How did the selective pressure shaping the Corgi's build differ from that applied to breeds like the Border Collie regarding livestock management?
Corgis were selected for close-quarters physical management versus the Border Collie's selection for gathering from a distance using eye.
The evolutionary path of the Corgi was dictated by the need for close control in tight, often hilly Welsh terrain, leading to selection for traits like agility and low stature to nip heels and avoid injury. This is contrasted with breeds like the Border Collie, which were selected primarily for their strong 'eye'—the ability to use intense focus and gathering power to move livestock over greater distances without direct physical interaction. This difference highlights how localized agricultural demands—close control versus distance management—shaped profoundly different physical silhouettes, even within the same geographic area where both types of herding were necessary.
