Are Canines Left Footed?

Every fox and coyote I caught this year was by the right front foot(except for one). Even when setting for a left front foot catch. I'm thinking they just want to stand on their right, dig with their left foot.

Have you guys noticed any tendencies?

im not sure about this one

Getting ready to dig with the left.

I've had 50/50 left vs. right paw on coyotes in dirt holes this year (4 total coyotes). Coons on the other hand I believe are mostly left handed. As of the 10 coons I've caught in DPs this year, 7 were left paw, 2 right paw and one both paws.

I think most of what determines which foot is caught comes from how the trapper makes their set. Hand dominance of the trapper could definitely effect how they build their set.

Keith

My dog is left footed

That would be a Southpaw.

I absolutely believe that animals have a preference for one foot over the other.

For many years I kept written records on marten catches. If memory serves..............close to 78-80 % were caught by a left front. Different set types also.

But IMO that raises this question.

Is the critter standing on his dominant foot or is his other foot the dominant one, and he plans to use that to access the bait ?

I also catch most canines by the right paw, but then I'm right dominant and set my trap offset to the right slightly. Perhaps this makes a difference. My pan is closer to the right paw as they approach with a full body commit into the setup. Hmm...

I always offset to the left. That should have them standing on their left, digging with their right...in theory. And I still center the trap down wind, so for sure, the trap is left. Still...catches on the right front. Weird.

Got me thinking, wonder if I could up my odds by offsetting to the right? Hmmm.

I have been extremely interested in this subject for a couple of decades. I could write a book on handedness in wolves (and, along with other wolf minutiae, am in the process of doing so), but here, will try to condense my findings and opinions.

Handedness is evident in all mammals that have been studied. Like humans, most canines are right-handed. Take your dog and make him sit at the base of a stairway. Place yourself at the head of the stairway and call the dog. They will invariably start up the stairs with their dominant paw. Also, the dominant-side paw has nails (claws) that are worn down at a faster rate than the claws on the non-dominant paw. In wolves, I've been measuring claw length with a set of very precise calipers for years on both live and dead wolves. About 76% of the time, the right side (fronts) has marginally shorter claws than the left. But, like humans, the dominant-side claws grow faster to compensate for this uneven wear and tear. However, on my two current dogs, they are both right-handed, and their right claws are marginally shorter, so I've assumed in dogs and wolves, that the uneven growth is not sufficient to maintain claw length equal to the subdominant side. If you really get into the science literature, there is even evidence that handedness in dogs has a sexual bias as well. But I'm not going into that (yet).

As trappers, how can we use this information (if you do indeed believe these data)? At a dirt-hole set, where we can highly control where the foot is placed, I believe it is very important. Not so important on a flat set, a blind set, or a pee-post set, as they are made with less precision, and we are not controlling the situation to the same degree as at a dirt/snow hole set. In watching wild wolves on remote video cameras, I've been able to watch them a few times getting caught at dirtholes. I place the trap about 2 inches off-center to the left in front of the hole. It appears to me that the final "committed" step by a wolf is on their sub-dominant side, thus giving them the use of their dominant front paw to dig at the hole. At a dirt-hole set, I catch 90+% of wolves by their left front foot. Is it because I offset to the left? I think that, yes, partially. Any time that I can increase my chances of a wolf catch, even by a tiny percentage, I'm going to take that advantage. I have absolutely no doubt that this does indeed increase my catch rate, and I will continue to use it until I learn otherwise. Too, I assume that this thought process works for coyotes as well as wolves, although I don't have the precise data on coyotes that I've gathered on wolves.

Jack

When making dirthole sets, I always set center and tight to the hole. Never really paid attention to what foot was caught as long as they were in the trap. It's the ones you miss that give you the education anyways. My opinion of course.

Major Boddicker completed a study that resulted in a “most effective set” that included traps at the set. The increase in catch was 30% vs a single trap. While it doesn’t specifically state that result is due to “favored foot” I would think that is part of it.

Does your dog randomly lift a leg to pee or does it position itself so it pees from one side most of the time?

[quote=Gulo.

Handedness is evident in all mammals that have been studied. Like humans, most canines are right-handed. .

At a dirt-hole set, where we can highly control where the foot is placed, I believe it is very important. Not so important on a flat set, a blind set, or a pee-post set, as they are made with less precision, and we are not controlling the situation to the same degree as at a dirt/snow hole set.. Jack [/quote]

That's always been my assumption, too. That's why I always offset to the left. Don't know what's going on this year with the right front catches.

Bunch of south-paws rolled in on me.

Great question Yukonal!

Thanks for chiming in Mr. Whitman.

I remember your posts on “Coyote Handedness”.

This subject is of great interest to me as well.


I’ve kept detailed records of all my coyote catches for the last few seasons.

This includes foot catches broken down into adult male and female, juvenile, and pup categories.

Since almost all of my problem child coyotes tend to be adult females, I wanted to see if they had an overall foot preference different from the males. They were my main focus.

All sets had an 8” spacing with no offset in an attempt to determine foot preference without targeting a specific side.

I look at these catch stats more from a set approach, positioning, or working standpoint rather than a digging aspect whether it be flats, posts, or hole sets.

My goal is have them step on the pan well before they think about digging.

I often times go on a run of left or right foot catches, but the numbers always tend to even out in the end.

One specific variation of a dirt hole set has taken multiple double front foot catches.

Of the 140-50 coyotes recorded, the right vs. left foot catch ratio between adult male and female was almost dead even.

The same stat held true for all groups separate and combined.

Love these observations and discussions , every time.

As an example, in experience with horses, they, as most all other four footed animals also have either right or left handed dominance . They are worked with , becoming refined in both right and left hand transitions as training progresses . A few are gifted athletes right off the bat, being ambidextrous , and developing their movement is smooth and natural.

For art purposes, and sheer enjoyment of observing animals in slow motion video footage, that left or right dominance is seen at a lope.

In horseman terms, called flying lead changes.

Depending on which turn they execute, they will begin or switch to either a left lead or right lead. All four feet switch in a run as they change direction in turns. Hence, the three beat gait seen in tracks . The easiest way to tell is the front leg that reaches out farthest , dictates what lead they are in at the time.

Most all use right and left leads in a run, from horses to wolverine, canines , rhino , hyenas, even camels if they are pushed hard enough. Elephants go at a fast "trot", as their run.

Flying lead changes are essential to keep balanced momentum in tight axis turns . It is a thing of beauty to see many animals in slow motion video moving at speed. Keen observation also reveals the intent of direction , even before the body begins to lean the opposite way in lead change , seen in ear direction switches, following eye focus. Ears and eyes are connected in the thought process signaling the body which way to run.

Being pre disposed to right or left handed plays a large part in that process whenever the terrain allows.


Even in non target animals, knowing how they move and how the terrain can change that movement, possibly keeping them from bumbling into a set, is helpful.


Thank you , Jack, always, for explaining your studies of a lifetime to share . A subject easily enjoyed for hours in discussions .

So Jack...............let's add some conjecture & complexity.

If we accept "handedness" in canines, and if we accept that canines align themselves with the earth's magnetic field when urinating and hunting, do you think that canine populations in the southern hemisphere will show the same or opposite behaviors relative to northern hemisphere critters ??

There are certain things in the animal kingdom that just don't make sense to me. I was watching a video on Yellowstone i believe and it was talking of foxes jumping nad diving for mice in the snow. It stated without explanation other than factual research that when the fox jumped North (either from or to i cant remember) their success rate was near 100%. Far greater than the success rate of any other direction for this type of hunting on their part. I remember thinking wait what??? How in the world does it matter what direction the fox is jumping? I still don't understand it but it is intriguing to say the least.

The thought processes some of you all are putting into your trapping and or work is pretty impressive. As a natural coon trapper quantity wins over quality in my head sometimes and i have to fight that thought. Someitmes one great perfect located set is better than blanketing a whole area with traps. I still miss on that point and my catch record for the year shows i learn less from myself than i should.

Dude: Yes there is some indication ( I hesitate to use the word EVIDENCE) that canines that align their bodies with the earth's magnetic filed are more successful at mousing than when they do not. If I remember correctly, that means they align NE/SW when they can.

Perhaps that is similar to what you were watching on Yellowstone

white17 -

Interesting that you would ask, Ken. Have we not discussed this previously over a campfire somewhere? Handedness, or bilateral dominance, is intriguing. I'm going to use caribou as an example. In the northern hemisphere (where caribou are naturally found), dominance of one side over the other can be seen even in antlers. Statistically, the right antler is marginally larger than the left (or the other way around, I can't remember). I noticed this many years ago. Often an adult bull caribou will have asymmetrical antler growth, easiest to see in the development of the brow tine. Even in double-shovels, one side is usually significantly larger than the other. Going through the B&C record book, you can see this yourself if you spend the time to analyze all the data.

Caribou (or reindeer?) were imported into New Zealand. In a scant two generations, the shift occurred, and (again statistically significant) left-antlered caribou became the norm. Does it have something to do with prevailing winds, weird gravity, handedness, or even the Coriolis effect? My bet is coriolis. Further, does coriolis effect have anything to do with handedness?

On the other hand (the left one), it may all be bogus, and we're perhaps just a bit too dense to appreciate what is really going on.

Jack

Coriolis was going to be my first choice...but you beat me to it.

Really fascinating stuff ! I wasn't thinking about caribou but more about stoats in Australia and NZ. But your example is much easier to see on the antlers.

We have previously talked about the magnetic field alignment over a glass or 3 of rye whiskey in your kitchen.

On the other hand, ...............I don't recall the campfire that night .

This is a great thread guys. Thank you guys for your input, I'm learning a LOT.

This thread is making my head hurt!!

Half the guys catch the left foot, the other half catch the right foot......and I can't catch either foot. LOL!

Which makes me think that the foot caught is based on the set builder, rather than the animal trapped, even more.

Keith

You have that right, Keith!! I must need the mine field set approach!!

You just need to trap canids with 3 front legs, so you can catch the middle foot.

Keith

btomlin
You need to try my famous “rejection set”.
Then it doesn’t matter which foot!

So, when a wolf steps over an obstacle that breaks his stride does he then continue to lead with the other side or does he stop again to get back on stride with his dominate side?

I have an idea for an interesting experiment. I usually catch canines by either front foot, but my sets are not put together very consistently. I usually use whatever is there, rather than preparing materials beforehand. I have a pet coyote I can observe and videotape closely. If a right footed catch guy and a left footed catch guy wanted to come out and make sets, without traps, but where I could see where the trap would have been, I can film my coyote to see which foot she leads with. I suspect it will depend how the set is made.

Keith

Caught a big male today, in a pipe set.

Trap was offset to the left, caught by the right front. Just like every other one (except one) that I've caught this year.

Still scratching my head.

I have started looking after this thread on the paws of the last two coyote I caught in dirt hole sets. So in terms of the last two, one was caught by the right front foot. The claws on the right front foot were longer and sharper than the claws on the left front foot, which were short and more rounded. The trap was placed "center" to the hole or where I thought the coyote would approach from. That coyote was on Friday. Then, yesterday I caught another coyote this time by the left front paw. The claws on the left paw were longer and sharper than the ones on the right paw, which had shorter, rounded paws. I thought at first that this indicated coyote handedness, as in the coyotes were standing with their non-dominant paw and working the dirt holes with their dominant paws. But then I got thinking. These coyotes were caught in foothold traps and were on frozen ground. So their free paw was scraping and making a catch circle on frozen ground for 12 to 30 hours. Could it be that the shorter claws is actually a result of being in a trap and the claws of the trapped paw not being able to work the frozen ground for up to 30 hours? Non of the claws were cracked or broken off, just worn.

This is very interesting, as I have noticed a lot more right pawed catches than left, and have always wondered about it. This is for foxes and coyotes.

To me, catching a coyote by one foot or the other doesn't mean he is right or left footed. Now if he pulls up to your set and scratches at the set or the attractor, that could mean him using a favored foot. When you walk up to something, it doesn't show favoritism of the foot, only when you start off or kick or scratch a something. If you offset your trap it doesn't mean anything as well, a lot of canines will not approach the set from straight out, but from one side or the other. In fact a large percentage will crawl up to the set many times.

Well said Lee.

In all the years of shooting control when calling coyotes the vast majority that check up check up to my right, giving me their right side for the shot.
In the rough grounds with a near escape cut they turn that way. Many still turn to my right to look then a fast loop
180 to that escape route.
As they come in at me I favor their left side expecting that turn unless I shoot them straight up.
Don’t know if it means anything, I just figured maybe they push off better from their right front all things being equal.

Osky