'Powerful influence over the pack': Animal psychologist recalls working with Queen Elizabeth II and her corgis

CTV National News: The Queen and her corgis John Vennavally-Rao reports on what happens to the late Queen’s famous corgis and how she cemented the breed’s status in pop culture.

LONDON — Animal psychologist Roger Mugford, who worked with Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980s when she had 11 dogs, said it was evident the corgis knew she was the leader of the pack.

Mugford, who focuses on fixing fractured human-dog relationships, says the Queen's issues at the time – dogs biting guests, fighting with one another, going to the bathroom on the carpet – were fairly common for such a large group of animals.

"In this case, the Queen… had several dogs, too many dogs, and they were fighting one another," Mugford explained in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Tuesday. "So the Queen herself is a very capable dog trainer, she didn't need a dog trainer… But as a PhD psychologist, I'm looking at what makes dogs tick and how they interact with humans."

The 11 dogs the Queen owned at the time included nine corgis and two dorgis -- a dachshund and corgi crossbreed,

While he was able to get the Queen's corgis under control, Mugford went on to work with the Royal Family's dogs for years.

Mugford, who was referred to the Queen through her veterinarian, said his work with her at the time was about "pack management."

"Her sort of animal husbandry was complicated because it wasn't just her as an owner, but her wider staff and the Royal Family all involved," Mugford said.

Mugford said corgis are a "really adaptable" breed, but says having the dogs cared for by multiple people "does complicate management."

"I think if it was the Queen on her own, she would have coped very well," he said. "The worst fights occurred when she was not present, which is interesting in itself."

Mugford said the Queen had a "good way with dogs" and was a "hands-on owner."

"She has a very, very powerful influence over the pack of dogs," he said.

For many, the word corgi is synonymous with Queen Elizabeth II.

Corgis were the late monarch's constant companions, accompanying her on official tours and reportedly sleeping in their own room at Buckingham Palace. As Mugford recalled, Princess Diana once called them a "moving carpet," always by her mother-in-law's side.

The Queen got her first corgi when she was 18, and owned nearly 30 throughout her life.

While her death last week has raised public concerns over who will care for her beloved dogs, it has been revealed the corgis will go live with the Duke and Duchess of York, as Prince Andrew had previously gifted the dogs to the Queen in 2018.

"It's very lovely that they will remain in the family," Mugford said.

Despite Queen Elizabeth II appearing to have a natural influence over her animals, Mugford said corgis do have certain animal instincts like herding and biting that no amount of training can get rid of.

"There were reports of them biting the stuffy guardsmen outside the palace when they stamped their feet," he said, adding that the sound was "irresistible" to the corgis as it would remind them of the same sounds sheep would make when being herded.

Mugford said being with the corgis, and her other animals, offered the Queen reprieve during her 70-year reign and throughout her life, relaxing her during tumultuous times.

"She had a lot of stress… and so being able to find comfort and friendship in these non-threatening dogs [was] very important to her – just the same way that all of us enjoy the company of our pets," Mugford said.