Corgipom

The Corgipom is a hybrid dog, which is the result of breeding a Pembroke Welsh Corgi with a Pomeranian. The Corgipom is also known as the Coree or Corgiranian. This is a small to medium-sized dog, with a thick coat and foxy face. Their fluffy, foxy good looks make them superficially appealing as pets, but their stubbornness and natural tendency to protective aggression means they are not a good fit for families with young children.

Also, be aware that the Corgipom is a natural barker with the potential to make them unpopular with neighbours, especially an apartment. The Corgipom is best suited to an owner with some experience, who is prepared to put time into training their pet. They also need regular short walks in order to provide both mental and physical stimulation for what can be an opinionated small dog.

About & History

The boom in hybrid dog breeds is a recent phenomenon, which means the Corgipom has a relatively short history. To delve deeper into this bold little dog is to look at the story of the two parent breeds.

The Welsh Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a cattle droving dog, bred strong and bold enough to nip at the heels of cattle to keep them moving. This is a centuries old breed and their precise origins are unclear. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is one of two closely relatedly corgi breeds, the other being the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

It is believe these were once one breed but diverged several hundred years ago, with the introduction of Spitz type dogs into the Pembroke line, and Dachshund type dogs into the Cardigan branch of the family tree.

The Pomeranian

The Pomeranian may be small but they have some outsized ancestors. It is believed the Pom descended from spitz-type sledging dogs, such as the Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Malamute, and Keeshond.

It is unclear exactly when the Pomeranian became a distinct breed, but Pom-like dogs start to be mentioned in the mid-18th century. Again, these early dogs were bigger than the modern day Pomeranian, and it was during the Victorian era that the smaller dogs were bred together to reduce their size by around 50%.

Appearance

As a hybrid dog, Corgipom pups vary in appearance, with some instantly recognisable as having Corgi parentage and others Pomeranian and some in-between the two. It is the pups that a mix of both parents we look at here.

The Corgipom is a small to medium sized breed. They have a typical foxy appearance with a medium to long snout that tends to be pointed, and prick ears that give an alert demeanour. Corgi legs are fore-shortened and slightly bowed, which may show up in the Corgipom as limbs that are shorter than the dog is long, with a slight bow in them.

Their coat is plush with a thick undercoat and smoother top coat, which is medium-lengthened. The Corgipom is most commonly a mix of white with red, sable, or fawn, with more unusual shades being white with brown or blue merle.

Character & Temperament

The prospective Corgipom owner should not be fooled by those cute plush toy looks. This dog is small in stature but big in self-confidence and can be stubborn at times. Both parent breeds are independent spirited and strong-willed, which can make for an opinionated pet prone to misbehaving. Since they love the sound of their own voice and are a naturally protective, guarding-orientated breed, this also makes to a noisy barker that may be an antisocial addition if you live in an apartment.

Early socialisation of the Corgipom is especially important. Not to provide adequate socialisation risks them becoming suspicious of strangers, which brings out the worst in their protective nature and can lead to aggression. Also, they may dislike the chaos and noise that comes with small children, and are not a good match for a young family.

Trainability

The Corgipom is intelligent and with the right motivation, is highly trainable. Reward-based methods are best, since this engages the dog’s mind to work out how to earn rewards. However, the Corgipom’s strength of character means the trainer needs some previous experience with dogs so as to know how to re-engage the dog’s attention in a fun way.

As a small dog, many owners may not see the need to train their pet regularly. But this is a big mistake since an untrained Corgipom feels themselves to be masters of their world and may become difficult to live with.

Health

It is a mistake to believe that hybrid dogs are healthier than purebreds. Indeed, you could think of a hybrid as ‘double trouble’ because they have the potential to inherit genetic health problems from both sides of the family tree. Whilst the Corgipom is too new a breed for there to be data on health problems specific to them, it is reasonable to take heed of the parents’ issues since these may show up in their pups.

Allergies

Many dogs are allergic to naturally occurring allergens (for example, pollens) that occur in the environment. In our canine companion this manifests itself as itchiness and damage to the skin from excessive licking or scratching. In the early stages, the dog is merely itchy and seems to scratch a lot, but left untreated this leads to skin infections, open sores, hair loss, and a greasy coat.

Allergies can be controlled with modern medications, but there is no one-time ‘cure’. Thus, over the pet’s lifetime an owner should be prepared to spend money on anti-allergy treatment.

Dental Disease

The Corgipoms’ small mouth makes them prone to tartar accumulation and sore gums, which then leads to dental disease. Once tartar has built up, it needs to be professionally cleaned away using ultrasonic descaler under general anaesthetic. However, prevention is better than cure with the ideal solution being a daily tooth brushing at home.

Patellar Luxation

Both parent breeds are prone to a form of joint subluxation where the kneecap pops out of place as the dog trots along. In its mildest form, the dog skips the occasional step on the affected back leg. However those more serous affected are in constant pain and can be very lame, in which case corrective surgery is necessary.

Obesity

Both parent breeds are prone to weight gain. The Corgipom needs to have controlled portion sizes or risks becoming overweight or obese. Ideally, their owner should learn how to body condition score their pet, and if they detect extra fat cover then reduce the dog’s portion size until they are back in trim shape.

Exercise and Activity Levels

The Corgipom is a moderately active dog. They require regular daily walks to keep them fit and healthy, although their shorter legs can mean they tire easily. Therefore, they do best with two or three shorter walks per day, rather than one long one. And don’t be tempted to skip the walks because they provide mental, as well as physical, stimulation that stops the dog getting bored, which could lead to problem behaviours.

Grooming

The thick coat of the Corgipom makes them heavy shedders. They may do this in a dramatic way whereby twice a year they have an exceptionally heavy shed which is known as ‘blowing’ their coat. It is a good idea to get the dog used to a daily slick over with a deshedding tool, so that when they enter the blowing season, their owner isn’t ankle-deep in shed fur.

That thick coat is also prone to matting, so a combination of combing and brushing is required on a daily basis. Also, don’t overlook teeth brushing, which should be part of an owner’s daily routine, just as it we brush our own teeth regularly.