Little Corgi's Make Great Herd Dogs

Little Corgi's Make Great Herd Dogs LIVESTOCK Exotic Animals 20-6-21 "It's a small dog that thinks it's big. They can really handle cattle and other livestock and they also make good guard dogs," says Robert Nesbitt, Portland, Ore., about the "Corgi" dogs he breeds. The "Corgi" has a sturdy body but has extremely short legs due to a dwarf gene that stunts the growth of its legs. Nesbitt's full-grown Corgi's are only 11 in. high at the shoulder. Most males weigh only about 30 lbs.; females 26 to 28 lbs. They come in three different mixes of color - black, white, and tan; red and white; or sable which is red and white with darker hair scattered throughout it. The Corgi was developed centuries ago as a herd dog in the British Isles. The name æcorgi' itself is derived from two ancient Celt words, æcor' and ægi', which literally mean ædwarf dog'. Legend has it that Corgis were first used to transport leprechauns out of Ireland. "It's a sensitive, highly intelligent breed, and its quickness and low profile protect them against flying hooves," says Nesbitt. "They stay close to the heels of cattle, which kick right over the top of them." Nesbitt uses his Corgi as a show dog to herd sheep in trials. "The Corgi has of-ten been described as a dwarf German Shepherd. My dog has markings similar to a German Shepherd even though the body is much different. Corgi's are highly personable and they like people. They use their personality to make livestock pay attention to them. They herd differently than Border collies which sneak up on livestock. They make a very good house dog because they don't require a lot of atention. There aren't a lot of them around - in 1995 there were only 465 litters in the entire U.S." A 12-week-old show puppy sells for $600 to $800. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Nesbit, 2524 N.E. 45th, Portland, Ore. 97213 (ph 503 288-1948), or Kathy Daniel, The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, 4710 Linden, Bellaire, Texas 77401.

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