THERUIZFAMILY

I recently acquired a well tempered 1 1/2 year old doberman. However she still has dew claws. Any opinions on keeping or removing dew claws? I really don't see a problem in keeping them. Any suggestions/opinions?

VZ-Doberman

I am assuming you're referring to the front dewclaws and if it were me I would leave them at this point.

vivienne00

No you can't remove them now unless there is a medical reason to do so. They are now firmly attached to the bone. It would be like docking a tail at this age - not a good idea. Just make sure you keep the dewclaws short without a hook on them.

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Cato and Emerald's Black Onyx (r.i.p.)
Owned by Enid, Yoda, Jill (kelpie) and Lana.

PatchworkRobot

Keep them. Removing them, at this point in her life, would mean a surgery - why spend the money if you don't have to?

Plus, she probably uses them. My doberman doesn't have his dewclaws but my little dog does and she uses them to grip onto things.

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THERUIZFAMILY

YEAH..That's what I was thinking..Thanks

Rouleaux

Is she or are you planning on getting her spayed?

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ZeldaRules

I would get them removed if she goes under for a spay, dental, or other surgery...otherwise it's not really necessary at her age.

mmctaq

There are well-attached and thumb-like dewclaws, and there are hangin'-by-a-bit-of-skin dewclaws. They don't feel alike... the former is held tight to the wrist and the latter is kinda floppy. The former is used and useful, the latter is the kind which is more liable to get hung up on something and injured/torn. If she has the latter, you might discuss the advisability of removal if she has another procedure which requires anesthesia. I would leave the former alone.

What someone else said about making sure to remember those nails when you are doing the others.

Salamander

If I'd had a choice, all my dogs would still have their dewclaws.

The only one who still does is the Portguese Podengo Medio and that's only because the hunters who bred her know that they use them at high speed in curves.

The only Ibizan who had them would actually use them like a thumb to pick 'eye boogers' out of his eyes.

They're very functional things and he could hold and spin a raw bone like nobody's business.

*Never* dropped it.

When the PPM comes in from playing, her dewclaws are literally caked full of mud.

She is the most agile dog I have and she can 'lay down' in turns at a really high rate of speed.

Growing up, none of the farm or hunting dogs had them removed and I never personally saw one get 'torn off'.

As the poster above said, just keep them neatly trimmed.

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Dear, sweet, beautiful little Halla...you will alwats be my Angel. May God reunite us some day.

Toby'shuman

Personally my view is...

If they do not cause a problem, leave em be.

Amelia_

Mine has his dew claws and we've never had a problem, as was previously said as long as there nice and tucked in they shouldn't cause an issue. They definitley use them for holding toys/bones ect

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Jazi

Agreed with all of the above. I have seen studies and hunter videos that are beginning to prove that dewclaws should remain on unless attached incorrectly.

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BrinksBlue

One of our greyhounds still has hers. Our other greyhound and dobe do not. When we asked about the dew claws when we brought Mesa home we were told that sometimes they weren't removed if momma dog or pups were stressed after delivery at the track. I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons that dews claws don't get removed, including BYBs as well as other things. We see no difference at all between Mesa with her dew claws and Belle (greyhound) and Brinks (dobe) without their dew claws. Like others said, it just means an extra second nail clipping. Or in my case, an extra few minutes because nearly every single time, I get everything put away before I remember I forgot her extra nails!