# dewclaws



## lilbeckarooo (Oct 2, 2015)

Just wanted to get some opinions . Should show conformation GR's have dewclaws removed or not ? Please give your opinions and why they should or should not have them removed. I would love to hear your opinions on this subject . Thank you in advance .


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

From what I've read and breeder information they leave the dew claws. It seems this is like cutting off your thumbs and affects the tendons in the legs. It is a cleaner look but not sure the good breeders remove them anymore. Article said the chances of the dogs ripping the nail loose was a far less concern than the damage to the legs.

I have a 10 yr old and the breeder removed them... but had a 2nd dog from the same breeder and they no longer removed them so somewhere between 2008 & 2010 the practice of removing them changed, at least for this breeder.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

I haven't removed them since about 2004. The evidence I read back then, no longer remember whose evidence, but I am a critical reader who attends to flaws in studies so ...said basically that all dogs who had them removed did not necessarily get carpal arthritis but all dogs with carpal arthritis had had them removed.

edit: be sure to remind puppy people that they have to be trimmed when nails are trimmed. If they are not, they will grow back into the leg eventually and that is a big problem easily prevented.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Probably the biggest thing that bothers me is going with a breeder who unnecessarily has toes removed from really young puppies. And it's not a mark of a good breeder.

My sister's saint had his front and back dews removed. And he came from a puppy mill and was sold at a petstore (my sister and hub adopted him from somebody else who changed their minds about having a saint pup 4 weeks after buying him).

With show dogs you just use thinning shears to blend things in so the dews aren't sticking out like a sore thumb.


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

Just my two cents, but I would never do it, especially not to a dog that had not been done at a few days old. I have Golden's that hunt and Duke, our older boy's were not removed by the breeder. He snagged one and it required surgery. When they put him to sleep to do it they removed both. It is a painful procedure and requires stitches, keeping it clean and dry, etc.. It also changes how they hold onto things, bones, toys, etc. I never noticed the difference until we had the situation with Duke. This is a big debate in our house as my son owns a yellow lab that is field trained and his dew claws were removed by the breeder. We just went round and round about this with our new puppy. Our trainer is very old school and thinks they should be removed. I say trim them, trim them, trim them!! There is also a video online somewhere of a hunting dog trying to get out of the ice he had fallen through and he uses his dew claws to help gain traction. I used that video to help convince my husband.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Leave them on. Our Goldens come with them.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

Mine don’t have their dewclaws. It’s kind of nice not having them to worry about. No hooking them on agility equipment or anything else. The dogs don’t know any different. They do everything just like every other dog I see. 

I’m no expert. Just my opinion as an owner of performance dogs.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

The dew claws are important for balance, and grip. Dogs use them to hold things when chewing, just like a thumb. Agility dogs use them to help grip on the up and down side of the dog walk and a-frame, and for control turning especially on fast turns. 

This video shows good examples of how effectively the dogs use them, and dogs that don't have them at a disadvantage.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Removing dew claws used to be common practice... many breeds that have docked tails always had the dewclaws removed at the same time. I have to tell you I really hated doing them! You have this tiny 3 day old puppy screaming, no pain meds... just snip them off with scissors. Tails you count down the appropriate length of knuckles, apply a clamp and twist off the tail. It's horrible!! I totally get why this practice isn't done in Europe anymore.


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

mylissyk said:


> The dew claws are important for balance, and grip. Dogs use them to hold things when chewing, just like a thumb. Agility dogs use them to help grip on the up and down side of the dog walk and a-frame, and for control turning especially on fast turns.
> 
> This video shows good examples of how effectively the dogs use them, and dogs that don't have them at a disadvantage.
> https://youtu.be/r4XflsMEk-k


Thank you!! That is the video I was referring to. I think more people should see it.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

Here's an article you may find interesting: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/documents/dewclaws-injury.pdf. You may find others if you Google "Zink dew claws", as Dr. Zink has written on this topic before, especially in the context of performance dogs. Note that the article also has some helpful suggestions for treating arthritis.

FWIW my first Golden (born in 2003) is the only one who had her dew claws removed. She is also the only one to get significant arthritis, which started at a fairly young age (first signs when she was only about 6). Most of her arthritis was in her front feet (by the time she was an old lady her poor feet were HUGE). All my other Goldens have kept their dew claws and have experienced only mild arthritis in old age (usually showing up around age 9 or 10, if at all), usually due to agility injuries. I have no idea if there is any connection, but it IS food for thought.


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## ShashaCruz (Apr 22, 2017)

i always have my beasts totally declawed before purchasing to avoid scratching things of value including myself. is a personal preference based on your intended use of animal like personal affection beast vs hunter would yield different conclusions.


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## Maggie'sVoice (Apr 4, 2018)

ShashaCruz said:


> i always have my beasts totally declawed before purchasing to avoid scratching things of value including myself. is a personal preference based on your intended use of animal like personal affection beast vs hunter would yield different conclusions.


The fact that you refer to your dogs as beasts is a bit concerning to say the least. The fact that you "totally declaw" them, you should be listed as an animal abuser and not allowed to own dogs. This is of course, I understand you correctly by what you mean when saying "totally declaw" as removing all claws on the paws, not just the dewclaw. You do realize that declawing is an amputation of each toe at the first knuckle (as is done on declawing cats).


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## FosterGolden (Mar 10, 2014)

Most performance breeders are leaving them on now because they do have a purpose. For agility, especially, it seems.


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