Dorgi - TOP 10 Interesting Facts - Welsh Corgi x Dachshund Crossbreed

1) Designer dog breed
The Dorgi is not purebred breed and it is not recognized by any major kennel clubs. It is a so called designer dog breed, which is just another term for a crossbreed, in this case the Welsh Corgi and Dachshund.

​2) Royal history
Most crossbreeds have unknown history and no one really knows who started the intentional breeding. That is not the case with the Dorgi. The breed started on the British royal court, when one of the Queen Elizabeths Corgi mated with a one of the Dachshunds of Princess Margaret. Over the time, there were many more Dorgis developed by the royal family and over the years, Queen Elizabeth has had at least 10 different Dorgis. Of course, no one knows on 100% if it was really Queen Elizabeth who was first to bred Corgis and Dachshunds intentionally, but it is the first documented breeding.

3) Companion
Even though an ancestor of a hunting and herding dog breeds, the Dorgi is typically not used for any real work and they almost exlusively live as a typical companion pets. On average they are lively and playful companions who like kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. Dorgis can also live with other dogs without problems, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. These dogs love to be in centre of attention, they are loyal, affectionate, curious and alert. They love chasing things on the yard, but also good nap in your lap. Overall, the Dorgi is amazing companion pet.

4) Exercise
Do not be fooled by the Dorgis appearance, this is not a coach potatoe. It is true, that they are not hyperactive dogs neither, but they definitely need daily longer walks, some playtime or fun training session to stay healthy and happy. For their small size, they do require relatively high amount of exercise, so do not be surprised with that, when considering Dorgi as your future pet!

5) Training
The Dorgi is capable of learning almost all the commands you can imagine, but it is not a total pushover to train. It is because they are, on one hand, very bright and intelligent, but on the other, quite stubborn and independent. This means that they will understand the command quickly, but they will not always obey them. It is important to be very consistent and patient during the training, do not be harsh on the dog, but be firm and kind. Use positive reinforecement during the training and give the dog big praises and favourite treats for doing good job.

6) Size
The Dorgi is, just like its parents, small sized dog breed, with average height between 10-12 inch, which is 25-31 cm and weight between 18-26 lbs, which is 8-12 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.

7) Coat
The coat of Dorgi can wary quite a bit and it depends a lot what is the coat type of the parent Dachshund, since they can have either short, rough or long silky coat. The Dorgi can also have all kinds of coats, but the most typical is medium long, dense and slightly wiry coat. But keep in mind, that this is a crossbreed and there is no guarantee when it comes to their appearance and coat type.

8) Color
Just like the coat type, even the color can wary a lot and the Dorgi comes in huge variations of colors. The most common colors include brown, black, chocolate, red, and white and combinations of those.

9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the grooming as well and luckily the Dorgi is typically not a heavy shedder. They do require some brushing from time to time, but that is all you need to know, other than brushing, there is no other grooming needs associated with the Dorgi. Just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.

10) Health
The Dorgi is predisposed to the same health issues as its parent breeds, the Corgi and Dachshund and those health problems are mainly related with their long spine and short legs. These health problems include spine problems, patellar luxation, hip dysplasia or Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. The average lifespan of the Dorgi is between 12-15 years.