If one word was to be used to describe the Cardigan Welsh Corgi , it would be versatile.  This dog, as well as its southern cousin the Pembroke, are talented herders, they do very well in agility trials, conformation, obedience, tracking, and even flyball.  The Cardigan is adaptable to many different environments, climates, and family makeups.  Cardigans make their homes in urban apartments to rural farms; frigid Alaska to the Arizona deserts.  The one requirement that these dogs have is that they be close to their owners.  The Cardigan (this applies to most other dogs as well) have a need to be part of the family, not tied up to a dog house outside in the back.
     It is gentle and protective of children, they may even try to herd the children, but that can be controlled through training that is positive and reinforced.  Its exercise requirements are adaptable depending on who they are with.  They enjoy quiet walks, the rough house of children ( as long as they are supervised) or that of highly active families,or they can be easily trained for the physically handicapped service, or they can become the happiest of couch potatoes.
     Cardigans have been used in pet therapy in the hospitals and nursing homes, and others in the public schools for educational seminars for children to learn how to care for their pets.  The Cardigan is also excellent for those people who work but still want to have a dog for a companion.  The Cardigan is able to entertain itself with its toys and be contented.  Its almost as if they understand that the quantity of time spent with them is not as important as the quality.  They have a very strong desire to please their owners which makes them a joy to train.  They are also creatures of habit.  The Cardigan will get to know that after a certain T.V. show is done, it is time for their walk.
     The Cardigan Welsh Corgi makes an excellent pet as it is extremely intelligent, loyal, affectionate and good with children.  It is important that with any dog, children should also be trained to not torment, torture, or tease the family pet. This does require supervision by adults who do not torment, torture or tease animals.  The Cardigan makes an excellent watchdog, it may be small in stature but the bark gives the impression of a dog that is huge.  It can be suspicious of strangers to the point where training will need to be used to control this characteristic.
     Let us say that you are a novice about dogs and want to know the difference between the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi - after all they look almost the same.  The foremost difference that is seen is that the Cardigan comes complete with a tail that wags.  The Pembroke is tailess and all it can do is wiggle.  Both dogs have a sense of humor about this.  The Cardigan has ears that are set a little wider on the head piece, and the ears are larger and more rounded than the Pembroke's. The Cardigan's body is deep chested, long (about 40 inches - from tip of nose to tip of tail), and it has short legs that have a definite, but slight, bow to the front.  The feet are slightly turned out, quite large and round.  They are a sturdy, well-boned dog.
     The Cardigan also comes in a variety of colors, more so than the Pembroke, perhaps more than most other dogs you would see at a dog show.  In addition to the colors of a Pembroke, which are red and white, and tri-color (that is black and white with tan points on the cheeks), the Cardigan may be a pure black and white, brindle (this looks like wood graining), or the unusual blue merle.

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