Dorgi Dog Breed

Although many hybrids are purposefully bred as part of the "designer dog" craze for companionship, the Dorgi descends from two hardworking parent breeds. Corgis have history as herding dogs while Dachshunds were fierce little hunters. The Dorgi, herself, is a loving, social, energetic and alert canine that will fit well into any household. Their small size, ease in training and low maintenance makes them great companions for the young or old, experienced or not.

PROS

• Good-natured, friendly, desires attention and human interaction
• Excellent choice for households with children
• Great with other pets
• Low maintenance grooming
• Exercise needs easily met
• Can be indoor/outdoor with indoor preferred
• Watchdog abilities
• Easily trained

CONS

• Prone to separation anxiety
• Prone to obesity and elongated backs are delicate
• Must have at least half hour of daily outdoor exercise
• Frequent barkers

Don't let their happy smiles and little hotdog bodies fool you! Dorgis are brave, loyal, alert and energetic. In the looks departments, they will certainly be longer than tall with dark eyes and ears that may stand erect or flop over. Although they are often a light brownish tan they can be many shades of brown and include areas of white or black (or both). Almost every aspect of the Dorgi will vary based upon what % Dachshund and Corgi he/she contains.

Members of this breed are intelligent and alert. Both parent breeds have long working dog histories so this breed is not afraid to get down to business. They can be taught hunting, herding, agility and, of course, obedience skills; they are quick learners! To sum it up, this breed should be no sweat for a first time owner.

Dorgis are loyal, loving and affectionate. You will have a little shadow that will enjoy doing whatever you're doing. If they happen to be out of sight they are likely patrolling the house, always ready to bark an alert if need be. These dogs are social and friendly with other pets and visitors, as well as excellent playmates for kids.

Your Corgi Dachshund mix will be small but exuberant. She needs to get at least 30 minutes of daily outdoor activity to keep her happy and at a healthy weight. Playtime in a fenced yard will be much appreciated by members of this breed. Their moderate exercise needs can be met with long walk, trips to the dog park, games with toys, agility and obedience training, and hunting activities.

We recommend visiting both the Corgi and Dachshund breed pages to supplement of hybrid Dorgi information!

Hybrids usually vary much more than their purebred parents due to more genetic combinations. Even puppies from the same litter will not have the same physical or personality traits. The most apparent variation that will be of importance to the owner, for Dorgis, will be the coat length. Corgis most often have medium-length thick coats but occasionally sometimes have long, fluffy ones. Dachshunds can have one of 3 coat types: smooth, long and wire. Depending upon whether you want a short-medium vs long haired Dorgi, you will need to search for a breeder according. For instance, a breeder that creates a Corgi x long haired Dachshund cross will likely produces pups that have the longer coats.

Ask your breeder if generational differences will factor into the Dorgi coat. Although most breeders offer 1st or 2nd generation crosses, you may find the following breakdown helpful:
F1= purebred Corgi x purebred Dachshund... mating two F1 Dorgis together produces an F2 Dorgi
F3= F2 Dorgi x F2 Dorgi (or F2 Dorgi x F1 Dorgi)
F1B and F2B= breeder takes either an F1 or F2 Dorgi (whichever they breed) and mate them with wither a purebred Corgi or purebred Dachshund again

The Dorgi temperament will differ from one puppy to the next; some will be more Dachshund like while others will display more Corgi personality traits. Generally, this breed has an all around good-natured personality that shows through in its "smile". Loving and social, they will stick by your side and get enjoyment completing many of your daily activities with you. Children, other pets and visitors will all find the Dorgi an affectionate and energetic friend. Having another canine companion for your Dorgi will help prevent separation anxiety too!

Active and alert, both parent breeds are from working lineage (Corgis herding and Dachshunds hunting). They will loyally keep an eye out over the home. Since these guys tend to be frequent barkers they make vigilant watch dogs. Owners contend that this breed is pretty easy to train but they will need at least half an hour of outdoor exercise daily to ensure good behavior. They have plenty of energy to burn off and are naturally prone to obesity.

Below are pictures and images of the Dorgi.

Dorgis are pretty hardy little dogs. The most common issue is they're prone to putting on a lot of extra weight. The best diet is an all-natural diet and it is best to stick to the recommended amount (either via the company or veterinarian instructions); one to two times per day feeding is better for their metabolism than leaving food available all day.

In general, a Dachshund x Corgi mix will be healthier than either purebred parent breed due to greater genetic diversity. The Dachshund often lives 14-17 years while the Corgi's lifespan is slightly less (12-14); you can expect a Dorgi to live a similar amount of years, however, hybrids often exceed expected ranges. A few other most commonly reported issues for this breed are:
-Patellar Luxation
-Hip Dysplasia
-Cataracts
For a full list of each parent breeds health concerns, visit our Corgi and Dachshund pages. As always, choose a responsible and reputable breeder that allows your proof of healthy puppies.

• Cataracts
• Hip Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation

The following dog breed registries and organizations recognize the Dorgi as a dog breed:

• American Canine Hybrid Club
• Designer Breed Registry
• Designer Dogs Kennel Club
• Dog Registry of America Inc.
• International Designer Canine Registry

• Sources
• http://dogs.petbreeds.com/l/808/Dorgi
• http://www.101dogbreeds.com/dorgi.asp
• http://www.petguide.com/breeds/dog/dorgi/
• http://www.greatdogsite.com/hybrids/details/Dorgi/