| This appeared in
the March 2001 AKC Gazette Cardigan column
Cardigan Comparison with
other Breeds
By Marieann Gladstone
It is an absolute must, whether a novice enthusiast, aspiring breeder, or prospective
judge, to study our breed Standard.By making comparisons to other breeds, we can
understand the breed specific traits of the Cardigan. The Cardigan, an achondroplastic
breed, is long-bodiedThey are descended from the Teckel family, which produced Dachshunds
and Basset Hounds, and possess a similar front-end assembly with a prominent prosternum,
deep chest, well-sprung ribs, and heavy, well-padded feet.
The Dachshund Standard states: “Upper Arm… lying close to the ribs, with
elbows close to the body…The joints between the forearms and the feet (wrists) are
closer together than the shoulder joints, so that the front does not appear absolutely
straight.”
The Basset Standard describes feet: “well-rounded
and with both feet inclined equally a trifle outward, balancing the width of the
shoulders.” Years of
dedicated breeding of these hounds are seen in the show ring – sit and learn from
these breeds by observing their correct front assembly.
In the 1920’s, Cardigans first appearing
at shows were referred as “Alsatians on short legs”. The overall lines and skull shape are quite
similar to the German Shepherd.
The German Shepherd Standard states, “The dog is longer than tall, deep-bodied and
presents an outline of smooth curves rather than angles…. Croup long and gradually
sloping…Tail…set smoothly into the
croup and low.” Noted Shepherd breeder/judge, Helen Miller
Fisher wrote: “the slope should be such that a drop of water
placed on the head should easily run down the length of the topline dropping off at the
croup, which is also long and sloping - all one fluid line.” What a definitive description of correct croup! Cardigans have a similar slope to croup - a drop
of water should easily run down dropping off the sloping croup to the tail – all one
fluid line.
The Cardigan is more often compared with the Pembroke, but there are more
breed specific differences. The Pembroke is a long, low Welsh breed, but
there is more to consider. Pembrokes, of Spitz ancestry with straighter legs, are smaller
in size, more fox-like with smaller, more pointed ears, and a bobtail. Cardigans, with their Teckel background, have
curved forelegs wrapping around and cradling their deep brisket for support and heavy,
front feet with a 30 turnout with wrists set closer together for balance.
Cardigans display long, soft flowing curves that make up its unique outline,
while the Pem has sharper angles. The Cardigan croup, for instance, is sloping downward to
a low tail set, giving the Cardigan its’ soft curve, not squared off. Many Cardigan faults come from our early history
when the two corgis were interbred. Overlapping
traits of both are seen in the rings today.
These differences must be kept separate to keep the two Corgis
distinct in breed type. It isn’t
the red Cardigan that appears “Pemmie”, but Cardigans of any color with
straighter fronts, sharp croups, small and pointed ears and high tail sets are
“Pemmie”.
By loosing our breed specific traits, i.e. prominent prosternum, bowed front, long and
lowness, heavy feet, sloping croup, we slip further away from the ideal as written in our
Standard. It is essential to reduce the
incidence of these breed faults in the overall gene pool for each generation, by careful
selective breeding for breed type.
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