Dog paws are made up of five main parts:
- Claws
- Digital pads
- Metacarpal pad
- Dewclaw
- Carpal pad
Fun Fact #1: Dogs Sweat Through Their Paws.
If you have ever wondered if dogs sweat, they do! Just not from where you’d expect.
Dogs sweat through their paws. In combination with panting, the sweat glands in their paws help to keep them cool. Sweaty paws can also help with traction.
Fun Fact #2: They Smell Like Fritos for a Reason.
Your dog’s paws smell like corn chips because they contain normal, everyday bacteria. According to Hampton Veterinary Hospital, it’s usually from Proteus or Pseudomonas, both of which are naturally present in the environment.
Combine that bacteria with your dog’s sweaty paws and you’ve got Fritos!
Fun Fact #3: Some Breeds Have ‘Hare Feet’.
Dogs with hare feet have two elongated central toenails.
A dog that has hare feet doesn’t mean they are adept at the bunny hop. Rather, they are used for speed in slender running breeds like Greyhounds, whippets, and Borzois.
Fun Fact #4: Webbed Feet Aren’t Just for Swimming.
Everyone knows that webbed feet are for swimming. Breeds like labradors, Newfoundlands, and Doberman pinschers have webbed feet.
However, they are also useful for walking through muddy terrain, trudging through the snow in cold weather, and digging, especially for hunting dogs like pointers, Portuguese water dogs, retrievers, Akitas, terriers, and dachshunds.
Fun Fact #5: They Can Tell You a Lot About Your Dog’s Health.
Watch your dog’s body language carefully. Does your dog obsessively chew or lick its paws? This is a major sign of stress and anxiety.
It’s important to get your pup checked out by a vet or veterinary behaviorist if this is the case. Monitor your dog’s claws, all of your dog’s paw pads (especially the metatarsal pad) to ensure an infection doesn’t set in.
Allergies & Skin Conditions.
In addition to signaling stress, your dog’s toes can tell you about any possible allergies or infections they are suffering from.
The skin around your dog’s legs and paws is one of the most prominent parts of a dog that are affected by allergies. Check for any unusual redness, dry, flaky skin, abrasions, blisters, or abnormal growths.
If your pup’s paws are both excessively oily and dry, they could be over-producing keratin.
Nail injury
Be very careful when trimming your dog’s nails. Their front and rear paws contain blood vessels that are very painful when the quick is cut.
To avoid cutting the quick and learn how to trim your dog’s nails with confidence.
Fun Fact #6: Dogs Walk on Their Toes.
Unlike human dog owners, who bear more weight on their heels, dogs walk on their toes. This means they are what’s called a “digitigrade” mammal, an animal that walks on its toes without its heels touching the ground.
Protect Your Dog’s Paw to Ensure Overall Health & Wellness.
