The function of nails
Gary post some pics showing the nails your talking about please. I am curious as mine all have the equvalant of bear claws lol as i can testify from the state of my kitchen hardwood. The only time I have seen "nubby" nails is if the dog has spent a lot of time on my concrete pads, then the nails become like what you describe, wear off very short and dont touch ground, happens during the summer here as I put them in the outside runs on rotation but in the winter with the snow they grow them back.
So i wonder if the pics are of dogs kept on concrete ? JMHO but my thoughts have always been the nails on a neo is the hardest aspect of grooming, not bathing, since the nails are so difficult to keep nice, almost wish I had farriar tools when cutting them
Replies (26)
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[size=12]Hi all, I often wonder about the function of the toenails on the Neoapolitan Mastiff and a few other breeds. In most breeds the nails seem to be positioned and constructed to be used as weapons for gouging or to assist in digging and foraging. So the nails will grow and curve down to touch the ground and can be somewhat extended when to dogs dig or grapple. I have yet to see a Neo whose nails appear to perform a function similar to what I described above. Maybe they are not supposed to. I am seeking info and not looking to start another battle over the Neo functionality. Just look back through the gallery and you will see that most of the Neo feet - the nails are little things that just seem to stick straight out and cannot touch the ground - not because of grooming. I will try to find and snip some photos to include. Please let me know your thoughts as I have always been curious about this.[/size] -
Yep-Your right Neo's feet are set differently then most breeds. The toes are webbed and the feet are very soft compared to a ddb even. -
Gary post some pics showing the nails your talking about please. I am curious as mine all have the equvalant of bear claws lol as i can testify from the state of my kitchen hardwood. The only time I have seen "nubby" nails is if the dog has spent a lot of time on my concrete pads, then the nails become like what you describe, wear off very short and dont touch ground, happens during the summer here as I put them in the outside runs on rotation but in the winter with the snow they grow them back. So i wonder if the pics are of dogs kept on concrete ? JMHO but my thoughts have always been the nails on a neo is the hardest aspect of grooming, not bathing, since the nails are so difficult to keep nice, almost wish I had farriar tools when cutting them
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Here is a picture of what I think your talking about.[br][img:width=560&height=243]{e_FILE}public/1239373334_11706_FT63239_azzuro-feet.bmp">
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The only nails I have to trim on mine is the dew claw . This due to the fact I road mine & when I do have to trim the dews , I use a deremel .
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I wonder if there is a procedure such as some sort of docking of nails for puppies? My male Tosa has always had very short nails, there's hardly any quick in them. My female has the so called bear claws.
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Jessica thats simalar to my concrete worn down guys, is yours trimmed ? John I dremel too because trying to cut them with nail clippers sounds like a .22 going off, are you on asphalt training , weird though the dews on mine are no where near as bad as the others? I need to call you too ! Tosamama oh we could only wish for a option with the bear clawed dogs
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im with you heidi...mine got bear claws
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Yes my Dearest Heidi you do need to call me ...LOL...& yes I do road him on blacktop with a bike for about 2mi 2x a week & dragging chains 1mi with 50lbs of chain total with me walking . I try to work him out 4-5 days a week .
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I once knew a Lab who dragged his feet on the sidewalk, and his owner never had to cut his nails, they were always short. maybe Neos tend to drag their feet?
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my daughters are certain the whole point of the dogs nails is to scratch the sh!t out of them when they go into the backyard to sunbathe....the red welts are rather appealing...free, temporary, body modification..and if they happen to run thru a tattoo...BONUS
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We have no cement in our dog runs so most dogs have longish nails. Not sure as to any purpose for the nails other than the dew claws. Ours use them to help grip and turn bones and objects when chewing. They will also use a dew claw to grip you with. i.e., if standing up will hook one into your collar bone to hold you/them in place. Many also use their legs and paws similar to a cat and are quite dextrous with them. Most can open doors with handles or round door nobs, some can manipulate the chain and ring catches on our farm gates with paws - nails don't seem to come in to that action though. I usually clean the nailsl with a scouring pad and then wipe with baby oil. A quick wipe after than and any residiual dirt comes off.
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My dogs have bear like claws and I never have to clip them due to running around on gravel paths etc., All of mine use there claws to open doors and it doesnt matter how they close unless you lock them they get in. One can open the fridge with his paw
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Sorry Heidi I must of pressed the wrong button and didn't realize my post didn't show a few days ago-That isn't my dogs feet. I think Gary is talking more over about the splayed feet. You know the Extra large feet that come with their own set of rolls? Am I right Gary?
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jessica did you use the quick reply ? my posts dont show if i use that option ahhh the icky pillow feet, the ones that are red and puffy and look like the dog is walking on airbags, give me a nice tight round paw any ol day, but just a little pet peeve of mine.
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I totally agree! Do you think it could be improved with exercise? Or is it purely just what it looks like?--An airbag!
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Keeping them on pea gravel will strenghten & tighten their paws.
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alot of the puffy feet if you look close you can see the interdigital cyst's between the toes, I have never had this in one of my own, so i dont know if it is genetic or what, penelope has fatter feet but she has never had a cyst or redness. The redness on some i suspect is a bit of demo or maybe staph infection from being kept in damp conditions, it looks painful and you see the dogs limping so you know it affects them. I said it was a pet peeve and I dont like it , its serious enough for me to exclude a dog from breeding because of it, I was watching a show on tv and seen a dog who i had always liked, a bit over done but still liked him then they panned out and i seen his feet and OMG well he was off my favorite list Carlos if you just have splayed toes on a loose foot a change in exercise,footing material and nutrition can straighten things out, I doubt some of the balloon feet i am talking about could be cured
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Westies have the same problem with the red inflamed feet they are prone to allergies so it probably has to do with genetics a change in diet might help unless they are kennel dogs on wet concrete or dirt I think the pea gravel would help keep them dry and tighten the paw.
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We discovered years back that red inflamed feet are usually becuase of a fungal infection, which if left untreated not only results in limping but progresses to interdigitial cysts. Mastino saliva seems to be acidic and if the dog licks the feet get a lot worse. A twice daily treatment with a fungal cream (i.e., caneston in Australia) will clear it up in a few days, but must be continued for a couple of weeks. Some people like the look of swollen feet and never treat and Mastino being such a stoic breed will learn to walk in pain without limping. It always amazes me in the showring with such specimens when judges award them. Cant understand why they don't dismiss them from the ring and advise vet treatment before further showing. Perhaps my thinking that health and soundness are vital is wrong??
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carlos if an allergy then yes it will clear uo after you adjust food, my girl mia had red feet on the underside up under the toes, after switching to a grain free diet have never had another problem, she didnt/doesnt have the condition we are talking about which is more serious a issue, i will see if i can find some really nasty feet and crop it down to show the foot and not the dog, dont wanna piss anyone off :) Nancy your not wrong in your thinking at all, I am happy to hear someone else disapprove of the horrid feet that is winning the blue in the rings, poor dogs I wonder how their owners would feel with something like that on their feet, run off wimpering to their dr yet their dogs dont get treated ugh
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[size=12]These are the type of nails I think the op was referring to [/size]
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Acromegaly.
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Goes nicely with gigantism and the need for more mass, weight and "presence". I do wonder if the enlargement of the feet is the cause of the nails appearing as they do.
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Oh, it also goes 'nicely' with thyroid disorders, arthritis, skin problems, upper airway obstruction, lethargy and cardiovascular disease.
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[quote1243537732=Carlos1122] Keeping them on pea gravel will strenghten & tighten their paws. [/quote1243537732] In my experience (and drawing on others') pea gravel causes their feet to splay out in order to prevent their feet from sinking in. Average size (just under an inch or so) gravel is usually much better.
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