The Corgi of Coral Gables
The City Beautiful is so dog-obsessed that even a Pembroke Welsh Corgi can become a local celebrity. Nine-month-old Daphne is known both around town and on Instagram as “the Corgi of Coral Gables.” She is already a fan-favorite among the staff at the dog-friendly Biltmore Hotel.
Her mom, Paola Arencibia, created the social media account as a cute way to show what was going on in the city. One of her posts was of Daphne posing in front of The Biltmore, her ears bracketing the tower. Arencibia tagged The Biltmore Hotel, and after the staff saw it, they invited her and the dog to spend the night. Since then, Daphne’s become a regular visitor.
Arencibia first fell in love with the Corgi breed in college when a friend was house-sitting nearly a dozen of them for a woman who showed dogs. “They were like people; they were just so sentient,” Arencibia said. “They had so much personality I couldn’t believe it.”
At the time Arencibia was introduced to the Corgis, they were – and still are – a breed made famous by Queen Elizabeth of England, who has kept Corgis for 74 years. Over that period, she owned more than 30 corgis, the last of which died in October. The American Kennel Club describes the breed as “a big dog in a small package… fearless and independent.”
Arencibia, who grew up in the Gables, says Daphne has personality to the point of being “quirky.” One of the dog’s favorite pastimes is laying on her back and being dragged around the house on a leash. “She’s got a little bit of Coral Gables [in her],” says Arencibia, adding the caveat: “She’s supposed to be refined, but she isn’t.
