Should dew claws remain?

[Roova]

I saw this article elsewhere and thought it was interesting food for thought, especially for those doing dog sports.
I don't know much about it but just thought I'd share the article

 

 

[Kazm]

Very interesting reading. I always wondered what the purpose of the dew claw was. Learn something new every day. 

We were actually going to have our little girls removed last year when we had her desexed but at the last minute we got soft and changed our minds. The only reason we were considering it was because the little sod jumps up and sometimes she kind of grabs our legs and in summer time her dew claws can scratch us quite badly. Even though I do trim her nails. We just now try to stop her jumping up as much. 

[The Spotted Devil]

I compete with my Springers in Agility and Retrieving as well as work them in the field. My preference is to keep them. Definitely. My Dally had his removed as a baby puppy - looks clean of course and it was the breeder's choice. 

Edited April 5, 2017 by The Spotted Devil

[Scottsmum]

Scotti has managed to pull both of his out at least twice in the 3.5 years hes lived with me. The first, within days of coming home. I think Id be very tempted to have them removed on future dogs 

[Mjosa]

With my breed, had them for 35 years, I have never removed the dewclaws and never had a problem with them, I always say when they are born, "What you see is what you get"

When I purchased my first one she had her dewclaws and so did the very few people who owned them, kept them on their dogs, bit different today re how many people have them, so I continued on in this manner.

I know that some breeders are removing them, frightened that they would possibly tear them, also for "clean lines" for the show ring, but they do all sorts of un necessary trimming.

Very interesting article Roova.

[Tassie]

My Border Collies have and use their dew claws ... sport dogs, but also just general cornering etc.    A couple of them have had the odd problem, but so far haven't had to have a vet deal with them.  (I did take my boy to the vet last year as he was worrying at his dew claw .. it was obviously not normal, but not completely detached.  Between me trimming it and him licking it, we must have loosened it, since as the poor vet was handling it as he explained they would normally sedate the dog and just removed the damaged claw so the new one could grow, the remaining bit came off in his hand .. with the dog not even noticing!)   Depending on the nature of the damage, it's a bit like us losing a nail after some kind of injury .. no real drama.

[WoofnHoof]

I got my husky's rear dew claws removed when he got desexed as a youngster. They stuck out at right angles and were very loosely attached, just an accident looking for a place to happen IMO. If they had lain flatter against the leg I wouldn't have worried about it. None of my other dogs had rear dew claws so not sure if they were removed prior to purchasing. I'd assess it on a case by case basis, don't see any point removing them if there isn't a strong likelihood of them being ripped off at some stage. 

[Scrappi&Monty]

Both my dogs have them still and we've never had an accident regarding them (touch wood).

They do use them sometimes, when holding chews/toys, and when doing zoomies I think it might help them. 

[moosmum]

There was a thread about this a while ago.

 

I would remove loose and poorly attached dew claws on the hind legs, other wise no.

 

Touch wood, But  I have never had them removed, never had problems that a quick clip wouldn't fix.

 

My dogs clearly use their dew claws much like thumbs to hold or grab.

 

[Rebanne]

1 hour ago, WoofnHoof said:

I got my husky's rear dew claws removed when he got desexed as a youngster. They stuck out at right angles and were very loosely attached, just an accident looking for a place to happen IMO. If they had lain flatter against the leg I wouldn't have worried about it. None of my other dogs had rear dew claws so not sure if they were removed prior to purchasing. I'd assess it on a case by case basis, don't see any point removing them if there isn't a strong likelihood of them being ripped off at some stage. 

Rear dew claws are not common but if they do occur are very loose and should be removed. There are a couple of breeds where rear dew claws are part of the standard, they are not removed.

[_PL_]

I have floppy (usually are in small breeds) rear dew claws taken off at desexing. I always worry they will get cut off while grooming or tear on a blanket or their own hair because of that tiny curly nail!

A few have arrived without front dew claws.

[Dogsfevr]

We take them off & all this research is fine providing owners ACTUALLY cut them ,i work in a daily job where i see dew claws growing back into the skin.i have been sliced open far to many times by dogs with razor shape dew claws worse offenders being GSD & goldies .

 

Each year research comes up with all sorts of things & claiming what we should & shouldn't do .

Our dogs do not use them as humans want to claim ,all dogs will hold a chew or something ,for every claim they need them plenty of other dogs without can do the same thing successfully

[Pjrt]

I'm all for LEAVING firmly attached rear dew claws, and all front dew claws.

 

in all my years working with dogs the percentage of dew claw issues overall is pretty small. 

 

My recently adopted 6.5yo Maltese cross has firmly attached rear dew claws on both legs. I was really concerned the RSPCA shelter would take them off when they desexed him. It's a brutal surgery to take out well attached dew claws off an adult dog. I can't tell you how happy I was to find them still there!