Tight Feet? - Page 2

Brittany,  I don't have an honest answer for you,  However I would think, and this is just my OP on it,  that tight feet are more desired.

if you were to put it into very general terms,  a tight engine no loose parts runs smoothly,  but wear things down a bit and get some things loosened up and moving around in a manner they were not originally intended to, well then you start having troubles....  hope that makes some sense.

Naya's Mom is correct but in fact they both toe out a little or maybe they just woke up from a nap ??   who knows I have seen dogs toe out like that when being lazy but when "ON' they do not toe out like that....  so that without seeing the dog in person is a hard one to call.

LOL Brittany.

I want to take pictures of mine now too. 

LOL Rezkat5 :) Right right ahead and do it :) Maybe we can all post pictures of our dogs feets and we all can critique them in an educating  and professional way :)

grrr, camera not working for some reason.  charging the battery.......

Brittany,   I'm gonna really go out on a limb here,  the top photo is of more ShowLine decendant ??  and the bottom photo more from working ??    The reason I say it,  My dogs that are more on working lines,  have tighter smaller feet,  the dogs more on the showline side have larger looser feet,  these are just observations, and I really could not say there is a direct coarolation but....  Anyone else care to elaborate on the "Lines" differences in feet ??  Is it a "noticeable" trait ??  in your OP

Zambi has very nice feet.  They are prefered.  Jake is flat footed, which causes the spreading.  Obviously less desired.  Feet are very important to a trotting dog.  There are some lines that a predestined to poor feet.  My Eischa, her line definitely has poor feet and I believe it comes from her sire.  But the sire had tremendous work ethic. So, feet is one of a multitude of things to look at.  I love Eischa regardless of her feet.  She has great hips and elbows and has not missed a beat.  Turning 9 this year.  LOL.

Top one loose and long and a bit down on the pasterns. Bottom slightly better. 

A tight compact foot is preferred - does not break down or get injured as easily. Sometimes called a cat's foot because of the resemblance but should not be as upright as a cat's foot. A dog w/ good feet hardly ever needs to get his front nails clipped regardless of the surface he's on and almost never the hind ones. A dog w/ bad feet from whatever 'cause is usually always in need of a nail clipping because the structure does not allow them to be worn down naturally which is another reason why a correct foot is preferred because you don't risk catching a long nail.

If I remember correctly the old Goldbecker and Hart books had some great drawings on structure including feet. ( Loved those books)

Finally see the standard  "The feet are relatively round, short, tightly formed and arched. The pads are very hard, but not chapped. The nails are short, strong and of a dark color." 

http://www.workingdogs.com/standard_fci.htm

It doesnt matter which, showline or working line.. the foot is suppose to be tight.   A showdog is the funniest thing to watch that has a loose foot...You can tell immediately by the way they move .

Some show dogs actually walk on half of their leg and of course the spreading foot causes this as well as it is faulty.

I am not a conformation expert, but here are my peanut gallery quality opinions, worth every bit of the $0.00 they cost.

Jake's feet are fairly loose, quite long toes, legs look slightly East-West, but that may just be the way the dog is standing or how you placed his feel to get them both in the picture. HIs pasterns are pretty long. Can't see the angle, but if this is a mature adult dog I am guessing they might not be as firm as you would like, may contribute to the dog tiring early/ "falling down in front" in the gaiting no matter how good his condition, which would be consistent with the East-West presentation.

Both Zambi's feet are tight and strong, shorter toes, but pasterns look pretty straight up and down from this angle, which would translate to a choppy gait in front, particularly if the shoulder angulation steep,  which I suspect it is. Also I think I see a couple of striped toe nails... could be soil, not a pigment problem at this point, but something I would consider when selecting a breed partner for this particular dog.  White toenails are undesireable, not a serious fault on an otherwise very well-structured dog, but can make the difference between KK1 and KK2 if there are a few other less dessireable conformation issues.

None of these are ruinous characteristics in any working dog breeder I know's opinions, just things to consider by the time a dog is titled, breed-surveyed, and has enough other "assets" to be an attractive breeding prospect. 

You are brave indeed to post pix of two of your beloved dogs' feet on this forum. I salute your courage!

SS

the nice tight feet resemble a cat's foot.  the splayed feet are sometimes referred to as a hare foot.

pjp