The study welcomes purebred dogs, mixed-breed dogs, and unknown breed dogs – literally any dog! This is because, when we start analyzing data, we will need to make comparisons between breeds (comparing water breeds with non-water breeds), and we also want to compare water breeds to size- and weight-matched dogs that are of mixed or unknown breed. Literally any dog can be enrolled, as long as he/she is over one year of age. Webbed paws help dogs swim more efficiently, but they’re also useful for digging and walking on soft or muddy surfaces. We also collect a cheek swab for potential future DNA studies these are not slated to start anytime soon, so right now they’re just being banked. We measure the dog’s height (unless the dog already has an AKC height recorded), and then take about a dozen measurements of the feet, including the length of the tissue between the dog’s toes. But they’re closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. A close look at a cootthat small head, those scrawny legsreveals a different kind of bird entirely. The data we are collecting is entirely non-invasive and non-painful for the dog, although it helps if the dog isn’t too ticklish about having his/her feet touched. The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. We’ve collected data at three TCOTC events already, and we hope to come to more. Therefore, we set out to scientifically investigate these questions, and TCOTC, due to its proximity to the University of Minnesota, and the large number and variety of events held there, was a great place to start. So, what makes a dog foot “webbed” … or not? Searching the scientific literature brought up zero answers, and, to make the situation more confusing, a breed that typically loves the water, and is usually considered to have webbed feet – the Labrador Retriever – does not even have the word “webbing” in its official AKC breed standard. All dogs, no matter the breed, size, or like/dislike for water, have tissue between their digits. The webbed paws are extra useful in letting felines keep a consistent balance. The webbed feet feline has an easy time while following their prey. The webbed feet of the feline’s help them walk effortlessly and quietly. Have you ever heard that dogs who love to swim have webbed feet? And have you ever stopped to ask yourself “What exactly are webbed feet, anyway?” Do water-breeds (like American Water Spaniels, Portuguese Water Dogs, etc.) really have anything different about their feet compared to non-water breeds?Ī group of us at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine asked ourselves these same questions and realized that there is no scientific definition of “webbed feet”. Five Reasons That Cats Have Webbed Feet Five: Having webbed paws allows cats to swim all the more easily.
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