Horse Illustrated Magazine

Being a horse person is almost synonymous with being a dog enthusiast. And being a horse-loving dog person means that it’s quite likely that you have a Welsh Corgi, have a friend with a Welsh Corgi, or just love Welsh Corgis for who they are—enthusiastic, independent, happy individuals with tons of joy to share. Here are four reasons we love Corgis:

Corgis know how to take charge

Having spent over 15 years around Corgis, I’ve discovered that there’s no situation that’s too much for a Corgi to handle. If you let him take charge, he will. That means no one will be allowed to run, jump, hug, laugh, or cheer. And under no circumstance will anyone be allowed to sing “happy birthday.” Ever.

That’s why you might want to think twice about letting a Corgi take charge at the barn. Otherwise, he’ll be the one scheduling your lessons and telling the horses which paddocks to use, which—while a great form of delegation—might not produce the results you’d prefer. But you have to love a dog that knows how to take charge.

Corgis are creatures of habit

If you like doing the same thing six million times without deviating from the appointed routine, then a Corgi is the dog for you. But it’s important to understand that a Corgi defines a “routine” as anything you’ve ever done once. So if you happen to decide to make a piece of toast at, say, 2 p.m. on a Saturday, you’ll be expected (read: ordered) to make the toast again on Sunday at 2 p.m. The bonus of this is that if you wanted to make toast every day at 2 p.m., you won’t ever have to worry about forgetting, because your Corgi will remind you. Incessantly. Forever.

Corgis are thinkers—and listeners

You never know what might be going on inside that foxy little head, but then again, maybe that’s a good thing. Consider all the things that a Corgi must keep track of. Schedules! Food! The comings and goings of family members! Food! Incoming packages! Visitors! Food! The Corgi mind probably resembles a web browser with 2,704 tabs open.

Of course, the items that the Corgi chooses to think about might not be your priorities. What if you had to drop everything and come running every time you heard someone peel a banana? (That’s right, I said heard. The banana makes a distinct sound when you snap the stem to pull the peel. My Corgi, Peaches, can detect this noise from a sound sleep—three rooms away.) But a dog that devotes that much energy to listening is always helpful to have around.

Corgis like jobs

What’s not to like about an independent self-starter who handles tasks without guidance, invents work when there is none, and is 100 percent dependable and reliable? If I were the CEO of a company, I’d put Corgis in all of the managerial positions because I know they’d get the jobs done. At my house, Peaches handles the pivotal jobs of yelling at other dogs when they sneeze, watching all doorways in the house from a central location, and reminding me to “keep eating” if I happen to pause too long between bites during breakfast. (“Gee, thanks, Peaches—not sure I’d have remembered to put that next spoonful in my mouth without your help.”)

Do you share your barn with a Corgi? Tell us about your pup in the comments below.

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Samantha Johnson is a freelance writer and the author of several books, including The Field Guide to Horses, (Voyageur Press, 2009). She raises Welsh Mountain Ponies in northern Wisconsin and is a certified horse show judge. She loves Corgis and shares her home with her Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Peaches. Follow her on Twitter: @miraclewelsh.