The Corgi is a herding dog that has been around for centuries. It was originally bred in Wales and was used for herding livestock, especially sheep. The name “Corgi” is derived from the Welsh word “cor,” meaning “dwarf dog.” They were also used as watchdogs on farms, and some Corgis still serve as such today.
In recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of corgis. These dogs are known for their short stature and fluffy tails. But what do we really know about these animals?
Do they have tails from birth or do they grow them later in life?
Table of Contents
Are Corgis Born With Tails?
The answer is yes corgis are born with their tails, but they don’t have the long tails that we see on most other breeds. Instead, Corgi’s tails are often described as “docked” or “bobbed.”
We have all seen those cute little dogs with fluffy tails. A lot of people don’t know if this is a natural trait that Corgis are born with or if they are just born without them and their tails are then cut off.
The truth is that Corgis are born with a tail. They usually don’t have long, But thick, and fluffy tails that can be curled up or straightened depending on the weather and the mood of the dog.
Some corgis are born with no tail, but they grow a tail as they get older.
Most dogs of the Pembroke Welch Corgis breed, are born with a tail, but many of them dock their tails two to five days after the date of birth.
But there are also Corgi dogs that are born without a tail, but they are not common, and Corgi dogs that are born with a tail keep their tail in most cases.
The methods used in Docking the tail of a corgi differ from one breeder to another and from one veterinarian to another, some of them are cut shorter, and some are cut at an earlier age.
And specialists believe that the corgi tail should be Docking after birth and before the end of the first 7 days, and more precisely, it is recommended that it be after 2 days and before 5 days, but this will not make a big difference as long as the process occurs in the first days of birth.
Does Corgi Born Without Tail?
In the past, you might think that Corgis are born without tails, in fact this is not true. They were born with a tail, but they underwent a docking process.
However, even for those born with a tail, the tail was short and sloping and shorter than the normal tail, specialists believe that this is due to changes in the genes caused by repeated docking.
And according to what was mentioned in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis, it is possible that the change in the corgi’s tail occurred due to a mutation in one of the genes called the T-box gene, this gene is inherited from the ancestors and leads to an equal effect on females and males.
If only one of the parents contains the T-box gene, this is sufficient to produce a dog with a short tail, although the tail can be a little longer or a little shorter depending on other genes.
And these changes in the tail are not only in the Corgi breeds, but they are present in other breeds such as Australian Shepherds, Blue Heeler, Brittany Spaniel, Spanish Waterdog, Schipperke and others.
Why Corgi Has No Tail?
We know that Corgis dogs were bred in the past in order to be herding dogs for the herd and for other dogs, and although they are small dogs, but they are one of the best breeds that have skills for herding, and Corgis are smart dogs, so they are preferred over the rest of the dogs in this the field.
Of course, when you first brought the corgi, you saw that he was trying to herd people, especially if there were a number of children. This is not a problem, because the situation will gradually improve, but the fact is that this is something inherent in their basic traits.
So what does grazing have to do with tails? It is believed that a Corgi dog, in order to be good at herding, must be without a tail, because if it has a tail, the cow can trample it during grazing, especially since it is a dog with a small and low body, this is the first opinion of.
The second opinion tells us that the tails of Corgi dogs are twisted towards the top, which means that it is difficult for the cow to trample on them while grazing.
But the prevailing opinion is that the tail is insecure with herding, so most corgi owners in the past began docking the tail, until the genetic change in corgi dogs began until the corgi was born without a tail.
Are Corgis Puppies Born With Tails?
No, Corgi puppies are not born with tails. At birth, a Corgi puppy’s tail is just a tiny stub of cartilage. It may take a mere days or up to two months for the tail to grow and become long enough to wag.
A lot of people think that Corgi puppies are born without tails. But, in fact, they are not. Corgi puppies are born with a short tail and it is only until they grow up that the tail starts to shrink and eventually disappears, or is it subjected to a tail Docking process.
So the answer to this question is no, they are not born with tails. The reason for the lack of a tail is due to the fact that they are a type of herding dog and it was bred to move in close quarters with livestock. The lack of a tail helps them keep their balance while moving around cattle and sheep.
Are Corgis Born With Short Tails?
Corgis were originally bred to be herding dogs in Wales and they would have to maneuver through sheep without getting tangled in their long tails. So, it was a necessity for the Corgi’s tail to be short.
A Corgi is a dog that is usually kept as a pet. They are usually small and have short tails. But are Corgis born with short tails?
The answer to this question is no, they are not born with short tails. The reason why the tails of Corgis are so short is because they were bred to be that way. It was a deliberate decision made by those who wanted to create the dog in this specific way.
Corgis are born with long tails, but they are often docked by the breeder or owner. So corgis are not born with short tails. They are bred that way intentionally and it is not a defect.
Some people believe that docking the tail of a Corgi is cruel because it is done without any pain relief for the pup. However, others say that docking the tail is necessary for health reasons as it keeps them from getting injured while working on farms where there might be sharp objects or thorns on the ground.
But pembroke Welsh Corgis dogs are born either without a tail or with a short tail, this happens due to genetic mutations.
Are Corgis Born With Long Tails?
Corgi dogs are not born with long tails, but they can grow them If it has not undergone a tail docking operation. The long tail is a recessive gene in the breed that must be present in both parents for it to show up in their offspring.
Corgi dogs can have a long tail, but they will definitely not be as long as dogs of other breeds, but the length of the tail is usually proportional to the size of their body. The longer the body, the longer the tail.
What is docking a Corgi’s Tail?
In the past, it was believed that the best corgi dog for herding was a dog with a short tail or without a tail, so breeders or owners would cut off the tail after giving birth to a corgi puppy.
This cutting process called “docking” involves shortening the tail to a certain length of no more than 2 centimeters.
Docking steps vary depending on the breeder or veterinarian doing the docking, but it must be within the first 7 days of a corgi puppy’s life.
And it is said that the docking process does not cause pain to the corgi puppy because in the first days of his birth he will not have a complete nervous system.
Some dogs when docking scream and some are docking while sleeping and do not feel any pain to the point that they will not wake up.
Docking can be done using scissors in which the tail is completely cut off, or by using a rubber band placed around the tail.
At this time docking is banned in many countries of the world, but it is legal in other parts such as the USA and Canada.
Docking is only allowed for dogs that are involved in work such as law enforcement dogs, however docking must be done by a qualified veterinarian.
Conclusion
It became known that Corgi dogs are good dogs, and they are one of the famous dogs in the world of pets, but previously it was not so, they were used for herding and guarding.
Corgi dogs can be born with tails, but even if they are born with tails, they will have short tails.
Other Corgi dogs are born without tails, and the tail grows in a period after birth from days to two months.
Dogs born with tails will have their tails docked within the first week.
The reason for this is that former Corgi breeders raise Corgi for grazing and prefer that it not have a tail so as not to be trampled by cows.
Over time, genetic changes occurred in Corgi dogs due to the mooring process, and dogs became born without a tail.
The gene responsible for the short tail or no tail is called T-box, if this gene is present in the mother or father, the puppy will have a short tail.