Queen’s dogs: How the Queen SAVED ‘dying’ Corgi breed

QUEEN ELIZABETH II has owned corgis since her father King George VI gave her Pembroke Corgi dog Susan on her eighteenth birthday. But is the Queen a good Corgi owner?

has owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, as well as dorgis, black Labradors and cocker spaniels. She is a keen dog lover but in 2015, the Queen decided to stop breeding Pembroke Welsh corgis - saying “she didn’t want to leave any young dog behind”. She lost her last corgi Whisper in 2016, whom she had adopted following the death of his owner, a former Sandringham gamekeeper. Now a film about the Queen’s corgi is coming to cinemas. So what makes a good corgi owner and does the Queen possess these characteristics?

Queen Elizabeth II first fell in love with the historic British breed in her youth, adoring her father’s Pembrokeshire corgi Dooki.

Her father then gave her a corgi for her 18th birthday, which she named Susan.

Her Majesty was so fond of Susan she even accompanied the then-Princess Elizabeth and on their honeymoon in 1947 - she was hidden under rugs as they travelled through London in an open carriage.

The Queen has now owned more than 30 corgis, many of whom were direct descendants of her first dog Susan.

Queen's dogs: Queen Elizabeth and her pet corgi

Queen's dogs: Queen Elizabeth with her pet corgi in 1952 (Image: BETTMANN/GETTY)

She has reportedly been very involved in the care of her canines and during weekends at Windsor, the corgis went too and lived in her private apartments.

She fed them herself, whenever her busy schedule permitted - mixing their feed with a spoon and fork, from ingredients brought on a tray by a footman.

She also enjoyed walking her corgis and they knew when it was time for their exercise.

If the Queen came in wearing a tiara, the dogs would reportedly lay glumly on the carpet, but if she was in a headscarf, they knew it was time for walkies.

Queen's dogs: The Queen and her dogs

Queen's dogs: The Queen out walking her corgis at Winsor Castle in 1994 (Image: JULIAN PARKER/UK PRESS/GETTY)

And it is not only the Queen who has loved the royal corgis, as the public adore them too.

In 2012, the Queen’s last corgis Monty, Willow and Holly, had starring roles in the James Bond sketch the Queen recorded for the London Olympics opening ceremony.

The three corgis greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the Palace to accept a mission from the Queen.

According to dog expert, Corgis are historically a herding breed meaning they require particular handling to suit the demands of their traditional working lives.

Queen's dogs: Queen walking her dog

Queen's dogs: The Queen Mother walking with one of the royal family corgis in Norfolk in 1982 (Image: GETTY)

Dog trainer of ten years Adem Fehmi said: “Corgi’s are an old herding breed which means they are very athletic.

“They were used for herding animals, cattle and such, but nowadays are used much less in working areas.

“But they have maintained the traits from their days herding such as being active and observant.

“They are extremely observant by nature, amenable and driven.

“They need sufficient exercise to meet with their herding instinct, but there are many ways to get their energy out such as throwing a ball, rather than excessively long walks.”

Queen's dogs: The Queen with her dogs

Queen's dogs: The Queen with her corgis at Sandringham (Image: ANWAR HUSSEIN/GETTY)

When asked about what first drew Queen Elizabeth II to the corgi, Mr Fehmi said that most dog owners opt for animals they have experience with, such as what their families have owned during their childhood.

He said: “If the Queen grew up with them then it would likely explain why she would continue to own them throughout her life. Often people will own the dogs they have had good experiences with.”

Queen's dogs: The Queen and her dogs

Queen's dogs: The Queen would often be joined by her dogs as she conducted official business (Image: POOL/TIM GRAHAM PICTURE LIBRARY/UK)

But with the demands of the breed and her royal duties, are the Queen and corgis a perfect match?

Mr Fehmi said: “First and foremost I believe the Queen is a responsible dog owner.

“She clearly loves the corgi breed having owned many over the years. She mostly maintains her privacy in regards to her personal animals.

“But whenever she is open about her fondness of the dogs, she does so in a positive and responsible way, celebrating the breed.

“Many people can rush out and buy animals if celebrities share images of certain dog breeds or “unique” coloured canines. Certain breeds come in and out of fashion.

Queen's dogs: The Queen

Queen's dogs: The Queen has had a lifelong love for corgis (Image: ARTHUR EDWARDS/WPA POOL/GETTY)

“But the Queen has not seemed to have encouraged this type of behaviour. Instead corgis remain a smaller and not as popular breed.

“Certain people do buy them and possibly because the Queen has owned them, but it is not something I’ve heard.”

The corgi breed has plummeted in recent years, being put on an “at risk” list as the British public plump for more modern and trendy breeds.

But the popularity of the royal pups has soared thanks to the award winning Netflix drama The Crown.

Figures from the Kennel Club’s inquiries website revealed interest in Corgi puppies shot up by 22 per cent following transmission of the second series of The Crown in December 2017.

Queen's dogs: The Queen photographing her corgis

Queen's dogs: The Queen photographing her corgis in 1960 (Image: ANWAR HUSSEIN/GETTY)

The show - which portrayed Elizabeth surrounded by her wonderful pooches - even saw the dogs taken off the “at risk” list.

But while the British public are revelling in their new found corgi love, the Queen’s last link to the original family of royal corgis ended in 2016 with the death of Willow.

While the Queen still has two dorgis, corgi-daschund crosses, called Vulcan and Candy, the corgi has long been associated with her.

In fact, revealed in 2017 how his then-fiancee Meghan Markle had managed to charm the Queen’s through her dogs.

Queen's dogs: The Queen Mother's corgi

Queen's dogs: The Queen's love of corgi's is inherited from her parents who had corgi's themselves (Image: JULIAN PARKER/UK PRESS/GETTY)

During his engagement interview, Prince Harry said: “And the corgis took to you straightaway. I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at - this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”

The Duchess added: “Just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet.”

The Queen is synonymous with her love of corgis, so it seems like a good relationship with the Queen’s dogs is a surefire way to win the Queen’s favour.

Mr Fehmi added: “I think most people associate the breed with royalty and, in particular, our Queen. The image of a Corgi dog with the Queen is, in my opinion, as iconic image.”