What is a ‘Dorgi’? The new dog breed thought to exist thanks to The Queen

The corgi dog has long been synonymous with the Royal Family, but there’s a lesser known dog breed that may only exist because of The Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II’s love of dogs has been shown for many years, with corgis patiently appearing alongside the Monarch on multiple occasions during her reign.

In May 12 1973, The Queen was pictured sitting on a grassy bank with corgis at Virginia Water in Surrey.

Sadly, one of her new puppies, who was reportedly given to her to comfort her while Prince Phillip was ill, has died at just five months old, it has been claimed.

Fergus, the ‘dorgi’, was one of two new dogs adopted in February after the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to St Bartholomew’s hospital in London, Mirror Online reports.

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What is a ‘Dorgi’?

Royal corgis were the Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs owned by Queen Elizabeth II. A ‘dorgi’ is a dog that is a cross between a dachshund and a Welsh corgi.

The dog-loving Queen has owned 30 corgis which are believed to have descended from a pet she got for her 18th Birthday.

The monarch is thought to be responsible for introducing a new breed of dog known as the “dorgi” when her corgi Tiny was mated with a dachshund “sausage dog” called Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret.

It is said the Queen gave up a hobby of dog breeding in 2018, because she did not want to leave any pets behind were she to die.

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A spokesperson at Team Dogs said: “A cross between two absolutely adorable breeds – a Dachshund and a Welsh Corgi – a Dorgi is a super-cute small breed known to be loyal, loving and extremely affectionate.

“Fit for a queen, Dorgis have bundles of energy and are huge fans of playtime. They’re social characters and prefer to keep by their owner’s side – they don’t like being left alone.

“They’re also highly-intelligent and respond well to training. But what really stands out about this breed is their sweet nature. With a lovely temperament, you couldn’t really ask for more when looking for a loving and dedicated canine companion.”