We are a small hobby kennel located east of Huntsville, Alabama on seven acres of Keel Mountain’s pasture and woods. Here you will find Pembroke Welsh Corgis. We participate in a variety of dog sports including conformation, obedience, agility, tracking, lure coursing, barn hunt, and therapy in a variety of venues.
Following a 24+ years Army career that took place over three continents, we moved to the beautiful and green Tennessee Valley – Northern Alabama area and we are so happy not to be moving every couple of years. For a couple of kids from New York, this is the realization of our long dreamt of “country retirement home”. We are growing our roots deep on Keel Mountain and wanted our kennel name to bear it.
For those of you who wanted to know the legend of the corgis as “fairie steeds”, read on: The legend of the Corgis’ origin is well-known among Corgi people. According to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, the legend is thus ~ “The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an ‘enchanted’ dog, and certainly this must be true! ‘Tis said he was used by the fairies (or ‘faeries’, to use the Gaelic spelling) and elves of Wales to pull fairy coaches, work fairy cattle, and serve as a steed for the fairy warriors. Even today those people with keen eyes and understanding hearts may see the marks of the ‘fairy saddle’ in the coat over the shoulders.
In reality, Pembrokes have been used by the Welsh as herding dogs, family companions, and guardians of the farm. They continue today to be workers and companions for their owners. It is believed that their ancestry dates back to at least the tenth century. It is unknown whether they are descended from the Vallhunds (Swedish cattle dogs possibly brought to Pembrokeshire by the Vikings) or from the ancestors of the present-day Schipperkes and Pomeranians that were brought to Wales by Flemish weavers.
Keel Mountain also has a legend. If you’d like, you can read about the Legend of the Lost Gold of Keel Mountain.
Leslie Reed
P.O. Box 42 Gurley, Alabama 35748Member of:
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America
- The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of Greater Atlanta
- The Huntsville Kennel Club