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.