Domestic Dog Domestic Dog
Canis domesticus
Dog Track
The track above is actually an overlap of two tracks. The hind track is on top
of the front track.
Look closely and you will see the hint of an outline of the front track.
Being written....
This animation shows the outline of a dog track. Compare it to the outline of a cougar track on the canine vs. feline page.
A domestic dog scat. Note the lack of bones and fur from prey animals due to the
diet of dog kibble.
 |
 |
| The front foot of a domestic dog. You can clearly see how an X can be drawn between the toes and the heel pad. | Domestic dog hind foot. Hind feet are smaller than front feet. The front feet have to support more weight, including the head and shoulders of the animal, and thus are bigger. |
| Thanks to Rufus for letting me take photos of his feet! | |
 |
 |
| A set of dog tracks. The photos show the same set of tracks, in sun and in shade. Sunlight can wash out the tracks, or create shadows that can cause distortion to appear. Sometimes, it's best to look at the tracks when they are in shadow. | |
 |
 |
| Golden Retriever | Yellow Lab |
 |
|
| The parts of a dog's foot.
This is the front foot. A is the carpal pad. B is the dewclaw. C is the
metacarpal pad, also called the heel pad. D is the toes, also called the
digital pads. There are five toes on the front foot, including the dewclaw. However, only four usually show up in the tracks. Thanks to Rufus for letting me photograph his foot. Fat deposits underneath the skin on the dog's pads act as shock absorbers for running, jumping and landing. |
|
 |
|
| A deep dog track in soft mud. The claw marks are visible, but distorted due to the consistency of the mud. | |
 |
|
| A dog track in firm mud. Notice the lack of claw marks, although the overall shape and toe orientation clearly identify it as a dog track. | |
 |
|
| Dog track that has aged a bit. You can see the leaves and sticks that have blown into the track. The edges are rounded and no longer sharp and crisp. The claw marks appear to be part of each toe. | |
 |
 |
| Dog track in snow. Notice the
claw marks and overall shape of the track. The outer toes are roughly
triangular in shape. There is a 'mound' of snow left in the center of the
track by the empty space between the animal's toes. Thanks to Kim Wineinger for the snow tracks! |
|
Find dog and puppy posters, greeting cards, postage stamps and more in my new store.
|
Now available: "Animals Don't Cover
Their Tracks - An Introduction to Animal Tracking" on CD! (Version 3.0)
New drawings, more species, more photos, more extensive sections on tracking
humans, more detailed directions for plaster casting, mystery tracks section,
tracking stories section, and more. The CD features over 100 species, including
special bonus sections with the tracks of some African and Australian
animals. A large section on tracking lost people for search and rescue is
included, with over four pages of photos showing the details of tracks and
signs people leave. Easy to use format. This web site is limited
by bandwidth, but the CD-ROM is not. The CD is available in my online store at:
www.dirt-time.com
Works with Mac or PC. Happy tracking!!
What else can you find in the nature store? Beartracker's animal tracks coloring book, T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, book bags, toddler and infant apparel, mouse pads, posters, postcards, coffee mugs, travel mugs, clocks, Frisbees, bumper stickers, hats, stickers, and many more items. All with tracks or paw prints, or nature scenes. Custom products are available. If you don't see the track you want on the product you want, email me and I can probably create it. Proceeds from all sales go to pay the monthly fees for this web site. You can help support this site as well as get great tracking products! Thank you! |
| Find other tracking products: www.zazzle.com/tracker8459* |
| Also visit these fine
stores for more products of interest: NDN Pride shop - For Indian Pride items for all tribes. Custom items available on request. ASL Signs of Love - For anyone who uses or is learning ASL, American Sign Language. Custom name items and more are available here. Sales from all stores give commissions to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den, which helps keep this site online as a free service. We are celebrating ten years online this year! |
|
Looking for a Gift? This site lets you customize a gift card with your own photo. Commissions earned when you buy from this link help
keep Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den online! Thank you! |
|
If you like the information provided here and find it
useful, |
|
||
 |
Got a dog story? E-mail me and tell me about it. You are visitor number: Copyright © 1997-2008. Text and photos by Kim A. Cabrera |
|
|
||
Copyright © 1997-2008. Kim A. Cabrera - Desert Moon Design
Page updated: Saturday, January 19, 2008.
