Different dog breeds have different types of feet and not a standard type for all as may be perceived.
Webbed feet in particular are feet with a skin membrane in between the toes. Just like a duck’s feet, webbed dog feet display partial webbing. From the different types of feet, it is intriguing to know what type of feet the Great Dane has and why.
So, do Great Danes have webbed feet? Great Danes do have a small degree of webbed feet which is normal to all dogs but not as prominent as dogs classified as having webbed feet. Dogs with webbed feet have webbing running up towards the tip of their toes. According to the standard breed description of the Great Dane’s feet, as described by the American Kennel Council, the Great Dane’s feet are compact, round, with well-arched toes with no toeing out or in nor rolling outside or inside.
In this article, you will learn the different types of dog feet, how to tell whether a dog has webbed feet or not, why Great Danes have a small degree of webbed feet and what dog breeds have webbed feet.
Are all dogs' paws webbed?
All dogs have paws that are webbed to a small degree by having a skin membrane in between the toes; however different dogs have different paw types depending on the structure of their paws and the prominence of the webbing along the length of their toes.
In rare circumstances webbed feet can be a result of a birth defect in some dog breeds.
There are different types of feet that dogs have apart from webbed feet which include:
- Hare feet
- Cat feet
- Spayed feet
- Paper feet
- Flat feet
- Polydactyly feet
- Fox-like feet
- Show-shoe feet
Recommended reading: Do Great Danes have docked tails?
How can you tell if your dog has webbed paws?
You can tell if your dog has webbed paws by checking in between their toes to determine whether there is a webbing pattern formed by a skin membrane between the toes. A webbed paw has a thin skin membrane between the toes.
All dogs have some level of webbing between their toes just as we humans have a small skin membrane between our fingers. However, the difference between dogs classified as having webbed paws and non-webbed dogs is the extent of the webbing along the length of their toes.
Webbed feet have the skin membrane extending towards the tip of the toes while dogs that are non-webbed only have a small proportion of the membrane between the toes.
The skin membrane allows dogs to have a better grip on different surfaces for easy movement and prevent falling.
Why are Great Danes' feet webbed?
Great Danes feet are webbed because this is a normal feature to all dogs, however, they are not classified as having webbed feet because the wedding is not as pronounced as dogs classified as having webbed feet.
The small degree of webbing of the Great Dane’s feet provides them with the stability to have a good hold on surfaces in different terrains to be able to walk and run.
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What dogs have webbed feet?
Dogs classified as having webbed feet have a partial webbing pattern formed by a skin membrane between the toes that resemble the webbed feet observed in aquatic animals such as frogs, ducks, or swans.
Dog breeds with webbed feet were originally bred to work in water, hunt, or dig to retrieve animals and webbed feet provided them the ability to perform well.
According to the American Kennel Club, dogs that have webbed feet include:
- Portuguese water dog
- Newfoundland
- Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever
- Labrador retriever
- American water spaniel
- German wirehaired pointer
- German shorthaired pointer
- Weimaraner
- Dachshund
- Otterhound
- Chesapeake Bay retriever
- Irish water spaniel
- Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever
Webbed feet help the dogs to:
- Have a lot of agility in water where they are better swimmers and can swim fast for long distances without drowning. Their webbed feet act as paddles to push through water easily.
- They offer protection, enhance grip and movement on different landscapes such as snow. Dogs can walk on all terrains on land such as muddy areas in swamps more efficiently without sinking or getting stuck.
- Dogs can dig faster because their feet act as shovels to remove more dirt from the ground.
Conclusion:
In this post, you got to learn more about webbed feet and whether Great Danes have webbed feet or not and what webbed feet are, and how they help a dog.
Webbed feet are not an uncommon trait in different dog breeds. Some are classified as having webbed feet while others have a small level of webbing in between toes and present different types of feet structure.
The Great Dane’s feet structure helps them to have a better grip on different surfaces they walk or run on.
If you liked this article you may also want to learn more from the below resources on Great Danes.