Everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth's dogs

The corgi breed has become synonymous with Queen Elizabeth and the royal family.

Throughout her seven-decade-long reign, Her Majesty has famously had an inseparable bond with her dogs, most of which have been corgis — though her newest addition, a cocker spaniel named Lissy, marks a departure from that tradition.

The royal is often pictured doting on her faithful canine companions and has always strived to feed and walk them herself.

To the Queen, they are integral members of the family. Here, 9Honey tells you everything you need to know about the monarch's iconic pets.

READ MORE: The lifelong bond between Queen Elizabeth and her corgis

How many dogs has the Queen had in her lifetime?

The Queen has owned more than 30 corgi and dorgis (a dachshund-corgi mix). It was in 1933 that the House of Windsor welcomed its first corgi, with Elizabeth's father King George VI bringing home Dookie. The princess was seven years old at the time.

The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, was gifted her very own corgi, Susan, on her 18th birthday. She adored Susan so much, the dog even accompanied her and husband Prince Philip on their honeymoon in 1947.

In her lifetime, the Queen has bred 14 generations of corgis, with Pembroke Welsh Corgis the preferred breed. Every corgi the Queen has owned has been a descendent of Susan.

How many dogs does the Queen have in 2022?

While many of the Queen's corgis have passed away, she still has four dogs — two corgis, one dorgi and a cocker spaniel.

Candy is the eldest dog of the four. It is believed the dorgi has been around for at least 10 years. Her Majesty is credited with creating the hybrid breed, as it came about when one of her dogs mated with her sister Princess Margaret's dachsund, Pipkin.

Candy is one of the four dogs who posed with the Queen for her special 90th birthday portrait series in 2016 — Willow, Vulcan, and Holly also appeared in the pictures but have since died.

READ MORE: The Queen's surprisingly sentimental names for her new corgis

The Queen has two other corgis, which were gifted to her in 2021. One of them, named Muick, was among two corgi pups given to her by Prince Andrew when Prince Philip was in hospital. Sadly, Muick's sidekick, named Fergus, passed away within four months.

A replacement corgi pup (whose name has not been reported) was gifted to Her Majesty on what would have been Philip's 100th birthday in June 2021.

Recently, to mark the Queen's 70th year on the throne, she was given an award-winning cocker spaniel named Lissy. This is the first pup the Queen has acquired that has not been a corgi, breaking a family tradition.

Why does the Queen love corgis?

Since her family welcomed Dookie when she was seven, the Queen has formed an incredibly close bond with with breed.

In a TV interview in 2012, Prince William said the corgis were the secret behind the monarch's happiness.

"I would definitely argue the sanity of all the corgis barking the whole time, I don't know how she copes with it," he remarked.

According to The Express, when feeling overwhelmed by any social situation, the Queen copes by dipping down to feed her corgis under the table.

READ MORE: The Queen needed stiches after trying to break up a Corgi fight

Does the Queen walk her dogs?

It is reported the Queen does in fact walk her dogs twice a day.

The first walk she takes them on, when the Queen is accompanied by a footman, is after they have received their lunch. The second walk of the day is typically around the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Princess Diana was once quoted dubbing the royal corgis a "moving carpet" because they follow the Queen around everywhere.

Who takes care of the Queen's corgis?

When not accompanying the Queen around the palace, the corgis are looked after by palace staff and fed by chefs. According to Brian Hoey in the book Pets by Royal Appointment, the Queen's corgis are fed at 5pm every evening.

There is no canned food for the monarch's canine companions, instead they dine on a filet of steak and chicken breast that has been expertly prepared.

Their food is created with fresh ingredients, with a menu that is typed up daily and placed in the kitchen. The pups' meals are often hand-delivered by a footman and sometimes the Queen herself will pour gravy over their meals before they eat.