Dew Claws

Ok I was just reading about the Newfoundland and it said it's dew claws should be removed. Ok a few questions which dogs have them? I once read only breeds of closer relation to wolves or "older" breeds of dogs wil have them. It also said that most dogs dew claws naturally fall out as they become not puppies anymore. Luther has one I have never tried to remove it or anything, everynow and then I touch it and he doesn't even notice. So which dogs should keep dew claws? What is their purpose (or obviously now in dogs they have no purpose) and if it is like that naturally wouldn't you want it to stay natural? wouldn't that in some ways be like cropping or docking and isn'T that a disqualification sometimes? Does anyone have any other info on dew claws? But also I think well it doesnT hurt them to have them removed then take it off, they might get snagged on something and cause their foot to bleed. I don't know what to think about dew claws, so tell me what you think

 

Both of my dogs have them but only on their front legs. I've never had any problems with them, those nails get trimmed when the rest of their nails are trimmed.
I've never heard of a dog being disqualified for not having them but maybe someone else can shed some light on that.

 

I'm pretty sure all dogs have (at birth anyway) front dewclaws, at least all that I have ever seen do, though only some have rear dewclaws (some breeds are even known for having two dewclaws on the hind feet). The declaw is kind of like a thumb in dogs (though not as "advanced" as a humans), and it's said that they use them in running (while turning, to help them from sliding), as well as for holding bones, scratching their faces (I've seen my dog wipe things off her eyes using her dewclaws). Front dewclaws are usually just like all the other toes, connected to the foot by bone and tendon, but rear ones are often not as well connected, just skin with a nail in it.

Some dogs' dewclaws are well tucked up against their legs, whereas others' are more floppy (back dewclaws, because their usually not as well attached as fronts, are often floppy), and prone to getting caught on things, or being torn off. Even well attached dewclaws can be torn off if the dog catches it right, so some people take preventive measure in having them removed by a vet. Dewclaws, if going to be removed, should be done at around 3 days of age, before the pup's bones harden and there is a large amount of blood supply to the area (keep in mind that puppies aren't like baby humans in that when pups are born, they aren't fully developed like a human child, they're still blind, deaf, and have much developing to do). If done later in life (like if a person gets an adult dog or older pup, and is worried about the dog tearing a dewclaw), it is an amputation, and is comparable to amputating any of the dog's other toes (the exception being dewclaws not attached by bone, the floppy kind). Dewclaws will not just fall off, they are the same as any of the dog's other toes.

As long as your dog isn't doing something that puts him at a high risk of tearing a dewclaw, or doesn't have excessively floppy or sticking out dewclaws, at his age, it would probably be better off left alone.

 

Well....St. Bernards have them on all four feet. Most get them removed when they are puppies. I did have one who hadn't had them removed. He did rip the nail out of it one time. Bloody, but no problem. The back ones are just floppy.

From what I understand (may not be 100% true), it is actually a fault for the dogs (in a show) to not have the dew claws removed. And they don't fall off as they get older. To remove them, you would need a vet (should use a vet at least) but I don't really see the point. They don't hurt a dog or anything. They are just there. But you do need to clip the nail b/c it will grow into the toe if you don't.

That is all I really know about them. Don't know their use (was going to say climbing but then I pictured my saint climbing up a tree - lol).

 

Don't know if they serve a purpose. Maybe they are just as useless as nipples on a guy :mrgreen:

 

They actually do use them when running really fast. I have a book on the mechanics of dog jumping and there is a picture of a dog that is running really fast - the front paw on the ground is hyperextended so that the dewclaw and pad near it is actually on the ground.


Jamiya

 

Dew claws are generally removed so that the dog doesn't snag and tear them off. It happens plenty of times but I think front dew claws pose less of a problem than rear ones do. JMO...