#Paw webbed dog feet vs non webbed skin

#Paw webbed dog feet vs non webbed skin

The “webbing” of a dog’s paws is a membrane of connective tissue and skin between the dog’s toes. Webbed Dog Paws 101: Why Do Some Dogs Have Webbed Feet?

There are a number of breeds that have webbed paws, including Labs, poodles, dachshunds, and more.

Webbed paws help dogs swim more efficiently, but they’re also useful for digging and walking on soft or muddy surfaces.

All dogs start life with webbed feet, but most lose the majority of their webbing early in life.Read on to learn about 13 dog breeds with webbed feet - you may be surprised by some of the breeds listed below! Dogs with Webbed Feet: Key Takeaways In most cases, webbed paws help dogs to swim more efficiently, but there are a few more benefits to having webbed paws, which we’ll go through in more detail below. In fact, there are a number of dog breeds that have webbed feet. It helps them to swim, navigate soft and loose ground and provides some protection for the toes.Ĭheck your spaniel’s paws regularly for any cuts, damage and foreign bodies to help to keep them in healthy condition.Yep, you read that right, some dogs have webbed feet - they’re not just for ducks! Spaniels do have webbing between their toes. You can see our Top Paw Care Tips for Spaniels here. Keep on top of your spaniel’s paws with our paw care tips. It’s important to care for your spaniel’s paws to help to keep him in the best of health.įrequent washing and massaging can help to prevent a wide range of problems and infections. Your spaniel’s paws perform a multitude of tasks and, in addition to walking, running, digging they also contain sweat glands and scent glands which are used for temperature control and marking. The same should be done if you see you spaniel licking or biting his paws, he could have any injury or infection. The same can be said of thorns in the late summer and colder months, and if you live in areas where these are common then you should check your dog over frequently. Often these seeds are sharp and can pierce and get stuck in the webbed area which can become painful for a dog. I’ve found that during the summer months, grass seeds can be awful for spaniels. You should check your spaniel’s paws regularly for any sign of damage, cracking, tears or other injuries. Webbed paws are at no greater risk than unwebbed dog paws but, due to the nature of activity and work that you normally find a spaniel undertaking, your dog can be at a greater risk of injury to his paws than a non-working animal.

Perhaps unsurprisingly most breeds developed for hunting and shooting, which includes all of the spaniel breeds, have webbing between their toes to help them be more effective workers. The increased surface area of your spaniel’s paws helps him to navigate mud, snow and other soft areas that he might need to cross.Ī bit like a built in, mini doggy snow shoe. Webbing also plays an important role on soft surfaces. It is the same principle with your spaniel, the webbing increases the surface area, making him a much better and efficient swimmer. Imagine if you are swimming yourself, if you swim with your fingers apart then the water flows through your hand, whereas if you keep your fingers together and swim you generate more pulling power through the water. The webbing between a spaniel‘s toes helps him to be a more effective swimmer, it also serves to help to protect his paws from small irritations and foreign bodies such as thorns and mud.Ī webbed foot or paw provides your spaniel with greater power and ability whenever he is swimming. It is simply part of the composition of a dog’s paw.ĭogs have pads to help protect their paws and to provide them with grip and sensation as well as claws which are used to help with traction and jobs such as digging and scratching.

Just as humans have small amounts of skin between their fingers and toes, spaniels and other dogs have webbing between their toes. In some spaniels this webbing is more obvious than in others, typically the larger breeds such as the English Springer Spaniel tends to have thicker and more obvious webbing than the smaller breeds such as the Cavalier King Charles. If you look carefully between each toe then you will find a thin membrane of skin, that is quite delicate which resembles webbing. Regardless of the type of spaniel that you have, you’ll find that he has webbing between his toes. Final words All spaniels have webbed feet.Why do they have webbing on their paws?.