Introduction
A dog's paws are a fascinating aspect of its anatomy. But what most people don't realize is that those paws are special.
To start off it is important to know that, unlike humans and bears for example, a dog walks on its toes. Although the dog's front limbs resemble that of the human arm with a shoulder, upper arm and forearm, they are still quite different. The human wrist is analogous to the canine pastern joint, the back of the hand is the dog's pastern, and the fingers form the dog's paws.
In the back end of the dog, the upper part of the dog's body does parallel the human leg structure. The leg consists of an upper thigh joined at the hip and knee and lower thigh leading from knee to heel. The dog's heel does not touch the ground, however; it is represented by the hock joint and the human foot becomes the dog's rear pastern, and the human toes are his rear paws.
The dog's paws help to absorb the shock of jumping and running as well as provide traction and flexibility of movement. However, the paws on a dog are only as good as the dog's total structure, for they bear the burden of poor shoulders and hindquarters as the animal moves. Structural faults such as straight or loose shoulders, straight stifles, loose hips, and lack of balance between the front and rear structure, can all cause gait abnormalities that in turn lead to damage to pasterns and feet.
Each foot has four pads, each with a toenail. In addition to the four claws, some breed have dew claws. Dew claws are a fifth toe located on the inside of the paw that do not touch the ground. Dew claws on the rear legs are usually removed as a puppy because they tend to catch on obstacles and tear. The front dew claws are generally left alone. Removal of the dew claws usually occurs within a few days of birth as the nerves are not completely active yet.
Toenails
Just as humans must regularly trim their fingernails and toenails, so must dogs. Nails should be trimmed to a suitable length, short enough to avoid unnecessary scratching yet long enough to prevent leg strain. It is possible that nails may grind down if the dog's exercise area consists of concrete, but typically nail trimmings will be required. When trimming nails it is best to use a trimmer specifically created for pets. Browse through nail and paw care section at Pet Supplies 4 Less.
When trimming a dog's nails it is important to remember that end of the nails are dead tissue and safe to clip but clipping to far will cause the nail to bleed. The blood supply, also called the quick, appears as a dark line in white nails but is nearly impossible to see in dark nails. Clipping only a small bit at a time starting with the sharp, curved portion of the nail and working back slightly toward the paw will help avoid cutting the quick. When clipping and trimming nails it is helpful to have a styptic powder such as Blood Stop or Clotisol on hand that can be applied if bleeding occurs.
In order to ease the nail trimming process, it is a good idea to accustom puppies early on to having their feet handled. If a puppy is use to having their feet handled they are more likely to sit still through the process as they age. Adult dogs may cause more difficulty when it comes to having their nails trimmed.
Dog owners can get a demonstration of nail trimming technique from their veterinarian during puppy check-up visits. Squeamish owners can, of course, make an appointment with a groomer to trim their dog's nails.
Different paws for different dogs
Although basically the same, paws may be shaped slightly different among different breeds.
Certain breed standards, such as Akitas, Doberman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers, Kuvaszes, Newfoundlands, Airedale Terriers, Bull Terriers, Keeshonds, Finnish Spitzes, and Old English Sheepdogs, specify "cat feet," which are the result of short third digital bones.
These compact feet require less energy to lift, allowing the dog to conserve energy and increase his endurance in the field.
"Hare feet" are elongated with the two center toes longer than the side toes.
Breeds with hare feet include several of the toy breeds, Samoyeds, Bedlington Terriers, Skye Terriers, Borzois, and Greyhounds.
Breeds that work in water tend to have webbed feet.
Newfoundlands, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Portuguese Water Dogs, Field Spaniels, and German Wirehaired Pointers are among the breeds with webbed feet.
Some breeds of dogs have lots of hair on their feet and between their toes.
Exhibitors usually trim this hair for a neat appearance in the show ring, and pet owners may consider trimming to avoid caking of ice in the hair during the winter months.
