Starting the Vulpes Fox Project

To develop and refine the finest characteristics of the breed into a family of dogs that breed true for these characteristics is the definition of a ‘bloodline’ and the ultimate goal of a ‘breeder’

1.) Becoming a breeder and developing a ‘bloodline’ demands that you establish a breeding plan.

So first you have to identify breed characteristics that you want to see reproduced in the dogs that you produce.

Identifying your individual list of characteristics that you want to develop in your bloodline requires that you are familiar with the breed character and are knowledgeable about the breed standards that have been established by the experts within the breed.

You will also need knowledge about structural soundness and genetic health issues within the breed.  

Develop your eye for a dog by watching all dogs so that you will be able to evaluate one dog from another in terms of those traits that you are breeding for or that you see before you.

Top producing dogs are most often inbred or line bred individuals from an outstanding bloodline or kennel. Do not forget that an outstanding stud or dam is not so much what she/he looks like, but her/his character and temperament (which has not been 'modified') and is pure since birth. Many breeders do mostly breed on looks and this is the problem in todays society of pure bred dogs. Why has this happened? Because there is no School for Breeding Dogs within each breed club and it is not mandatory for a breeder to know anything at all. I am POSITIVE we are all headed in that direction which will also be flawed.

Inbreeding and line breeding produce a prepotent dog whose genetic material is homozygous.

Homozygous is a term that indicates that the gene pairs are the same.  Since only one gene is inherited from each parent, if the parents are related, as in inbreeding and line breeding, the chance of doubling up the gene pair is greater than in the case of breeding unrelated dogs, or outcross breeding. There is good AND bad in this.

The term prepotent means a dog that can produce offspring with his same characteristics. Of a Stud dog that is doubled or quadrupled in its pedigree of three generations, I say "He produces himself hard". I may use the name of a particular stud in the three generations that is quadrupled and say that "This litter is (name) Strong." Or "all these pups are (name) pups".

The reason is that a dog that is homozygous for a certain trait will pass this trait 100% of the time to their offspring.

The problem lies in that some genes can not been seen by the breeders who are stacking genes up in their offspring.

A dog produced from an outcrossed breeding that is heterozygous (the gene pairs being different) for a certain trait, even though they themselves have the trait will pass the trait on to their offspring only 50% of the time. What will appear before all, is the dominate genes. Dominate genes are those that are a billion years old. I say this to emphasize the fact that above all else, when one outcrosses drastically between breeds, Gods breeding plan shines through. It takes a lot more than just one outcross to get back to the natural health of all living things.

2.) A breeding dog needs to be selected based on:

a.) the dogs bloodline

b.) the method of breeding that produced the dog (inbreeding or line breeding) and

c.) the individual attributes that the individual dog will bring into the breeding program.

For breeders to know if their breeding program is working, ongoing evaluation of the pups is essential.

As a breeder, I only breed a litter to continue to improve my line breeding because I am a breed founder. I will NEVER breed any animal(s) without knowing where they will be ending up for the rest of their life. This is my responsibility and I feel very strong about this. I do have a Puppy Questionnaire and a waiting list of God's children that seem to 'NEED' one of my dogs and I do reach out to them as I continue into the Fox Project". I will not sell any dog to any home in which I feel it will not be taken care of properly. I am ALWAYS here for anyone to reach out to me if they have any issues.

Darwin’s theory of natural selection states that when a natural breeding in the wild takes place,’ NATURE’ places demands on the individuals produced and the strong survive to reproduce and the weak die.

In this scenario, as a dog breeder you are ‘NATURE’. Your role is to give an honest appraisal of the dogs that you produce, and breed only the strong. The weak, or dogs with characteristics that you do not want in your breeding program, should be spayed and neutered and placed in good pet homes or as in the weak, should be left for the mother dog to do as she will (as in nature) and not be interfered with by the breeder. Those breeders that CONTINUE to take the weak and force them to live are doing an injustice to the pup as well as to anyone that buys or gets this pup from you. It has been proven over and over by me in my lifetime, that the weakest pups will not live a long life.

As in nature, female canines dig holes into the earth to keep their puppies warm and safe. This is the only way in which canines can reproduce in the healthiest forms. I know many will disagree with me, but that is because they do not know or understand the truth about life.

Establishing a Bloodline:
Once a breeder has developed a breeding plan, an evaluation of the brood stock that you are going to be using is the next step.

First and foremost, the individual stud dog or brood bitch must possess the outstanding traits that the breeder is looking for in the offspring or come very close to it. We do not have x-ray vision nor can we see all the cells in the animals body and its immune system. Even with DNA you will still not be able to see everything.

After 60 years of breeding dogs, I know that with 'Gods breeding plan' you can and will remove the weak from your lines and get back to a healthy line of dogs. It has been proven by me. We are not perfect but God is. We could never be a better breeder than the man above but we can use our knowledge and all that we are to do the best that we can in following the Master Breeder himself.

So when I fetch the first dogs to establish my lines, I try to get dogs that have been born out in the back yard or by someone that allows the sick and weak pups to die naturally. I may also get some line bred dogs from some more knowledgeable top breeders but because they line bred hard, I only need one every 8 years if I am outcrossing and starting up a new breed.

It is not a perfected ingredient of breeds, it is a miss match as a painter chooses the colors to go into a finished art piece. I can pretty much break down the breeds that you will need to go into your lines if I have been given the standards with characters and temperaments on paper. This is what I do.

So I have several different breeds on one of these web pages that are potential breeds of dogs that will need to go into the line to get what I will need. There is a very simple way to breed a fox like dog breed and that is by looks alone and if you know me, I can not just do that. I will still choose only the pups with temperaments that a homeowner and family with kids can live with in harmony with the life they have chosen.

An analysis of the dog’s pedigree is the second but equally important step that must be considered in the selection of brood stock. For novices, a dog’s pedigree is usually meaningless. For the experienced fancier, the pedigree is a profile of genetic potential, containing an unlimited amount of information.

Knowledge about the individual dogs in the pedigree can be obtained firsthand from the dog’s breeder.
Pictures and information on the dogs can frequently be obtained from the numerous breed magazines and breeders websites.

After a number of years into a person's breeding program, the breeder will have first hand knowledge of the dogs making up the pedigree of the breeding stock. Also a database of information concerning the littermates as well as offspring from repeat breedings should be available to the breeder. This first hand information will always be the most reliable if the breeder remains objective in his evaluation of his pups. (I do not know many that can do this.)
Pedigree analysis will also reveal the style of breeding that produced the stud dog or brood bitch. Why would this be important? Certain styles of breeding, namely inbreeding and linebreeding tend to fix and preserve desirable traits by increasing homozygosity of the genes.
This means that the gene pairs are the same. Since the gene pairs are the same, the genes for their quality will be passed to the dog’s offspring 100% of the time and if you are outcrossing like I am doing, then you will know not to over saturate the breeding of the pure bred over the lines you have crossed. You do not want to loose certain traits that you are compounding in your lines.

Laddy is a Rough Scottish Collie with AKC papers.

Official Standard of the Collie Rough General Character:

The Collie is a lithe, strong, responsive, active dog, carrying no useless timber, standing naturally straight and firm.

The deep, moderately wide chest shows strength, the sloping shoulders and well-bent hocks indicate speed and grace, and the face shows high intelligence.

The Collie presents an impressive, proud picture of true balance, each part being in harmonious proportion to every other part and to the whole.

No part of the Collie ever seems to be out of proportion to any other part.

Faults: Timidity, frailness, sullenness, viciousness, lack of animation, cumbersome appearance and lack of over-all balance.

Head: The head properties are of great importance. When considered in proportion to the size of the dog the head is inclined to lightness and never appears massive.

A heavy-headed dog lacks the necessary bright, alert, full-of-sense look that contributes so greatly to expression. Both in front and profile view the head bears a general resemblance to a well-blunted lean wedge, being smooth and clean in outline and nicely balanced in proportion.

On the sides it tapers gradually and smoothly from the ears to the end of the black nose, without being flared out in back skull (cheeky) or pinched in muzzle (snipy).

In profile view the top of the back skull and the top of the muzzle lie in two approximately parallel, straight planes of equal length, divided by a very slight but perceptible stop or break.

A mid-point between the inside corners of the eyes (which is the center of a correctly placed stop) is the center of balance in length of head.

The end of the smooth, well-rounded muzzle is blunt but not square.

The underjaw is strong, clean-cut and the depth of skull from the brow to the under part of the jaw is not excessive.

The teeth are of good size, meeting in a scissors bite. Overshot or undershot jaws are undesirable, the latter being more severely penalized.

There is a very slight prominence of the eyebrows.

The back skull is flat, without receding either laterally or backward and the occipital bone is not highly peaked. The proper width of back skull necessarily depends upon the combined length of skull and muzzle and the width of the back skull is less than its length. Thus the correct width varies with the individual and is dependent upon the extent to which it is supported by length of muzzle. Because of the importance of the head characteristics, prominent head faults are very severely penalized.

Eyes: Because of the combination of the flat skull, the arched eyebrows, the slight stop and the rounded muzzle, the foreface must be chiseled to form a receptacle for the eyes and they are necessarily placed obliquely to give them the required forward outlook.

Except for the blue merles, they are required to be matched in color. They are almond-shaped, of medium size and never properly appear to be large or prominent.

The color is dark and the eye does not show a yellow ring or a sufficiently prominent haw to affect the dog's expression.

A large, round, full eye seriously detracts from the desired sweet expression. Eye faults are heavily penalized.

Gait: Gait is sound. When the dog is moved at a slow trot toward an observer its straight front legs track comparatively close together at the ground. The front legs are not out at the elbows, do not "crossover," nor does the dog move with a choppy, pacing or rolling gait. When viewed from the rear the hind legs are straight, tracking comparatively close together at the ground. At a moderate trot the hind legs are powerful and propelling. Viewed from the side the reasonably long, "reaching" stride is smooth and even, keeping the back line firm and level. As the speed of the gait is increased the Collie single tracks, bringing the front legs inward in a straight line from the shoulder toward the center line of the body and the hind legs inward in a straight line from the hip toward the center line of the body. The gait suggests effortless speed combined with the dog's herding heritage, requiring it to be capable of changing its direction of travel almost instantaneously.

Tail: The tail is moderately long, the bone reaching to the hock joint or below. It is carried low when the dog is quiet, the end having an upward twist or swirl. When gaited or when the dog is excited it is carried gaily but not over the back.

Coat: The well-fitting, proper-textured coat is the crowning glory of the Rough variety of Collie. It is abundant except on the head and legs. The outer coat is straight and harsh to the touch. A soft, open outer coat or a curly outer coat, regardless of quantity, is penalized. The undercoat, however, is soft, furry and so close together that it is difficult to see the skin when the hair is parted. The coat is very abundant on the mane and frill. The face or mask is smooth. The forelegs are smooth and well feathered to the back of the pasterns. The hind legs are smooth below the hock joints. Any feathering below the hocks is removed for the show ring. The hair on the tail is Page 3 of 3 very profuse and on the hips it is long and bushy. The texture, quantity and the extent to which the coat "fits the dog" are important points. Color: The four recognized colors are "Sable and White," "Tri-color," "Blue Merle" and "White." There is no preference among them. The "Sable and White" is predominantly sable (a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany) with white markings usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail. A blaze may appear on the foreface or backskull or both. The "Tri-color" is predominantly black, carrying white markings as in a "Sable and White" and has tan shadings on and about the head and legs. The "Blue Merle" is a mottled or "marbled" color predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings as in the "Sable and White" and usually has tan shadings as in the "Tri-color." The "White" is predominantly white, preferably with sable, tri-color or blue merle markings

Size: Dogs are from 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh from 60 to 75 pounds. Bitches are from 22 to 24 inches at the shoulder, weighing from 50 to 65 pounds. An undersize or an oversize Collie is penalized according to the extent to which the dog appears to be undersize or oversize.

Boo Boo is an AKC registered Shiba Inu

Shiba Inus

Temperaments: If you're looking for an affectionate dog that loves to cuddle and craves attention, Shiba’s are not it. They only like being petted on their terms. Shiba’s are loyal and territorial. They are naturally alert to their environment, being initially bred to be guard dogs.

My Shiba is not a ‘fun’ dog. He is a ‘mature’ dog. He doesn’t really like to mess around. As a pup he did but he is more of a watch dog type canine and kind of on the serious side. Would he like to do agility? Yes and no. He would anything for me, period. He is not a clown. If I asked him to jump up on something he would but, once in his zoominess, he has a mind of his own. I allow him to zoom until he tires and then he will once again listen to me. If I absolutely required that he stop…. He would stop his zoomies because he knows I am the boss. That comes with training and always a food reward.

Grooming: I bath him twice a year in a water down mild shampoo and I used a rinse on him as well as clean warm water. I also made sure the water on him was clean enough to drink before I let him out of the sink.

He Is an outside dog for the most part and does understand that being with me is a privilege, there fore he is always a WONDERFUL dog with me. He has his own car pillow seat that he must stay in, and he does, even when I leave the car and come back. He is a very intelligent dog. He shed last august which surprised me. I bet he sheds this March or April. We shall see. He was born later in the months of the year, so he was still a young pup turning into an adult, thus he missed the spring/summer shed. If he sheds all out this Spring/Summer, then I doubt he will shed before winter.

During his shedding, it is as if he is molting (as referred to birds) and his skin is dry and flaky. I used a wide tooth comb to take out the undercoat, then I bathed him and used a bit of cream rinse on him. I then fed him proper foods for his shedding season. There were no temperament issues at all. He didn’t even know he was shedding for the most part. He got extra attention and he enjoyed that. He was not ‘happier’ or sadder’ because of it. There were also no health issues.

Shiba Inu puppies should be curious and unafraid of people. If you are looking to purchase a Shiba, look for good play interaction between puppies and avoid that shy and skittish pup over by himself. In general, a puppy with a temperament that is neither too aggressive nor too shy is a good pick. BooBoo was a bit standoffish a more ‘mature’ pup in the litter of shiba’s that I chose from. I believe he was more of a thinker.

The dog has a spirited boldness and is fiercely proud with a good nature and a feeling of artlessness. The Shiba can move quickly with nimble, elastic steps.

The Shiba is a relatively fastidious breed and feels the need to maintain itself in a clean state. They can often be seen licking their paws and legs, much as cats do. They generally go out of their way to keep their coats clean.

The Shiba Scream: A distinguishing characteristic of the breed is the so-called "shiba scream". When sufficiently provoked or unhappy, the dog will produce a loud, high-pitched scream. This can occur when attempting to handle the dog in a way that it deems unacceptable.

Training: I trained him at 8 wks old. I trained him young how to be exactly what I wanted him to be as he would be a grown up. The most important thing I trained was to come when called so I used a 15-foot leash all the time. He learned quickly as he loved rewards. Next, I taught him to ‘stay still’. Not to move. To allow me to hold him and to turn him upside down and to hold him tight or softly and he was to ‘stay’ and he was to ‘trust me’ with his life and he does. I have NEVER stepped on him, nor dropped him, ever. Since he learned this as a pup, he will never un-learn it. He also understands that each person is different, and he gets away with things from other people. He CLEARLY understands this. He is one of the best opportunists ever! He watches and waits for the opportunity to do as HE wants to do. He still waits for me to slip up and he is over a year old now. I don’t of course as I use crates and cages and leashes all the time. Haha… can’t fool me.

Exercise: All dogs need to kick their heels up for a specific amount of time. Each dog is different. This male shiba was trained to do his ‘zoomies’ when I made a wide circle with my arm and joined in on his zoom time. I allowed him to zoom and then added a signal and word “zoomzoom’’ that related to his zooming or running around the front yard. Doing this over and over, he just did it when I asked him to and of course I knew when he was ready to run. Putting 2 and 2 together is what training is all about. Association.

As a young pup, BooBoo would spend about 2 minutes in his zoom, and we would zoom at least 3 maybe 4 times a day. I took him outside to ‘’potty’’ with an immediate reward every time he squatted. He now potties on command before he is allowed inside the home. Being an intact male, he is NOT trusted one bit! Most times I order him to ‘byme’ so I can pick him up. He places himself on my left side and allows me to pick him up. Then he is cuddled and rewarded. He is not allowed to get excited when I am holding him.

As an intact adult male, he is an outside dog for the most part. If he were an inside dog, he would be in his crate and go outside about 4 times a day for at least an hour or two. I would never allow an intact male to be ‘free’ inside my home.

Health: Overall, the Shiba Inu is a healthy dog breed. The oldest living Shiba was 26.

Health conditions known to affect this breed are allergies, glaucoma, cataracts, hip dysplasia, entropion, and luxating patella. BooBoo has no health issues.

Appearance: Shibas have a naturally fluffy look to them because they are double coated. The ratio of long guard hairs to the undercoat is about 40-60. It is only when you purchase from back yard breeders that you might get hardly any undercoat. When that happens, you have a single coated dog or it shed out its undercoat and it never came back in.

The average Shiba Inu has guard hairs, the first coat, which are roughly 1.5 to 2 inches long, with an undercoat, the second layer of fur, that is closer to the skin.

While uncommon long-haired Shiba’s are not rare. They have a normal undercoat but the guard coat is well over 2 inches long, normally at or just over 3 inches in length.

Shibas with an outer coat under 1.5 inches are called short-hairs. This is typically caused by a mixture of poor genetics and less-than-desirable breeding practices.

Another poor breeding quality Shiba is the wooly-haired Shiba which has a very thin guard coat but an extremely thick and plush undercoat.

The Shiba's frame is compact (short in the body) with well-developed muscles.

The Shiba Inu is double coated, with the outer coat being stiff and straight and the undercoat soft and thick. Fur is short and even on the foxlike face, ears, and legs and void of undercoat. Guard hairs stand off the body and are about 4 to 5 cm (1+1⁄2 to 2 in) long at the withers. The purpose of the guard hairs is to protect their underlying skin and to repel rain or snow. Tail hair is slightly longer and stands open in a brush.

Their tails are a defining characteristic and are curled tightly over their backs. I specifically chose a pup from a breeder that had loose tails. BooBoo is not show quality. He also has a lot of white spotting.

The Colors of the Shiba Inu:

The cream color is considered a "major fault" by both the Japan Kennel Club and American Kennel Club.

The urajiro (cream to white ventral color) is required in the following areas on all coat colors: on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, inside the ears, on the underjaw and upper throat inside of legs, on the abdomen, around the vent and the ventral side of the tail. On reds: commonly on the throat, fore chest, and chest. On blacks and sesames: commonly as a triangular mark on both sides of the fore chest.

Miss Corgi "Missy" is an AKC registered Corgi

The Welsh Corgi

Height

Dogs

Cardigan: 27–32 cm (11–13 in)

Pembroke: 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in)

Bitches

Cardigan: (11–13 in)

Pembroke: 25–30 cm

Weight

Dogs

Cardigan: 31–37 lb

Pembroke: No greater than 31 lb

Bitches

Cardigan: 31–37 lb

Pembroke: No greater than 24 lb

Coat

Cardigan: Short or medium length, hard textured, weatherproof with a good undercoat

Pembroke: Medium length with a straight dense undercoat

Color

Cardigan: Any colour, with or without white markings

Pembroke: Red, sable, fawn, or black and tan with or without white markings on the legs, brisket, and neck

Life span

Cardigan: Average of 12 years and two months

Pembroke: Average of 12 years and three months

Temperament and Character:

Corgis are friendly, outgoing, and intelligent dogs suitable for owners with different lifestyles. They need a moderate amount of exercise but will not mind more active owners.

Their intelligence makes them easy to train but their activity level gets in the way. They are fun loving dogs and a suitable choice for first-time owners.

Corgis are not naturally aggressive dogs; however, some circumstances may provoke short temper or violent behaviour. Pembroke Welsh Corgis can often be a bit pushy towards dogs and cats they don't know. they have an independent mind of their own, so can be quite willful.

but they still have that working dog spirit of the ancestors.

Corgis have larger than life personalities packed into small bodies. Though they are mostly very cheerful animals. They love to play and are trusting and quick to offer affection.

Corgis are extremely happy and attentive dogs, that thrive on being the center of attention and will want to be involved in everything you and your family do. They are eager to please and have a lot of energy, although it won’t take much effort to tire them out. Corgis are also thought to have a great sense of humor and will provide your family with constant entertainment.

Corgis are also very intuitive and independent. If they aren’t given the proper dog training, they will train you. Corgis have been known to form their own set of rules and can become stubborn if they aren’t given the proper attention. Some may even seem bossy; however, they aren’t malicious, but rather are just strong-willed, and may just want to do things their own way.

It will be important to establish your roles in the relationship in a loving way, so they know where they stand but are also allowed to maintain some of their independence. Because of their big, outgoing personalities and level of activity, Corgis are often thought as big dogs on short legs.

Activity Level

Corgis are high-energy dogs and will require a moderate amount of exercise to maintain their health and happiness. They will chase a ball with surprising speed and will be eager to carry out any task given to them. In fact, they need a job or frequent activity to be happy.

They are best suited to active homes who have the time for their dog. But when given daily exercise and loving companionship, they are very amicable dogs and easy to live with–they just need something to do.

While Corgis do indeed have a lot of energy, they don’t need to play for a long time or run for miles to burn it off. Multiple daily walks and some play time in the yard are your best bet to maintain a happy and healthy dog. At a minimum, they should be given a daily walk and need time to run around at least a couple times a week. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need a house with a big yard to keep a Corgi happy–they are also highly adaptable to your environment, and while be fine in an apartment or condo as long as you are able to get this breed outside somewhere to play.

Since they are herding dogs, they also need tasks to stimulate them mentally. Having roots as farm dogs, they like to stay busy. If you can find new activities for them, Corgis are more than willing to learn new tricks or solve problems for you. They will be eager to take on any job you are able to give them. If not, they may start trying to herd your children!

You should also keep this breed involved with your family activities because they will never want to be left out. With some firm guidance, your Corgi can channel its boundless energy and exuberance into a loving family pet.

Corgis are intelligent dogs and easy to train, but they are also fiercely independent. Since they love to think for themselves, they aren’t the most subservient of dogs. This means they may require some added patience from their owner, but a firm hand is still the best tactic to use during training. Since they like to be in charge, they like to do things on their own time, which can make training a bit frustrating. But with lots of positive reinforcement and a healthy number of treats, you can get a positive response. Training a Corgi will take some confidence, and rules must be consistently enforced, or the dog might make up their own and form habits that can be hard to break.

Training your Corgi also shouldn’t stop once he has learned basic obedience, and despite the saying that “old dogs can’t learn new tricks,” Corgis can, and will, for their entire lives. Corgis love to learn new tasks, so once you are able to establish that you are in control, they will be eager to learn new tricks all throughout their life. Despite their non-athletic appearance, Corgis are adept at agility training and often do well in competitions.

Above all else, Corgis are friendly, playful, and outgoing, but they can also be stubborn and protective.

As dogs with farming instincts, Corgis are very alert for anything out of the ordinary. Because they are so attentive, they will pick up even the slightest sounds, or notice the smallest change to their environment, and often react by barking! Therefore proper training is so imperative for the Corgi breed–without it, they will be excessive barkers that could become quite the nuisance!

As herding animals, they have also been known to nip at a heel or two, mostly of children, whom they might try to herd if they aren’t given adequate attention and activity. This behavior can also be dealt with through training.

Since Corgis are very independent animals, they can become stubborn and difficult to handle, but again, with proper training early in life, this behavior can be managed. Corgis, like all other herding dog breeds, are strong-minded and want to do as they please and make their own rules. They are small dogs that act as if they are much larger and like to be in charge, so the process of getting them to live by your rules will take some patience. But they are mostly a joy to be around once you can assert your leadership role in the family.

BARKING

Corgis have long held the reputation for being quite the little barkers. Corgis are highly alert dogs, and their reaction to an unfamiliar sound or person is often to bark. This makes them excellent watch dogs because they will sound an alarm for most anything, but unfortunately, it also means they will bark at almost anything. This behavior can get annoying if it isn’t nipped in the bud early. Corgis will also bark if they are left alone for long periods of time, something to keep in mind if you live in an apartment or condo.

It’s important for Corgis to learn to trust strangers and other animals so their initial reaction is not to bark at everything or any person who comes near them.

Corgis should be exposed early to other people and different sights and sounds so everything isn’t a surprise that gets a bark. They will also need to be socialized with other dogs at an early age for the same reason.

However, they do have good instincts to recognize threats, so the barking can be helpful if it isn’t always a false alarm. The barking can usually be reduced, and properly associated, but usually will not disappear completely.

Separation Anxiety

Because Corgis hate being left alone for any long period of time, they are also prone to canine separation anxiety. You must get this dog another corgi or a breed that is small enough to be picked on and give back to their obnoxious manners. The ‘’friend’’ dog might pick up some bad manners. Male Corgi’s are the only sex to have! Be sure to neuter them.

They are also destructive, chew on furniture, and get into other forbidden items. And because they are instinctively herders, Corgis will sometimes become anxious if your family members are spread out all over the house. They will try to move you all to a central place in the home where they can keep track of everyone in their “flock.” Thus, the Crate or Cage or outside pen! If kept on leashes and put in cages and pens, these dogs adjust well with say, a Shiba Inu that will put this guy in its place. If you get a purebred male corgi, it WILL get out and roam the streets! Corgis definitely should not be left outside during the day when you go to work, or you’ll risk them chasing after another animal or barking all day long and getting on your neighbor’s nerves.

Corgis & Children

A Corgi’s temperament and personality make them have a complex relationship with children. Again, this can vary from dog to dog, but Corgis are thought by some to not be good for families with children under the age of five years old.

Because of their natural herding instinct, Corgis tend to be dominant with small children and will often nip at young children to get them to move, and the child moves then the cycle is complete and the corgi has a job.

They also don’t like being chased around by kids or the shrieking noises small children make. This can cause them to become agitated and act out. If your Corgi is coming from a breeder, you should make sure to ask about the parent’s temperament with small children.

But it may be a better option to wait until your children are older before acquiring a Corgi. On the other hand, if you had your Corgi before your children were born, you will have to be on the lookout for any problems. Sometimes, however, Corgis can be great with children, so again, it all depends on the individual dog.

Corgis & Other Animals

With early socialization, Corgis can develop good relationships with any other dogs in your family. They will get used to having other dogs or cats in the house, but it may take some time.

However, Corgis can get aggressive with dogs that they are not familiar with and won’t back down from any fight so your ‘other’ dog must be able to put the corgi in its place and then back off. The “Other” dog must not be into killing our small buddle of dominate personalities.

If they aren’t properly socialized, Corgis will chase and bark at stranger animals until they leave. Un-neutered males may even attack.

Of course, Corgis are great with livestock, since they have a long history as farm dogs, and can generally get along with any animal if given time to socialize and get familiar with each other.

Many will be friendly rather than defensive right away, so as usual, it all depends on the individual dog.

Missy was specifically chosen from the many breeders to be a very friendly dog. The parent dogs were seen and were also friendly enough. Missy was the most laid-back pup in the litter and did not mind my grand daughter picking her up. Seems to me she also was a thinker. I watched the litter grow, saw photos of all the dogs and saw videos of their interactions. I chose wisely. I also knew I was going to outcross with the Shiba and other friendlier breeds.

History

The Welsh Corgi is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name corgi is derived from the Welsh words cor and ci (which is mutated to gi), meaning "dwarf" and "dog", respectively.

Two separate breeds are recognized: the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Physical differences are seen between the two breeds. According to the breed standards, overall

the Cardigan is larger, both in weight and height.

Their tails are of different shapes, and docking was previously performed on Corgis before the practice was largely banned.

The Pembroke is the more popular of the two, yet still appears on the Kennel Club's vulnerable dog breeds of the United Kingdom list. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi gained in popularity because Elizabeth II had personally owned more than 30 Pembrokes or Corgi-Dachshund crosses, known as dorgis.

Welsh Corgis were cattle herding dogs, the type of herding dog referred to as "heelers", meaning that they would nip at the heels of the larger animals to keep them on the move.

The combination of their low height off the ground and the innate agility of Welsh Corgis would allow them to avoid the hooves of cattle. The term "Corgi" means either cur dog or dwarf dog (cor = dwarf, gi = lenitive of ci, dog) in the Welsh language, which was not intended as an insult to the dog's size, rather as a purely descriptive term.

Different tales have been told of the Corgi's origin; some believe that the two modern breeds evolved from shared ancestry, while others attribute the import of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi to Flemish weavers starting around the 10th century. Further theories on the origin of the Pembroke variety suggest that they may have originated from central European herding breeds from the area around modern Germany. Depending on the time when these dogs were imported to Wales, they could have been either Deutsche Bracken or Dachshund.

They are incredibly vocal dogs, so you may find them barking at everything.

While they might be small, they are filled to the brim with energy and will keep their owners on their toes.

They can occasionally be known for over-eating, so do be careful to monitor what they eat.

The body of the Cardigan is slightly longer than that of the Pembroke; both breeds have short legs, placing their bodies close to the ground. They are not as square in outline as a typical Terrier, nor have an elongated body as great as that of a Dachshund. Only minor differences in the shape of the head are seen; both appear fox-like.

The head of a Cardigan Welsh Corgi is typically larger than that of an equivalent Pembroke and has a larger nose.

A few days following birth may be needed for the true color of a Corgi's coat to appear, and this is particularly evident in those with tricolor or black and tan markings. Corgis in the modern era often compete in dog agility trials, obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and herding events. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Cardigan and Pembroke Corgis exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials – known colloquially as a "mad run". Welsh Corgis were once used to guard children.

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The differences between the two breeds include bone structure, body length, and size. Cardigans are the larger of the two breeds, with large, rounded ears and a 12-inch-long (30 cm), fox-like, flowing tail set in line with the body.

Though the Cardigan is allowed more colors than the Pembroke, white should not predominate in its coat.

The Cardigan is a double-coated dog where the outer coat is dense, slightly harsh in texture, and of medium length. The dog's undercoat is short, soft, and thick. According to the breed standard, the breed stands between 10.5 and 12.5 inches (27 and 32 cm) at the withers, and should

weigh 30–38 pounds (14–17 kg).

The skeletal structure of the Cardigan differs from the Pembroke, in that a more exaggerated bend exists in the front two legs, which fits around the ribcage of the animal.

In addition, the Cardigan is more heavily set than the Pembroke, with denser bone mass.

A greater number of colors of coat is present in the Cardigan breed than the Pembroke, with the breed standard allowing for a variety of shades of

red, sable, and brindle.

White markings are expected on this breed of Corgi, and one with a black coat is allowed to have tan or brindle points under conformation show rules.

Merle markings are present in the breed, although this is normally restricted to blue merle.

Several disqualification criteria are used in the breed standard for the purpose of confirmation shows. This would include drop ears, a white coat, blue eyes, or nonsolid black noses in dogs without merle coloration.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Pembrokes feature pointed ears, and are somewhat smaller in stature than the Cardigan.

They are low-set, intelligent, strong, and sturdy with stamina sufficient to work a day on the farm.

The common height at the withers is 10–12 inches.

Male Cardigans weigh up to 38 pounds, with Pembrokes only weighing around 30 pounds.

The tail is shorter than that of a Cardigan, which can be accomplished through breeding or docking. Historically, the Pembroke was a breed with a natural bobtail (a very short tail). Due to the advent of tail docking in dogs, the bobtail was not aggressively pursued, with breeders focusing, instead, on other characteristics, and the tail was artificially shortened if need be. Given that some countries now ban docking, some breeders are again attempting to select dogs with the genes for natural bobtails.

Fewer colors of coat appear in the Pembroke breed. These include red, sable, tan, fawn, and black, each of which can be with or without white markings. Plain white or grey coats can also be seen, but these would be a serious fault for the purposes of conformation shows. However, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has no specific disqualification criteria present in the breed standard.

Pembroke Welsh Corgis have two coats that vary in length along their body. The first coat is a shorter, inner coat that is resistant to harsh weather, while the outer coat is rougher and longer, but still of medium length. The length of the coat differs on various parts of the body. Fur tends to be longer and thicker behind their fore and hind legs, as well as underneath their bodies. In addition, they appear to have more voluminous fur on their chest, neck, and shoulders. Pembroke Welsh corgis have shedding coats.

Health

12 years. The main causes of death were canine cancer and old age. However, the Pembroke breed showed a higher proportion of deaths attributed to either kidney failure or urethral obstruction.

The survey showed that the breeds suffer from similar rates of ongoing health conditions, with one exception. Whereas more than a quarter of Pembroke Welsh Corgis surveyed suffered from some type of eye condition, only 6.1% of the Cardigan Corgis did.

Eye conditions typical in the Corgi breeds include progressive retinal atrophy, which occurs more often in dogs over six years of age, and canine glaucoma, which again is more common in older dogs.

Similar percentages in the survey were seen in both breeds for issues relating to reproduction, such as requiring caesarian sections and having false pregnancies. Further similarities were also seen related to musculoskeletal issues, including arthritis. However, Hip dysplasia, common in some types of dogs, is rare in the Corgi breeds.

Both parent breeds are two of the most intelligent dog breeds ever to exist so training them would not be such a hassle. The mixed-race has a reputation for being a good family dog, but even so, early training for them is still needed so that they can get along with the kids or other household pets one may own.

Needle is a Registered American Alsatian with limited registration. She was hand selected for the Fox Project.

Pepper is a registered American Alsatian Male Stud used in both the Dire Wolf Project and the Vulpes Fox Project. He was selected for the Fox Project and was the runt of his litter and the sister to Elsie L. C.

Elsie and her mother in the photo. Elsie was chosen for the Fox Project with a litter or two going over into the Dire Wolf Project.