Dew Claws

[Muddy4paws]

A few of the dogs that come into the shop have no dew claws is it true the owners have them removed?
I didnt think the dew claws were a problem unless you kept them long? I dont personally get my dogs removed I dont see the point really, it there or is it like a show thing? :confused:

[CathyBogart]

Unfortunately, some people do still mutilate their dogs in that fashion. :(

[Muddy4paws]

well if thats the case then my dogs are Au Natural.. :p It seems weird when I cut the dogs nails! I look for it and they are gone, its quite sad really! Is it purely for show or is it like medical conditions?:confused:

[Glacier]

Most of my dogs don't have their dew claws. Dewclaws on a sled dog can be a very bad thing. They easily rip in deep snow. It's much less painful to have them removed as puppies or when the dog is altered than to have them tear off in the middle of nowhere.

[CathyBogart]

For a working dog whose dewclaws are at risk of being ripped off it's a good thing. There are a lot of people in my area who do it for purely aesthetic purposes, and I don't like it at all.

[Muddy4paws]

Yeah I can totally understand why your dogs havent got theirs! (btw i love seein pics of your dogs they are all gorgeous!!!! ) but like small dogs like yorkies, i know for a fact some of these cannot be in show as they come in the shop BADLY matted, I dont know, I just think its unnesarary(SP?)

[Bigyummydog]

i was wondering that myself.....MAXIMUS has what i thought
were thumbs, on his two front paws(such yummy paws--all 4)...
we called them hooks, because, well they looked like hooks...
those are the only two we ever have to trim...THANK GOD...his
hind paws are plain, but nevertheless, yummy!!! i would never
think of choppin' ANY part of him without a really good reason...and i would agree, mutilation(the word i would also use) without cause, is just uncalled for........:(

[Vette]

I was very close to getting Muffins removed. she got them cought on anything and everything. i think seeing a claw sticking streight up in the air on a dog is sad. let alone if you get a close look at it,, it looks all bloody and meaty in the inside and your dog hobbles around for a few days.. and since the dogs walk around outside it has a chance of getting infected. i think thats more disturbing then having them removed.

deponds on the dog though. most dogs dont have anything happen to their due claws.. and theres some that do.

luckily Kirby came with his removed.

[sammy101]

are dew claws on the front or back feet?:o
i can't remember what they are!?!:o

[Vette]

Ive seen them on both front and back feet.
but usually there just on the front ones.

[sammy101]

oh ok,
Kodie has his front ones,but i never noticed if Lucy has hers or not,i'll have to check.

[Vette]

Found a picture

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I think it depends on the dog and their lifestyle. I work at a pet boarding facility and recently a beagle mix puppy came in and his dew claws amazed me. They were so loose, I'd never seen anything like it. I talked to the owner about it and they said they were going to get them removed when her was neutered. They had already talked to their vet about it and he too thought it was dangerous for the puppy to keep them.

As far as my dogs go, Charlie is the only one who has had his dew claws removed and he had them done before I got him. I wouldn't have removed unless I felt it necessary for the dogs safety.

[IRescue452]

Some dogs have front or back or both. Some breeds have double dew claws (two on each paw). Our vet recommends only if they are a working dog or are at risk of having them ripped off. Autumn has hers yet but got close to having them removed after they got caught and I freaked, they were ok thankfully. I don't see getting these removed as bad as cropping or docking as they do get ripped off more often than not.

[CathyBogart]

Star almost had one removed a few years ago because she split it in half! (For some reason I forgot this until just now) Fortunately it healed well, and she kept it.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by WolfChan
Unfortunately, some people do still mutilate their dogs in that fashion. :(

The dew claw serves no functionality for the dog and is more of a problem area than not. Especially in working dogs it can be a cause of injury. If the dewclaw if removed within the first 48 hours of the dogs birth, removing it is nothing more than equating it as a hang nail in human terms. This is because the nail is so soft and has not started to harden yet. It doesn't even require stitches!

Personally, I have the vet remove the dew claws of all my puppies when they are first born. Of course my dogs are hunters and work in the field a lot so it has it's health benefit but even if they didn't hunt, they still play hard and in my opinion, why leave a source of potential injury if it's not necessary. I don't know anyone who does this as a fashion statement and I don't consider it mutilation. JMHO

[lv4dogs]

The rear dew claws usually stick out further than the front ones, therefore are more of a problem.

Raustyk doesn't have any dew claws, she came that way.
Nanook had all of his when I got him, I got the rear ones removed when he was neutered.
I do a lot of hiking with them and something as small as a tall blade of grass can rip those dew claws right off.


When I worked at the vets office I couldn't believe the amount of dogs that came in with ripped dew claws. Mainly just the rear ones, I've only seen 2-3 dogs with problems with the front ones. Therefore I reccomend that if your dog goes under anesthesia for any reason you should have the rear ones removed. Especially for any active dog. It can save a lot of heartache, money, time & trouble in the long run.

[finn's mom]

Finn doesn't have back dew claws (don't know if he ever did or if they were removed before he was seven weeks old - when i got him), but, he has front ones. They don't ever get in the way or anything, so, I've just left them alone. I don't see it as mutilation, though, when they are removed.

[PJ's Mom]

I wish Bailey didn't have hers. She keeps catching them on things and it hurts her. :(

Peej had his removed when he was a baby...before we got him.

[Muddy4paws]

:( I didnt realise so many dogs gets them caught up, Ive never seen my dogs do this or unless they have and I havent seen or maybe they just are not as active as other dogs!! :rolleyes: lol

[bckrazy]

Gonzo has no dew claws, I guess his breeder removed them. . . I'm actually happy he doesn't, I know he would've injured or ripped them out by now. . n_n

I don't consider it mutilation either, it's a lot more logical and humane than tail docking and ear cropping.

[Suki Wingy]

How could you not notice?!?!?
Niño has never ever had any problems with them at all, but I know some dogs who continually caught them.:(
His dew claw is clearly visible in this photo:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/sukiwingy/nino/tripNINOyard052.jpg