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Welsh Corgis come in two varieties: the Pembroke and the Cardigan. They were registered as one breed by the Kennel Club in the U.K. until 1934, but many breeders believe the two breeds developed separately. Both have similar heads, bodies, levels of intelligence, and herding ability, however, the Cardigan is slightly larger and heavier boned than the Pembroke.

For the untrained eye, the easiest way to tell the difference between a Pembroke and a Cardigan is to look at the tails. Pembrokes' are docked and Cardigans' are long. (You can think of it this way: the Pembroke has a "broke" tail; the Cardigan has a long tail like the sleeves of a cardigan sweater.)

Pembroke Welsh Corgis (also called Pembrokes, PWCs, or Pems) are the smallest of the American Kennel Club's herding group, and are also recognized by the United Kennel Club. Their coats can be red, sable, fawn, or tri-colored (red, black, and tan), usually with white markings on the legs, chest, neck, muzzle, and belly. They also may have a narrow blaze on their heads. Pembroke heads are shaped much like the head of a fox.

Hailing from Pembrokeshire, Wales, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an enchanting dog whose background is steeped in folklore. According to Welsh legend, this dog sprang from the lairs of fairies and elves!

As the tale goes, one day two children were out in the fields tending to their family's cattle when they found a couple of puppies. The children thought they were foxes, but recognizing something different about them, bundled them up and took them home. Their parents immediately realized that the pups were not foxes, but dogs, and told the kids that the pups were a gift from the fairies that lived in the fields. The fairies used them to pull their carriages and sometimes ride into battle.

As proof that Pembrokes were indeed the mounts of fairies, the parents pointed to the marks on their backs where the fairy saddle had been placed on their shoulders. The children were delighted and adored their new pups. As they grew, the dogs became treasured companions and learned to help the children take care of the family's cattle.

And for those who don't believe in fairy tales, there are historians who say that the Pembroke Welsh Corgi descended from Vallhunds, Swedish cattle dogs that were brought to Wales by the Vikings in the 9th and 10th centuries. Others think their ancestors were brought to Wales by Flemish weavers in the 12th century.

Either way, the breed has a rather misty historical pedigree.