We love dogs, don’t you? So here is our list of incredible dog paw facts. You may not think much about them, but they are very important for your pup! For instance, when dogs get stressed out, they tend to lick or chew on their paws.
Dogs that like to swim risk softening their paw pads and tearing them more easily. And just like their human friends, dogs can get burns and blisters on their paws! Ouch! So be careful in extremely cold or hot weather, as well as around chemicals like rock salt.
Fun Facts about Dog’s Paws
1 Hare Feet!
Some dogs have “hare feet,” which are feet with a longer middle toe.
2 Cat Feet?
Some dogs have “cat feet,” meaning they have a third digital bone, which is shorter.
3 Stretch Those Toes!
The Newfoundland breed has the longest doggy toes, followed by the Labrador Retriever.
4 Double Digits
Some breeds, like the Beauceron, have double dewclaws.
5 The Dewclaw Digit
A dog’s dewclaws are sort of like thumbs on a human.
6 Sweaty Palms – Er, Paws
The paws have an inner skin layer that contains sweat glands – gross!
7 Warm and Cozy
A dog’s paw pads have a layer of fat for extra protection and warmth.
Related: Facts about Boxer Dogs
8 A Car Analogy
The digital and metacarpal pads are to a dog as the shock absorbers are to a car.
9 Five Parts to Paws
They are the claws, digital pads, metacarpal pad, dewclaw, and carpal pad.
10 These Old Bones
Dogs have 319 bones, many of which are located in or near the paws.
11 Dogs Paws can smell like Fritos?
If you think that your dog’s feet smell like corn chips, you might be right. These are often referred to as “Frito feet!” And apparently most dogs like to have their feet massaged because it improves circulation! The name “paw” is probably derived from the Old French word for “shoe” or “clog.”
Also read: Facts about Dogs
Video: Common Dog Paw Problems that you must NOT IGNORE
If you love your dogs, be sure to watch this video to learn about dog paw problems that may require intervention or a visit to your veterinarian.
Finally, learn why dogs tilt their heads – such an interesting topic.
I’m Natalie Garcia and I started this website to share my love of trivia, facts and fun knowledge tidbits. We cover things like celebrity gossip, historical facts, tv shows, world leaders and just odd and random fun things. I started this site to have some fun with my hobby and share some useful information with you, our community. Please feel to send me your suggestions and feedback through the contact form. And if you have suggestions for things to write about, please shoot me a message!
