When you think of corgis, you don’t usually think of the word “majestic”, but Rigby Rumplebottom is here to change your mind.
Rigby is a 5-year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi who is loved and photographed by his owner Holly Hildreth, of Holly Hildreth Photography in Columbus, Ohio. Rigby has a fairly rare genetic mutation called the “fluffy gene”. This is a recessive mutation which impacts the FGF5 gene. It prevents FGF5 from functioning as a hair growth termination signal and allows the hair to grow way longer than normal. All that is to say that this adorable little mutant has luscious locks for days.
Now, the “fluffy” gene is considered a serious flaw in the breed and goes against the AKC breed standard, meaning breeders should actively try to avoid breeding pairs that would produce fluffy puppies. Though, every now and again a surprise fluffy is born, and he begins his journey to becoming a doggy supermodel. The reason behind fluffies being considered undesirable is that corgis were bred to be running through the mud and muck, herding livestock from sun up to sun down, so a coat that drags on the ground is a recipe for disaster.
The fluffy gene does not cause any other health issues, and it basically just makes him look like the Fabio of corgis. There are a few other breeds that carry this rare genetic mutation, such as Dalmatians, Rottweilers, and Weimaraners (you should probably go look up photos of them after this, because they’re adorable).
Rigby has been modeling for his photographer owner ever since he arrived home at 9 weeks old. At first he wasn’t entirely sure about being in front of the camera, but now as soon as he hears the zipper on the camera bag, he comes running. Rigby hams it up in front of the camera, and has even been featured in a few ad campaigns, magazine covers, TV commercials, calendars, and more—he even has his own instagram.
Hopefully this thicc pup has brought you a smile today and just maybe shown you that corgis can be majestic after all.
For more Rigby in your life, follow him on instagram: www.instagram.com/rigbyrumplebottom
All photos provided courtesy of Holly Hildreth photography: www.insatram.com/hhildrethphoto
www.hhildrethphoto.com
More info: hhildrethphoto.com%20
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