

The Weimaraner’s webbed feet ensure that these dogs are also excellent swimmers, further adding to their versatility and popularity. Within mainland Europe they are popular choices for carrying out a range of varied and diverse working roles, including as police dogs, search and rescue dogs, and as assistance dogs to help people to lead independent lives. The Weimaraner dog breed is a handsome and distinctive looking grey-coated pointer, with origins in Germany and now, popularity across most parts of the world. There are even records of dogs of the breed saving people from the water that feel overboard, so it is fair to say that when it comes to canine swimmers, the Portuguese water dog is the leader of the pack! The Weimaraner Newfoundland dogs have webbed feet, and dogs of the breed tend to be keen and confident swimmers, being perfectly at home in the water and very good at swimming too! The Portuguese water dogĪs the name indicates, the Portuguese water dog has a long-recorded history of spending a lot of time in and around the water, and they were originally used by Portuguese fishermen, who worked the dogs and made the most of their affinity for swimming by using them to retrieve fishing nets from the sea. Their large size and imposing appearance belies their very kind, calm and gentle natures, which makes them an excellent choice of dog for people looking for a large, gentle breed that tends to be relaxed and easy going. The Newfoundland dog is a giant breed that is large and heavily built, and slow moving. This webbing also helps the dog to walk with more stability on muddy ground, such as when getting into and out of the water and in marshy or wet areas of land.ĭog breeds that commonly have webbing between their toes are all breeds that have a long-recorded history of working around water, being keen swimmers, and having a natural affinity for being in the water too! Next, we will look at five dog breeds that all share the trait of having webbed paws.

This webbing makes the surface area of the paw large and flat so that when paddling in water, the dog is able to gain more buoyancy and propulsion, making them able to swim faster and stronger than they would otherwise manage.
#WHICH DOGS HAVE WEBBED FEET SKIN#
Webbed paws are paws that have a thin, stretchy additional section of skin between the toes, so that the toes are joined together rather than being separated into individual digits. In this article we will share an introduction to five cool dog breeds that usually have webbed feet, and share some insights into how webbed feet helps water-loving dog breeds to swim and get around. Selective breeding to enhance this trait has played a part in the development of certain breeds too, so that today, there are several dog breeds that have webbed feet, which not everyone knows! But some breeds of dogs actually have webbed feet too, and for a few breeds, this is a standard breed trait that is perfectly normal and included within the breed standard.ĭog breeds with webbed feet have evolved in that way due to their natural affinities for water, and in many cases, these breeds have a long-recorded history of water retrieving or working in and around water, for which webbed paws is a distinct advantage. This can reach either part way up or nearly all the way up the toe.When we think of animals with webbed feet, we tend to think of ducks, otters and various other amphibious animals that can be found living in and around water sources.

Most commonly the second and third toes are webbed or joined by skin and flexible tissue. For example, the rare Hose's Civet, a viverrid endemic to northern Borneo, has partially webbed feet. There are various levels of webbing, from partial to complete. In humans it is considered unusual, occurring in approximately one in 2,000 to 2,500 live births. This is normal in many birds, such as ducks amphibians, such as frogs and mammals, such as kangaroos. It is characterised by the fusion of two or more digits of the feet.
