do border collies have webbed feet?
Many times you have seen that collies kept their feet moving underwater. Due to this, everyone always has a suspicion regarding do border collies have webbed feet. This article will provide you with in-depth knowledge regarding do border collies have webbed paws and the reasons and advantages behind it.
You may be surprised to know that border coolies have minimal webbing between their toes. It can be said that it’s extra skin that is connected between their toes. By this, they attain extra steady footing or any type of slippery surfaces. Although they do not have any definite type of webbing structure such as Labrador Retrievers, but they are capable of performing any task with such toes.
Know What’s Webbing?
Before getting aware of the fact regarding do border collies have webbed feet, let us understand what is webbing in toes. Webbing generally refers to the development of extra skin that connects each toe of the dogs. Such webbing makes some breeds of dogs to paddle against the water and swims through it. Border collies usually have their extra skin only halfway to the length of their toes which cannot be practically called complete webbed feet. But many researchers have said that collies get an extra edge with such partially formed webbed feet.
Benefits to Collies of Webbed Feet:
There are several reasons to do border collies have webbed paws. One of the primary ones is to make them able to walk on rough terrain. The Collie breeds of dogs are usually considered as a herding breed from ancient times. They were generally found in the hills of Northern England and Scotland.
Their work was to tear the uneven fields and jump off the cliffs and protect their herd. Their webbed paws gave them extra comfort to perform such tasks easily over other breeds of dogs.
So in case you are a proud owner of a Collie, you will be surprised to know that they are wonderful in the running on various terrains. May it be sand, dirt, gravel, or any kind of slippery ground, they can easily keep their grip firm on any type of surface. The scientific reason behind this is that their webbed toes increase the area of contact with the ground and thus provides them with extra stability. The pressure exerted on the ground is also evenly spreader on the ground and distributes its weight equally.
Helpful in Winters:
The collie breeds of dogs are usually native to wet, windy, and winter areas such as Wales, Ireland, Scotland, etc. Such areas are covered with snow in extreme winter seasons. Due to the webbed feet of Collie, they can easily manage to walk on snow without slipping.
Helps to Swim:
Do Border Collies like water; yes, they love water too. Due to their webbed feet, they can easily swim in the water. Do you know the fact that some breeds of dogs, such as Portuguese water dogs, were specifically bred to work in aquatic conditions? So are the collies.
Although their webbed feet are not developed to a prime level still they have proved to have quite a water efficiency too. Due to their slightly webbed feet, they can somehow manage to propel against the water and thus can swim faster
Provides Them Ability to Dig:
As mentioned before that Collies are herding breeds of dogs and are habitual in digging holes in the ground for surviving in wild climatic conditions. Such talent in them has given them a lot of opportunities to survive and adjust themselves to the harsh climate. They are even capable of shifting dirt from the mountain and a lump of snow if needed. In short, their paws are equipped with lots of energy because of their webbed structure of feet.
Do All Breeds of Collies are Gifted With Webbed Feet:
You should know the fact that every pure breed of Coolie is gifted with webbed feet. Some e breeds of Collies have more pronounced webbed feet than others. Welsh Collies, Rough Collies, too, are gifted with webbed feet together with the glorious coat.
Some Other Facts Regarding do border collies have webbed feet:
Apart from their webbed feet, the dogs are extremely intelligent and sensitive breeds of dogs. They fall in the category of herding breeds. Their height is about 22 to 26 inches weighing around 50 to 70 pounds, with a life expectancy of around 12 years. They are known for their loyalty and are always ready to serve their owner’s needs. They are also easily adaptable with the families and are cooperative if left alone for few hours of a day. If you provide the Collies with full love and care, they may be returned 100 times the same with you and your family members. Here are some of the common traits of Collies-
- Easily adaptable in both apartments and independent houses
- Great for any new owner
- Sensitive but can leave alone
- Can tolerate both cold and hot weather conditions
- Easy to train and intelligent
- Shedding problems
- Tendency to howl and bark under some circumstances
- Playful and energetic
Some Personal Insights About Collies:
Such dogs are usually quiet until they have any particular reason to become aggressive and bark. They tend to bark more if left alone due to boredom. Each variety of Collie needs regular grooming, especially Rough Collie, to keep their coat mess-free. Many breeds of Collies are sensitive to Ivermectin medications that are particularly used to prevent heartworm disease in dogs.
The temperament of Collies:
As mentioned earlier, Collies are gentle, sweet, and friendly. They are considered one of the best breeds of a family dog. They are fond of kids too. If you are planning to own and Collie, your kids will love him as Collie loves to protect and play with children. Another quality of these amazing breeds of dog is their high loyalty level. The intelligence and trainability of the Collies are also magnificent. They are self trainers and adjust themselves according to the surroundings. There are several stories in which Collie has put their lives in danger to save their owners from different threats such as an attack of shark and other threats.
You can easily set the temperament of this dog by providing them effective training and make them aware of the socialization.
Health Conditions in Collies:
Collies are usually healthy, but like other breeds of dogs, they too are prone to certain medical conditions. So in case you are planning to buy a Collie pup, make sure to buy it from a standard breeder to ensure the purity of the breed. In Collies, you can expect the below-mentioned diseases, so its better to take precautionary methods beforehand-
Dermatomyositis:
It is a skin disorder that is inherited. Such a disease causes muscle problems and creates lesions. Experts say that nearly 70% of breeds of Collies, including Smooth and Rough Collie, can be its carrier. Research is even conducted to understand the problem behind it.
Collie Nose Problems:
Such disease is also called nasal solar dermatitis, and in such conditions, the nose of the collie usually oozes, peels, or loses its colors. In case such conditions are left untreated, it may develop into cancer. One can take precautions by saving the nose of the Collies from extreme and direct sunlight. You can use tattooing of black ink or sunscreen for this purpose.
Collie Eye Disease:
Such conditions in Collies can also make them blind. The symptoms of this disease are swelling and abnormalities in the eyes that are easily visible. Other symptoms include thinning of the outer coat of eyes, formation of the choroid in the inner coat of eyes, and detachment of the retina from its eyes. The chances of this disease are maximum from birth till 2 years of its age. The disease is untreatable. Other related diseases ifs PRA or Progressive Retinal atrophy, and it also involves the deterioration of the retina in Collies. As the disease spread, your Coolie can lose its daytime vision and ultimately lose its complete vision.
Other Dogs Who are Gifted With Webbed Feet:
There are several breeds of dogs other than Collies that possess webbed feet. In most cases, such dogs have a stable running capacity and are good swimmers too. It is also the fact that nearly all breeds of dogs take birth with webbed feet, but in a maximum of cases, their webbing of toes eliminates from their body as they grew up. Below are some of the breeds of dogs that are equipped with permanent webbed feet.
Labrador Retrievers:
Nearly all of us are familiar with such a breed of dogs that are friendly and possess affectionate nature. They serve well at home and also are great police dogs due to their intelligence and sociable qualities. They possess a double-layer coat that is waterproof together with complete webbed feet to swim effectively in the water.
Newfoundland:
They have much thicker fur than Labrador, and this is because they have to survive in extreme conditions. Their coats too are waterproof and they one of the experts in hunting fishes in the water.
Poodles:
The small, clever, and cute Poodles also have webbed feet. Not only they are equipped with webbed feet they also love water and like to swim. Such dogs are great both indoor and outdoor but require constant grooming.
Portuguese Water Dog:
Such dogs also fall in the category of herding dogs similar to Callie. They too have webbed feet. They help the fisherman to pull their net and catch and separate the fishes if properly trained. They do save much time for the fisherman due to such qualities. Other breeds of webbed feet dogs include-
- American Water Spaniel
- German White Haired-Pointer
- German Short-haired Pointer
- Dachshund and many more.
Some Common FAQs:
QUE: What breeds have webbed feet?
Dog breeds with webbed feet include Dachshund, German shorthaired pointer, German wirehaired pointer, American Water Spaniel, The Portuguese Water Dog, Poodles, Labrador retriever, etc.
QUE: How do you tell if your dog is a border collie?
You can identify such digs easily. Their coat is commonly black and possesses a white stripe on their face, neck, tail tip, and legs. Their color may vary from tricolor, bicolor, or any dark solid color excluding white.
QUE: Do rough collies have webbed feet?
Yes, rough collies have webbed feet, which allows them to run faster, provides better grip, and ability to turn quicker than other breeds.
QUE: Which of these dog breeds has unusual webbed feet?
The working dog found in Newfoundland has exceptional webbed feet that allow them to swim easily in water. They are usually kept to hunt fishes and rescue people in the water.
QUE: Do webbed feet of dogs help when walking above different kinds of surfaces?
Webbed feet of dogs help dogs to travel on several types of surfaces such as muddy, slippery, sandy, etc. They can easily walk on such surfaces without falling or slipping.
QUE: Does Border collies’ webbed feet are much helpful during the winter?
The webbed feet of collies are quite helpful in winter as it enables them to walk easily on snow.
QUE: Do Border collies’ webbed feet are beneficial for swimming?
Yes, their webbed feet of collies make them easier to swim, digging, running, etc., with stability.
QUE: Benefits of Having Webbed Paws?
Such webbed paws make a dog easier to run on different types of surfaces, including snow. Such dogs also can swim.
QUE: Do Australian shepherds have webbed feet?
A pure breed of Australian shepherd does not possess webbed feet. However, a cross-bred Australian shepherd may or may not come with webbed feet.
I hope that you are well satisfied with the reasons behind do border collies have webbed feet. Collies are perfect in the way that God has made them. They are smart, athletic, and have pleasing personalities that attract every one of us. Their webbed feet give them extra advantages over other breeds of dogs. It is really an honor to become an owner of such an excellent breed of dog.