Cane Corso has a lot of distinct features that stand out, adding to its immense charm. But do Cane Corso have webbed feet?
Some Cane Corso do have webbed feet, while some don’t end up developing them. Some may have slightly webbed feet, which you may not be able to notice unless you look very closely. Since these large dogs aren’t prone to swimming long distances, they aren’t in need of webbing in their feet to support this.
Many dog owners don’t realize that some dogs have webbed feet and that this unique feature serves many purposes for dogs. If you end up adopting a Cane Corso with webbed feet, you’ve found a unique pup.
Do Cane Corso Have Webbed Feet?
Cane Corso was not bred to swim, so over time, some of them ended up not developing webbed feet. Webbed feet typically help dogs swim, but webbing does also have other purposes for dogs. However, Cane Corso without webbed feet isn’t hindered in their abilities.
If your Cane Corso doesn’t have webbed feet, it’s not a cause for concern. They don’t need the webbing to move around.
Cane Corso, like other dogs, will be born with webbed feet. If you don’t notice this feature when they are babies, they aren’t going to develop webbing over time. It’s essentially the luck of the draw whether or not your Cane Corso will have webbed feet; genetics don’t seem to predetermine this trait.
However, genetic disorders may lead to webbed feet. There is a belief that dogs born with Down’s syndrome often have webbed feet. It’s also believed that the 21st chromosome within dogs is what determines whether or not they have webbed feet.
Why Do Some Dogs Have Webbed Feet?
Dogs have webbed feet to help them maintain stability when doing a variety of activities. This might include running, jumping, or digging. The surface area of a webbed foot is obviously larger to help pups remain stable when they engage in any sort of physical activity.
Dogs have also developed webbed feet to allow them to swim better. This would be useful for dogs who used to work or would perhaps accompany their humans into the water for fishing or swimming. These webbed feet let a dog paddle with more efficiency and power to help keep them afloat, especially if they are larger.
There are a few dogs that still have webbed feet, including dachshunds, poodles, Labrador retrievers, Newfoundlands, and otterhounds. Some of these breeds benefit greatly from this webbing, especially when it comes to swimming.
Why Do Only Some Cane Corso Have Webbed Feet?
As with other dogs, a Cane Corso’s webbed feet would serve many functions. For example, webbed feet would offer them more stability after jumping, so they could land safely on their feet. This also allows their weight to be distributed more evenly throughout their feet to aid in safe landing, so they could avoid getting injured when jumping from a high place.
Webbed feet can also help your Cane Corso’s speed. This type of footing helps a dog gain more momentum as they walk, jog, or run. They are able to pick up speed as they go without losing balance or ease of movement. Webbing doesn’t make much of a difference with Cane Corso, but it may with other dogs.
Through a dog’s evolution, they may lose some features if they are no longer useful to them. Some dogs will also adapt to their new normal and gain some attributes. Cane Corso has always been pretty agile, capable dogs as far back as they’ve been around, so they don’t really need webbed feet anymore.
Evolution isn’t an exact science, so some Cane Corso hasn’t lost this attribute.
Why Don’t Cane Corso Need Webbed Feet?
Since Cane Corso doesn’t usually swim and is capable of other activities that webbing helps, they don’t really need it. When these dogs were hunters, they were able to catch up with prey and overpower them easily. Cane Corso has been known to be so powerful that they could even overpower lions and bears.
As guard dogs, webbing serves them no real purpose, as their stare is intimidating enough for most potential intruders. They would rely on their other senses in order to detect potential danger. They are very smart and alert dogs and love nothing more than keeping their human family safe.
When Cane Corso was farming dogs, they were able to trot around the farm, dig around, jump, and climb with ease, since their arms and legs are muscular and athletic. After all, their Italian name does mean sturdy dog, which is very fitting.
What Do Webbed Feet Look Like?
The easiest way to determine whether or not your Cane Corso has webbed feet is to look at their back paws, separating their toes. If you see skin that connects their toes to each other, their feet are webbed. They may also have the same feature on their front paws.
The webbing on a dog’s paws is similar to webbing you would see on ducks or other animals that live in water. The webbing is just not typically as pronounced and easy to see, since there are pads, fur, and fingers or toes that surround the webs. You might only see it when they stretch their paws out.
It might be a little bit harder to see this feature on your Cane Corso since their feet are so large. The webbing might also be fairly indistinguishable depending on the size of the webs. If their paws are especially furry, it may be even harder to find webbing.
Can Cane Corso With Webbed Feet Swim?
Cane Corso with webbed feet might find it slightly easier to swim, but these big dogs aren’t recognized for having good swimming skills. They are pretty heavy, making it difficult for them to hold their weight up to float for very long.
The webbing may end up boosting their momentum, helping them push their bodies along the water more easily. It won’t do much more than that, unfortunately. It may help them keep themselves above water for a little longer than if they didn’t have webbed feet, but unless your Cane Corso learns to swim, it won’t magically turn them into swimmers.
How Else Can Webbed Feet Help Cane Corso?
Webbed feet can make it easier for Cane Corso to trek through mud and dirt. Webbing can make it easier for their feet to push themselves up when walking on mud so they don’t end up slipping or sinking. Cane Corso isn’t clumsy dogs, so having no webbing between their toes isn’t going to stop them from splashing in a puddle or playing in the mud.
Webbing can also help when it comes to digging, which Cane Corso absolutely loves to do when given the chance. That said, you won’t notice much of a hindrance on a Cane Corso’s digging and hiking abilities with or without webbed paws.
Does Cane Corso Have Strong Paws?
Cane Corso is born with large paws, and their paws only seem to grow bigger as they do. Their paws are also quite strong, though they are gentle dogs. Despite how big and muscular these pups are, they are actually quite careful with their bodies knowing just how powerful they are, even with small children.
If they’re bored, Cane Corso can become pretty destructive, and their strong paws can do a lot of damage. They aren’t prone to this behavior if they are given some fun toys to play with and have outdoor time for exercise and play. Despite what one might assume based on their looks, Cane Corso isn’t aggressive, and they’re very obedient when their needs are met.
A Cane Corso’s back paws are also large, allowing them to jump very high. Cane Corso is known to be able to jump up to six feet high, given their big paws and strong legs. These big dogs have a long stride and could run quite fast if they wanted to.
One thing to be mindful of is Cane Corso is known to paw at their humans when they’re looking for attention. They’ll likely do their best to be gentle, but the pawing could end up hurting. If you stop petting them or playing with them, they might keep pawing at you until you give in.
Final Thoughts
There’s no simple answer when asking do Cane Corso have webbed feet; it’s truly the luck of the draw, as well as which genetics these gentle giants develop. Since Cane Corso had many other jobs that didn’t require swimming skills, the webbing of their paws slowly faded through evolution. Some Cane Corso will have some webbing between their toes, while others won’t have any at all.
Even though most of these pups don’t have webbed feet, they have many other unique traits that make them capable of so much. They are strong, powerful, intelligent dogs that can also be the sweetest and most loyal companions ever.