Hamiltonstovare Feet

When people ask me what my absolute favorite part of a Hamiltonstovare is, I will always tell them that it is their feet. I usually get weird looks because people immediately think it is some fetish or something, but it isn’t.

The Hamiltonstovare foot is so perfectly designed to survive in Sweden that without it, the breed just wouldn’t be able to do its job. A Hamiltonstovare foot should be oval in shape with well arched toes. This structure provides increased surface area when hunting in the snow. The nails should be close to the pad to act as crampons if needed.

This is a breed developed to survive and thrive in Sweden so their feet are a key element in form following function. A judge should never put up a Hamiltonstovare with flat feet, as they would never be able to hunt properly.

Hamiltonstovare should have hair between the toes, this helps to protect the pads from the cold. Unlike other breeds, the snow doesn’t collect between the toes, it just falls out.

The final piece about the Hamiltonstovare foot is that each foot should have a combination of black and pink areas. This is tied to the Irish Spotting gene that makes their coat look the way it does.

In the 10+ years of showing Hamiltonstovare, I have never had a judge look at the pads of their feet to check for the black and pink sections or if there is hair between the toes. Should a judge do this? Yes, but pick up one foot to check and keep things moving. A judge should choose a front foot as it is the most comfortable to the dog.