mainly two breeds. The distinction is based on the presence of the tail and the origin of the breed. Though there is a markedly visible difference between the two, hybrid varieties cannot be recognized that easily. Both the breeds are identical in almost all other aspects.

Pembroke Welsh Corgis

These dogs are quite powerful as compared to others of the same size. The muscular legs are quite tough in spite of being small. They live for an average of twelve years and do not have any severe diseases. The most impressive feature is their speed. Chasing style is equally commendable. They do not have a tail.

Cardigan Welsh Corgis

They are too loyal and easy to please as well. Training them is easier in comparison to the former breed but their barking speed is too loud to handle. They live longer than Pembrokes as the average life expectancy goes up to fifteen dog years. Cardigan Welsh Corgis have a tail. It is fluffy and they love to wag it all the time.

Corgis: “Life is short. So are my legs.”

Exact Answer: Tail Or No Tail?

All Corgis have tails. When the word tail is read, it is normally interpreted to be a long one with indentation. This is not the case with Corgis. All of them are born with tails – whether long or short. While some species have undergone natural mutations to take birth as bobtail Corgis, others still have them as usual.

“Corgis, fill your life with joy, your heart with love, and your soul with sunshine.”

All About Docking

You might have definitely come across a street dog with a seemingly short tail. That is the perfect example of a docked tail. Docking is also referred to as bobbing. The former term makes it even more clear as it is easier to relate with a bob-cut hairstyle. It is exactly what goes into docking (though the site is different). The end result of this procedure should be a tail that is no longer than two inches. The procedure takes place just after the birth of the Pembroke so that not much development takes place. The average time is three days. Now, how is this done? The two most common ways of docking are as follows-

Constriction method

What is really constricted in this method? The tail? Not at all! Blood supply to the tail is tightly constricted so that the tail does not grow up to be long enough. This is usually done by means of a rubber ligature. Vets have been clear regarding the fact that this is a time-consuming process. On the other hand, it is preferred and propagated even more due to its painless experience.

Surgical method

As their ears are cropped off at times, Corgi tails are simply “clipped off” at a safe distance from the body. Since it is known as the surgical method, surgical equipment is sure to find usage. Depending on the condition of the dog and the breeder’s preference, a scalpel or surgical scissors can be put to use. This is a relatively painful process and it is brutal to watch. A lot of organizations have been so critical of this method that they have even sought a complete ban.

“Corgis only shed twice per year: January to June and then again July to December.” 

Reasons For Docking Corgis

• They need to be available for herding, so docking the tail would prevent the tail from getting stomp by any other animal.
• It is an ancient practice and is followed to impress ancestors (mostly Roman people do so)
• For the purpose of giving them a unique look

Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.

The Controversy Around The Tail

People feel that a dog should not be parted with its tail. This has even led to a boycott of Pembrokes at times. While the size of the tail does not really matter, owners wish to have a dog just like their innate imagination. This includes a furry body, large ears, cute expressions, a long tail, and much more characteristics.

One must not forget that the nature or livelihood of the dog does not depend on the tail. The tail controversy has been around for years and years at a stretch. Though there is no permanent solution to this issue, breeders focus on producing Corgis as per the buyer’s demands. In certain cases, dogs born without a tail (read shorter than normal tail) are not the favorite choice of dog lovers.

Whatever might be the reason, there is no end to the controversy in spite of much scientific intervention. Still, a dog is generally imagined with a tail. It should not be a surprising fact that there has been a large number of pro organizations and anti organizations for the same purpose. A lot of criticism has taken place in all parts of the world.

“A dog will teach you, unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won’t be too bad.”

Conclusion

Got both your doubts clarified through the descriptive explanation? That is amazing! Enhancing one’s knowledge about dogs never goes in vain. While some owners of Pembrokes still wonder why their dog has such a short tail, Cardigans answer the question with subsequent wags. It does not make much of a difference.

Animal rights activists are of the opinion that the owner should focus on the inner beauty of the canine, instead of worrying about what happened to the tail. It is such an important issue that even more sub-categories have come into existence like bobbed Corgi or tailed Corgi. This is mostly segregated for Pembrokes since Cardigans are all born and brought up in a similar fashion. In case the specifications are really important to someone, the dog breeders have ample information on docked and natural Corgis. To keep it direct and crisp – Corgis do have tails, and the tails should be docked for any imaginable reason.

“After years of having a dog, you know him. You know the meaning of his snuffs and grunts and barks. Every twitch of the ears is a question or statement; every wag of the tail is an exclamation.”