This Breed Has 6 Little Piggies...

You've probably heard of Ernest Hemingway's six-toed cats, but did you know there's a dog with six digits? (I had no clue and thought they sounded pretty freakin cool, so I decided to look into details.) The Lundehund, a Norwegian breed related to the Spitz, has six toes. Their extra digit is not a dewclaw, which is a nonfunctional vestigial toe often removed when dogs are just a few days old.

The fox-sized Lundehund was initially bred to help northern Norwegians catch puffins (a type of sea bird) for food several hundred years ago. The extra digit helped the dog climb slippery cliffs and navigate into small bird caves. Along with their tricked-out paws, Lundehunds are also known for their extraordinary flexibility. According to ZooToo, “they can turn their heads a full 180 degrees, rotate their legs over their heads, and even lie completely flat, with all four legs sticking straight out to the sides.” Crazy, right?

As of 60 years ago, there were only five known Lundehunds left, but the breed has made a resurgence. However, they’re still extremely rare, with approximately 1,500 of the polydactyl pups worldwide, and only 250 in the U.S.

To watch a video of these dogs (and check out the bizarro extra toes up close), click here.