Cove Mountain Kennels

My thoughts below are specific to hunting dogs and not necessarily applicable for all dogs.

Should I remove my puppy’s dew claws? Hopefully this is not a question you have to even ask yourself, because the puppy you purchase from a reputable breeder will already have had it done. When puppies a just a couple of days old the dew claws can be removed by a vet quickly, with very little pain and almost no bleeding. (This is the same time that tails are docked on appropriate breeds.) They heel quickly and there is so much new already in their world that they don’t register any trauma with the event.

Here’s why I remove dew claws, first is injury to the toe and claw; on hunting dogs that are busting through brush, cattails and tall cover regularly, they can get it caught on things, tear it or otherwise get injured. Dogs dew claws can really vary, with some only having a toenail tight against the ankle and others dangle floppily from the side of the ankle. Most gun dog breeds only have front dew claws, but some dog have them on both front and back feet. The second reason I remove them is that since they don’t touch the ground, the claws are often very sharp and when I or my kids are playing with the puppy they can deliver a nasty scratch. The third reason is I personally don’t like the way they look.

If you got your puppy from the breeder and it still has dew claws, I suggest having the dew claw removed based only on how the claw fits against the leg/foot. If it is tight and the claw doesn’t come away from the leg much at all, I would leave it. If the claw opens out much, or if it dangles off a bit of a tissue I would definitely have it removed. This type when used around much brush will likely cause the hunting dog troubles. It you do want the dew claw removed on an older puppy, wait until 7 to 12 months old when you are getting the dog spayed or neutered. After a week of life the dew claw removal becomes a more involved surgery, requiring the dog to be put under sedation. It is best to do both of these procedures at the same time.