To keep your dog’s webbed paws healthy, you should also apply a paw balm to keep them hydrated and to prevent cracking. You should also check their paws for ticks, as these parasites will sometimes hide on the webbing between your dog’s feet. The extra webbing on your dog’s feet can also make them more likely to develop abscesses, cysts, and comedones.įor these reasons, it is essential to check between your dog’s toes for any foreign objects after they are outside and to clean their paws frequently to prevent infections. Since dogs with webbed paws have excess skin between their toes, items like dirt, sand, and rocks can easily get stuck between their feet. While there are many advantages to your dog having webbed feet, they require extra care to keep healthy. Are There Any Drawbacks To A Dog Having Webbed Feet? Snow dog breeds such as Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes also have partially webbed feet as it helps them walk and run faster on snow and ice by preventing their paws from sinking in the ground. These types of feet also help dogs dig faster, which is why dogs bred for burrowing, such as Dachshunds, tend to have thicker webbing on their paws. They also help with balance on difficult surfaces. Water pushes against the webbing on their paws, making it easier for them to swim faster and stronger.Īnother benefit of webbed feet is they help dogs walk easier on muddy or soft ground by giving their feet a better grip on the terrain. Are There Any Benefits To A Dog Having Webbed Feet?ĭogs with webbed feet have many benefits, which is why certain breeds evolved to have this trait.īreeds with webbed feet have a superior swimming ability compared to dogs with less webbing. You will commonly find webbed feet in breeds known for their swimming ability or for retrieving game in water during hunts. While their webbing is not as thick and wide as aquatic animals like ducks, breeders selectively bred for this trait in dogs that spend a considerable time in the water. If you look at your dogs’ feet, you will see they have a thin membrane of skin connecting their toes, even if they do not have webbed paws.ĭogs with webbed paws have a significantly thicker skin membrane between their toes than the average dog. In the womb, all dogs have webbed feet, but the majority of dogs lose most of the webbing as they develop. While you may think only certain breeds like Newfoundlands have webbed paws, this is technically not true.Īll dogs have some form of webbing on their paws. Their webbed feet, in addition, to their strong lung capacity and water-resistant coat, have helped them become fearless water rescue dogs that can swim in the roughest oceans. Newfoundlands do indeed have webbed paws, which help them tread water faster and make them strong swimmers. Since Newfoundlands are working water dogs, you may be wondering if they have webbed feet? This breed was developed by fishermen in Newfoundland to work on Canadian fishing boats and to perform water rescues in the icy and freezing waters of the North Atlantic. Newfoundlands are majestic dogs known as gentle giants due to their large size and sweet temperament.
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