An ethical breeder is one who breeds purebred animals to the written standard of that particular breed of animal. They take into consideration all aspects of the animal’s health and well-being. They do not breed for what is popular or what is a fad; they breed to improve upon their own lines of animals and the breed as a whole. They challenge their dogs and get them titled in a least one venue They preserve the legacy an history of their beloved breed, and they ensure that they place whatever unkept offspring with people they deem worth and capable of caring for them. This being said, the ethical breeder will also be willing to take back any previously placed animal at any time, no questions asked.

Take it from people who have worked with more dogs than most people could ever fathom: purebred does not equal well-bred.

The reason that people want purebred dogs can be due to a lot of reasons. Often it’s aesthetic or based on looks. Many times you might have it based on their given personalities and one’s lifestyle. But dogs become increasingly unpredictable when they are poorly bred. You end up more likely to have a pet who ends up with behavioral or health issues.

When a breeder is ethical and breeds to the standard, they are trying to produce the healthiest and most temperamentally sound puppies they can. Not all of these pups will be destined to be show dogs which means that they will make fantastic pets that are given the best start at life and the best chance of health.

One more common question about standards happens to be about the coat of the dogs. Can they not be healthy if they’re an an off-standard color? While it is possible, consider why some colors are allowed and why others are not. Cardigans and Pembrokes come in different colors based on their vastly different starts (see our history page for more details). In both breeds, dilute colors are against standard because dilute dogs often suffer from a condition in which they lose their hair (color dilution alopecia). A dog that loses their coat cannot be set up for success in the wet Welsh countryside herding cattle or sheep. Breeders who breed for these colors claim that they have something rare and sometimes charge far more than they would for a puppy of standard color. The only reason they’re rare is because no one who truly cares about Corgis has those colors.

The very same can be said about fluffy Corgis. An ethical breeder knows that these are out of standard because this fur also made them less ideal for the job they were intended for. While it it would be less of a problem for a pet, this fur needs far more grooming than the typical double coat. These dogs are prone to painful matting and they can be more prone to urinary tract infections if they aren’t kept groomed and very clean. With this being said, it should be noted that fluffy puppies can and do show up in ethically bred litters. But they are not bred for intentionally, and they should never be sold for more than a standard coat.

The bottom line is that if you want to set yourself and your new puppy up for success, you want a breeder who cares tremendously about their breed and works tirelessly to improve upon it rather than ignoring a standard so they can profit off of what is perceived as different.

Reverie aims to go above and beyond with all health testing.

We perform all tests recommended by the parent clubs of our breeds. This includes testing for hip dysplasia (a congenital disease where the hip joint forms inappropriately leading to arthritis and pain) via OFA and/or PennHIP interpreted radiographs as well as having the eyes checked for genetic or hereditary issues by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist.

Recommended genetic screens include Von Willebrand disease aka vWD (a disorder that causes spontaneous bleeding), degenerative myelopathy aka DM (a multi-gene and likely partially environmentally factored disease that causes a non-painful, progressive spinal degeneration that leads to paralysis of the back legs), and, for Cardigans, progressive retinal atrophy aka PRA (a progressive disease in which a layer in the back of the eyes degenerates and causes blindness).

In addition to performing the above testing, we send in radiographs on all dogs for OFA elbows as Dr. Ash has seen a number of corgis develop arthritis in elbows, some of which can be from malformed elbow joints. We do basic cardiac OFA testing to show a lack of congenital murmurs. We also test for exercise induced collapse aka EIC which seem to be a issue in certain Corgi populations.

Though unrelated to health, we do test for coat length on our dogs, and our Cardigans are tested for the pink color gene. We breed dogs to the standard, and we want to reduce the risk of producing puppies with inappropriate coats.

Because we are in veterinary medicine, we find it of the utmost importance to routinely check for issues that tend to arise over time. Our dogs are examined frequently, and have full blood, urine, and fecal panels performed several times a year.

Please see the section above about health testing to see information about the main issues that cause issues to both breeds (DM, vWD, PRA, etc).

Here are some other issues that can affect these breeds:

Hip Dysplasia

It should be noted that, while it is standard to test both Corgi breeds for hip dysplasia, it is actually not common for dwarf breeds to suffer from hip dysplasia compared to non-dwarf breeds. That being said, we still think it’s important to test as one of the main issues that Corgis, especially Pems, face is obesity. These dogs are largely food motivated, and it is very easy to overfeed them. There are a number of studies that show that overweight or obese dogs are likely to develop arthritis up to 2 years earlier than lean dogs. This would be so much worse in a dog that had poorly developed hips.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

This is a complicated, multifactorial disease in which the cartilaginous discs between the back bones push up against the spine. There are multiple types, but ultimately they can lead to pain, an inability to walk well or complete paralysis. While both breeds can get IVDD, Cardigans are more prone to it and are more prone to severe disease. If caught early, appropriate intervention can keep these dogs pain-free and walking again.

Lymphoma

This is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, spreads, and causes swollen lymph node, wasting, and death. It is a type of cancer that does not seem to care about age. Most cancers occur in senior dogs, but Dr. Ash has diagnosed lymphoma in dogs as young as 18 months of age. While there is no definitive hereditary link, we do find that Corgis (more often Pems) are commonly affected breeds. This is a cancer that, if caught early, can be treated into remission for some time.

Allergies

Allergies (aka atopy) is the most common hereditary issue in any dog, no matter the breed. While allergies are far more common in retrievers and bully breeds, we have noticed tell-tale signs of allergies in many Corgis seen online or even in the show ring. Carefully look at pictures and dogs you encounter for a port wine or light brown color on the feet. This is indicative of saliva staining which tells you that dog spends a lot of time licking their feet. While this could indicate boredom, licking often means the dog is trying to quell a itch which the number one sign of this incurable, expensive to manage disease.

Reverie puppies will come from fully health tested parents who have proven themselves in the show ring. The puppies will be raised in our home, and we will use the Puppy Culture method to help start the socialization and training processes.

The puppies will have frequent fecal checks (centrifuge and antigen testing through IDEXX Laboratories). They will be dewormed only when necessary. It is still common practice for most breeders to deworm regardless of worm infestation or exposure. However, parasitologists no longer recommend this as we are seeing serious resistances to many antiparasitic medications. Each puppy will be started on a size-appropriate heartworm, flea, and tick prevention when they are old enough to receive it safely.

Vaccinations will begin at 6 weeks of age. Each puppy will receive a bordetella mucosal vaccine as well as a DA2PP injectable vaccine (distemper/adenovirus/parvovirus/parainfluenza). They will receive a second DA2PP vaccination at 9 weeks of age. Should any puppy remain with us after this point when next vaccines are due, we will continue on the vaccination series to include DA2PP vaccines every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age, two Leptospirosis vaccines (now recommended no matter what breed of dog or state living in per the AVMA), and a rabies vaccination at 16 weeks of age. All vaccinations will be administered in a veterinary hospital with hospital guarantees on vaccines after a full physical examination by Dr. Ash (though any puppy buyer is allowed to request a physical performed by another veterinarian in Dr. Ash’s practice at no cost). If you purchase a puppy but need to have us keep said puppy for a little longer than usual, the vaccination protocol will continue at no additional charge to you. It is our duty to ensure that our puppies are protected from the preventable.

Our puppies will go home with AKC registration and a microchip. The AKC registration may be limited depending on the particular puppy. We will send home a bag of food they have been eating, and toys and/or a blanket that smells like their mother and littermates. They will go home with veterinary and vaccination records, a multi-generation pedigree, and recommendation packets about veterinary care, training, and more.

Most importantly, the puppies will go home with a lifetime of breeder support. We guarantee each puppy free of congenital disease for the first year of life. Any problem or question you face, we ask that you never hesitate to reach out to us. We will provide advice where possible (please keep in mind that veterinary advice will be very limited unless Dr. Ash has examined the given puppy within 12 months - this is the law). If there is ever a time in which your Reverie dog can no longer stay with you, we will take them back or facilitate their return to us or a trusted counterpart no matter what the reason.

Because we are not expecting to have a litter until 2026 or later, we do not know what the going average for Cardigan pups will be. Price will be determined around the time of the whelping.

Right now, we definitely have no formal list as we are far away from our first litter. When we have plans to breed, we will be happy to talk to interested parties and keep a pool of people in mind who may want a puppy from us. As stated before, our goal is to match the right puppy with the right person, so we will need to get to know the puppies and the prospective buyers well before making final decisions.

When we have litter plans, we will have a potential puppy buyer questionnaire to help us get to know you better.

The answer to both is sort of!

We believe that the sex of the puppy is very important for the new owner to choose, but we know first hand that the puppy you may be drawn to (especially aesthetically) may not have the right drive or personality for you. Our mission is to set both the puppy and you up for the best possible success, so we may offer one or two puppies we feel fit you best.

As far names go, we will have a theme for each litter (for tracking purposes), so the registered names will likely all be chosen by us. We may be open to taking name suggestions, though. You will likely be able to choose from the list of names we came up with, and the puppies will be registered with these names before they leave our home. Whatever you want to call your puppy at home is up to you, and it does not have to go with the theme at all.

Our only stud dog is Basil. He can be used as a stud to approved Pembroke Welsh Corgi bitches via artificial insemination (either side by side or frozen/shipped). The cost for this service is $2000 which is average for the going rate for an ethically bred Pem in our area.

Anyone who is interested in using Basil as a stud should request a contract from us to make sure that they can meet the requirements including proper progesterone testing. Here are minimum requirements for bitches:

1. Is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi registered with the AKC (or other legitimate kennel club depending on country) who fits or closely fits the PWC breed standard (for their given club). Preference will always be for bitches who have titles in conformation, but performance dogs (specifically from herding backgrounds) will be considered.

2. Has the minimum required health testing: OFA or PennHIP hips (not preliminary), and eyes checked by a veterinary ophthalmologist.

3. Has the following genetic screening: DM, vWD. EIC an fluff factor not required as Basil is clear from these genes (he is also clear of vWD, but we feel it is imperative that breeders know if they have a bitch carrying this disease).

We would also need access to a 4-5 generation pedigree and stacked pictures.

If all parties agree to use Basil as the stud, we will work out AI however works best for the breeder.

We are incessant planners!

Our honeymoon was planned down to the bathroom break, so this is nothing for us.

We needed to get something going for Basil once we started to get inquiries about him anyway, but we thought that this was a perfect way to get our goals out there so we have things to work towards.