Queen’s Corgi Breed In Danger As Popularity Plummets

Photo Credit: The Kennel Club

One of the Queen’s favourite breeds of dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, is at risk of disappearing from our streets and parks after being listed as a vulnerable dog breed by the Kennel Club for the first time in the breed’s history.

In 2014 the Pembroke Welsh Corgi numbered just 274 registrations with the Kennel Club, 16 percent lower than in 2013. The breed has been steadily declining since its peak in 2006, when there were almost double the number of the breed registered with the Kennel Club.

The low point means that the breed is now officially on the Kennel Club Vulnerable Native Breeds list, which includes those native dog breeds with 300 or fewer puppy registrations annually, meaning they fall below the minimum number needed to ensure that a breed’s population is sustained properly.

In total there are 29 breeds on the list, including the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, the Irish Red and White Setter and the Sussex Spaniel. There are four breeds on the ‘At Watch’ list, because they number between 300 and 450 registrations, including the English Setter and the Old English Sheepdog.  The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been on the At Watch list since 2009, when it first fell below 450 annual Kennel Club registrations.

Whilst many native breeds are declining in popularity, some foreign breeds are reaching new heights. The French Bulldog (owned by the likes of Jonathan Ross, Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Jackman) has continued to enjoy another astronomical leap in popularity, with registrations of the breed increasing by 38 percent since 2013, making it the country’s fourth most popular breed. There has been a staggering 1,724 percent increase in the breed since 2004, with registrations increasing from 350 to more than 9,000.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is one of the country’s most iconic dog breeds and so it is worrying to see the breed dip to a historic low and become one of our vulnerable breeds for the first time ever.

“We compile a list of Vulnerable Native Breeds in order to raise awareness of some of our oldest, and historically best loved breeds of dog, that are struggling to compete with newer breeds that are more fashionable.

“Crufts is coming up in March and this is a great opportunity for people to discover the 215 breeds recognised in this country, as currently half of all dogs registered in the UK are from the top ten breeds, with the other lesser known breeds sadly trailing far behind.”

Mrs Debbie Richardson, a Kennel Club Assured Breeder of Pembroke Welsh Corgis whose dog Bailey won Best Dog at Crufts last year, said; “Pembroke Welsh Corgis are such fantastic all-round dogs that are intelligent, fun and incredibly loyal, but their popularity is waning as we are simply failing to attract younger people to the breed’s charm.

“Sadly, it is seen as an old person’s dog and young people aren’t buying or responsibly breeding the dogs. My dogs have the most wonderful temperaments and are perfect with my young twins.  It would be incredibly sad to no longer be able to see this charismatic, quintessentially British breed in our streets and parks, in a few generations’ time. Fortunately people can meet the breed at Crufts and find out what a fantastic dog the Corgi really is.”

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 9 2015. Filed under Featured, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.