An extra toe on a puppy's hind paw is called a wolf toe. Generally speaking, a dog's front paw has five toes, one of which is on the side, and that is the wolf toe in front. The hind foot usually has only four toes. If there are five toes on the hind foot, the extra toes are wolf toes.
It is said that the wolf's toe is a degenerate phenomenon because the front and back of the wolf's toe are useless, and some breeds used in dog exhibitions must be removed in order to pursue beauty and flexibility as a whole. Pet dogs don't need to be removed.
Extended data:
The ancestors of dogs are gray wolves. As a gray wolf, if it wants to survive, it must prey on other animals, and the wolf's toes will play a certain auxiliary role in it, which can increase friction and improve hunting flexibility.
But as a dog, especially a pet dog, this extra toe not only has little effect, but also brings side effects. As pet dogs, wolves' toes have begun to degenerate, and some wolves' toes have no bones connected with their trunks, and some even have no nails.
Some dogs are born with wolf toes on their hind legs, usually because of bad genes. It is indeed a degraded part, which is of little significance and can be removed. Cutting off the wolf's toes is usually performed within 10 days after the puppy is born. This is a very simple surgical operation.
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