This Seriously Adorable Corgi-Themed Cafe Includes 12 Corgis That Hang Out and Greet Customers
It's not uncommon for restaurants and cafes to have a theme; it can pull the whole place together into one nifty package of excellence. What is a little more unusual, however, is when the theme includes live animals. But trust me, that's not a complaint.
Unusual does not equal bad in the case of one cafe based in Bangkok, Thailand, and you'll find it im-paws-ible to argue that fact when you learn just how incredibly adorable this cafe is!
It’s called Corgi In The Garden, and it was quite a delightful accident. Tanchanok Kanawaong, the cafe owner, is a die-hard Corgi lover because, as she says, they are "lovable and funny." Her journey through dog life has been fascinating, to say the least, and the cherry on top is that today you can visit her cafe and have 12 adorable Corgis rush to greet you!
Corgi In The Garden
In an interview with Bored Panda, Kanawaong described how she came to have such a fondness for the Corgi breed:
I love big dogs and used to have up to 10 Siberian Huskies and Golden Retrievers at the same time. When they grew old and passed away, I looked for dogs with similar characteristics, only smaller in size […] and decided to get a baby boy Corgi.
It wasn't too long after that when Kanawaong got another Corgi... and then another one! At that point, it was no surprise when she ended up with five Corgis. Naturally, it wasn't long before the animals did what animals do best... they had some babies. Can you imagine anything cuter than Corgi puppies? Few things in life are cuter. By the end of her Corgi-collecting journey, Kanawaong had 12 Corgis!
Kanawaong wasn't planning on running a Corgi cafe, but when she had a surprise litter of Corgi puppies, she realized she could share her love and delight in the breed with her customers:
[It was] at that time when the idea of seeing them running around and sharing their energy came to me.
If you're saying that you wouldn't be totally obsessed with visiting a Corgi cafe, well, I don't believe you. Corgi In The Garden has been wildly popular, and customers light up as they meet the professionally trained pups. Customers are eager to give the dogs treats in exchange for simple tricks... as simple as a handshake:
The Corgis are trained by a professional dog trainer who uses only positive methods.
Porkchop, Pumpkin, Salmon, Bean, Babycorn, and the other pups are certainly not complaining about the treats or the attention.
The cafe is open, with Corgis and all, six days a week from noon until 6 PM on Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 AM until 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Their schedule is a finely tuned machine! Each day, the cafe organizes one-hour sessions for 50 customers (22 tables) to meet with the doggos, and it costs around $11 per person.
It might seem like a never-ending supply of treats would lead to obesity, but Kanawaong is not keen on letting that happen. She keeps her Corgi crowd healthy and active, having them run wild, Corgi style, exercising in the garden of the cafe at least three times a day!
Between the cuddle and play sessions and the ever-so-important exercise routine, Kanawaong always makes sure that her precious pups aren't prone to exhaustion or being overworked. She makes room for nap time in between events:
The one-hour gaps between the sessions allow them to rest. Every morning, they’ll be running in the backyard and then come back for grooming to get ready for the sessions.
Happy, healthy, well-trained, with endless treats and plenty of exercise? What more could 12 Corgis ask for??
Corgis are a fascinating breed, and there are two of them, in case you didn't know. There is the Pembroke breed and the Cardigan breed. Corgis are considered a small breed, and they originated in Wales as herding dogs! That probably explains their intelligence; herding takes some serious skills. Corgi In The Garden's Corgis are of the Pembroke variety, which happens to be the more "popular" of the options. Did you know even Queen Elizabeth II adores Pembroke Corgis? It's true!
"It’s a wonderful experience that brings joy and companionship to many." - Dr. Terri Orbuch, relationship researcher
For their popularity in pop culture, there is a little mystery involved in the Pembroke Corgi breed... According to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, it is believed that Pembroke Corgis’ ancestry dates back to at least the 10th century. However, it is not known with certainty "whether they descended from the Swedish Vallhunds that were possibly brought to Pembrokeshire by the Vikings or from the ancestors of the present-day Schipperkes and Pomeranians brought to Wales by Flemish weavers."
Also per the PWCCA, this delightful tidbit about Corgi legend:
Legend has it that the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an "enchanted" dog, and certainly this must be true! 'Tis said he was used by the fairies 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.
While most people adore the idea of a Corgi cafe with Corgis on staff, some might find themselves concerned about the Corgis, despite Kanawaong's best efforts to explain their routine includes rest and exercise. So she finds it important for people to also know:
"The well-being of animals in such environments is crucial, and it's essential to establish clear guidelines for their care and interaction with guests," says Dr. Shefali Tsabary, parenting expert. "Creating a balance between fun and responsibility ensures both the animals and the visitors have a positive experience." Due to limited seating, we can’t accept reservations and provide first-come, first-served service to walk-in customers only. More details can be found on our official website.
Well, I know that my future goals include visiting Thailand now... perhaps specifically to visit a certain Corgi cafe...
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