What specific task led to the Norwegian Lundehund developing its specialized six-toed structure on treacherous coastal cliffs?

Retrieving seabirds, primarily puffins, from tiny, deep crevices

The functional reason for the Lundehund's unique paw structure is directly tied to its original purpose, which involved retrieving seabirds, predominantly puffins. These birds nested in small, deep crevices located among slippery, treacherous coastal cliffs and ice formations along the Norwegian coast. The dog needed extreme dexterity, grip, and stability to scramble vertically and horizontally across wet, sharp granite surfaces where a single misstep could result in a fatal fall into icy water, necessitating specialized anatomy to accomplish this difficult task.