Do German Shepherds have Webbed Feet? Is It Normal? [The Perfect Guide 2023]

Like all other people, are you also concerned with the question, “Do German Shepherds have webbed feet?” Is it normal? German Shepherd with webbed feet. Normal or not?

Aquatic animals or dogs usually have webbed feet, and it is found predominantly in retrievers. What if German Shepherds also have webbed feet? Do webbed feet pose any serious health problems in German Shepherds?

The answers to all of your concerns are given below in this article.

Do German Shepherds have Webbed Feet? Is It Normal?

According to breed standards of the American Kennel Club, German Shepherds do not have webbing in their feet. Even though the paws of a German Shepherd have an extra layer of skin, the extra skin makes the paws intact. So we can say that German Shepherds have some webbing in their feet.

Hence, the answer to the question, do German Shepherds have webbed feet, is “Yes.”

Additionally, German Shepherds have compact and short feet. Not only pets but also humans have such an extra layer of skin around their fingers. Hence the extra layer of skin cannot be classified as fully developed webbed feet.

Can a Pure Breed of German Shepherd have Webbed Feet?

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), purebred German Shepherds are not classified concerning webbing. The American Kennel Club has also explained that a purebred German Shepherd has no webbing in its feet. Moreover, this means that webbed feet do not fall under breed standards.

Along with German Shepherds, other dogs also have a layer of skin around their paws that keep their paws intact. The extra layer can be considered webbing to some extent. In addition to this, there are rare cases where German Shepherd feet are webbed, and this can be hereditary.

If you check the dog’s webbed feet to determine whether it is purebred, then this approach is not good. The only way to determine purebred is by DNA testing and not webbing in paws.

What if My German Shepherd have Webbed Feet? Normal or Not?

As mentioned above, there are chances for German Shepherd to have fully developed webbed feet. Considering webbing while choosing a purebred is not a good approach, as purebred can have webbed feet. It is completely normal if your German Shepherd has webbed feet.

First thing first, do not panic. As long as your German Shepherd is not posing any serious health condition, be at peace with it. The second thing you will do is take your dog to the veterinarian to seek help. Give vet time to assess whether it is webbed feet or some extra layer of skin that is generally present in every dog.

If, in any case, your dog has webbing and is still healthy, then you should not be worried about this. Other than that, if your vet recommends surgery, then you have to listen to your vet. The sole reason for surgery can be to avoid any mishap in the future to your dog.

Hence, it is fine if your German Shepherd’s feet are webbed and your dog is healthy.

What are the Benefits of Webbed Feet in German Shepherds? – Do German Shepherds have Webbed Feet?

Generally, webbing is present in every dog, and it has several benefits, such as:

Swimming

Webbing in dogs allows them to move more efficiently through the water. Since the extra skin layer increases the foot’s surface area, this helps to paddle easily. Dogs with webbed feet are trained for retrieving and other games in the water.

Easy Walking in Slippery Areas

Additionally, a German Shepherd can easily walk in mud and other marshy places without slipping. While walking on boggy areas, such feet can prevent them from slipping.

Walking in Snow

As the extra skin layer under the paw increases the surface area, it prevents from sinking into the snow. Walking and running in the powdery snow becomes easy with webbed feet.

Efficient Digging

Unlike other dogs, German Shepherds’ feet are webbed and act as shovel blades. Moreover, with an increased surface area of the paw, the digging is efficient and quick.

You might need some fun toys for your German Shepherd for all these fetching and retrieving activities. So for that, you can review our guide on the best toys for German Shepherds.

Are There Any Health Issues If My German Shepherd Has Webbed Feet? Do German Shepherds have Webbed Feet?

Dogs are fun-loving, and they love fetching, walking, running, and retrieving. Webbing around the paws of a German Shepherd can help in intact body movements of a German Shepherd. Generally, the webbing does not cause any harm to your dog.

As long as you regularly clean the paws, your dog will not fall ill. Dogs who love swimming can have a higher chance of building bacteria around their paws, and the bacteria can cause infections in your dog if left unnoticed.

Moreover, if your dog does not swim still, you have to clean your dog’s paws. The reason behind cleaning the paws is to maintain hygiene. Sweating can occur in the paws, and the moisture can give a favorable environment for bacteria to grow.

Dogs can also contract fungal infections in their paws or toes, apart from bacterial infections. According to a veterinarian expert, dogs can have several infections due to bacteria or yeast known as Pododermatitis. It is inflammation or swelling of paw skin.

If you want to know more about the health issues of German Shepherd and the lifespan of German Shepherd, please have a look at our guide on the lifespan of German Shepherd and their medical conditions.

What if my German Shepherd has no Webbing?

Every animal has webbing in its feet to some extent. Likewise, if your dog has some extra layer of skin in its paws, then we can say that your dog has webbed feet. On the contrary, American Kennel Club does not consider the extra small layer of skin webbing.

Generally, the extra flap of skin serves the purpose of webbing. So we can say that every dog breed has webbing to some extent.

What Other Dog Breeds have Webbed Feet?

Some dogs have proper webbing around their toes. Such dogs are bred for retrieving and hunting purposes. These dogs have to perform extreme activities. The webbing around their toes will give them strength and a firm grip while running or hunting.

There are a few dog breeds that have webbing around their toes:

• Portuguese Water Dogs
• Labrador Retrievers
• Otterhounds
• Newfoundland
• Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
• Redbone Coonhoods
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers
• Dachshunds
• American Water Spaniels
• Weimaraner
• German Wire-haired Pointers

Conclusion

Do German Shepherds have webbed feet? The answer to this question is “YES.” Every dog breed and other animals have some webbing in their paws. According to AKC, the purebred cannot have webbing and does not fall under the breed standards.

You can call the extra layer of skin as webbing. The webbing in German Shepherd feet can help swim, dig, walk-in snow or marshy places, retrieve, and do hunting activities. Moreover, certain dogs breeds that perform retrieving and hunting activities have webbing in their paws.

The webbing has not caused any medical illness in a dog. Moreover, it is essential to keep the German Shepherd’s feet clean. After swimming, pat dries the German Shepherd’s feet to avoid bacterial or fungal infections.