Double dews

[longshadowfarms]

All my dogs work - the LGDs guard, the Labs hunt.  I've never had a problem with dew claws in 20 yrs of owning dogs, almost all of them with all their dew claws intact.  Our first Lab had them removed before we knew about such things.  A later Lab did not and my preference ever since has been to have dogs with them intact.  My Labs use the front ones a LOT for holding things.  I don't see much purpose to the back ones but have also seen/heard too many horror stories of dew claws removed later in life.  It is very painful for the dog if not done when they are a few days old. 

[MyDyson]

Thanks to BPO, Dyson kept his, however his siblings did not luck out as well.  I've had no problems yet.....KNOCK ON WOOD.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Thanks to BPO, Dyson kept his, however his siblings did not luck out as well.  I've had no problems yet.....KNOCK ON WOOD.

Good for you!...I am a huge advocate of Pyrs keeping their dews...I will regret everyday of my life that I had Sam's removed when I did not have all the facts.

[longshadowfarms]

Good for you!...I am a huge advocate of Pyrs keeping their dews...I will regret everyday of my life that I had Sam's removed when I did not have all the facts.

Awww!  If you didn't have all the information, you made the best decision you could with the information you had.  That's really all we CAN do!  We trust our vets too to give us correct info.  I think with issues like this they either believe it is better for the dog or they just go along with what people want.  There are lots of times in life where we find out later that what we were told before may not have been true or at least, that there are other possibilities.  We'd go nuts trying to beat ourselves up for everything we could have done differently if only we'd known.  I certainly appreciate a lot of the info I've gleaned over the years here and other places about feeding, training, altering, etc.  Can't go back and change some things but I can make better, more informed decisions the next time around. 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Good for you!...I am a huge advocate of Pyrs keeping their dews...I will regret everyday of my life that I had Sam's removed when I did not have all the facts.

Awww!  If you didn't have all the information, you made the best decision you could with the information you had.  That's really all we CAN do!  We trust our vets too to give us correct info.  I think with issues like this they either believe it is better for the dog or they just go along with what people want.  There are lots of times in life where we find out later that what we were told before may not have been true or at least, that there are other possibilities.  We'd go nuts trying to beat ourselves up for everything we could have done differently if only we'd known.  I certainly appreciate a lot of the info I've gleaned over the years here and other places about feeding, training, altering, etc.  Can't go back and change some things but I can make better, more informed decisions the next time around. 

Thanks!...& we do live & learn...That's why Pippin & Rosie will keep every dew God gave them!

[doggylover]

I feel a little dumb here.  What is the argument for keeping them vs having them removed?  I have never given a single thought to the fact that Badger had his removed before we got him. 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

I feel a little dumb here.  What is the argument for keeping them vs having them removed?  I have never given a single thought to the fact that Badger had his removed before we got him. 

Up to the age of 72 hours puppies don't have a central nervous system that is developed enough for the dewclaw removal to hurt...Kind of like male children being circumsized... So, to have a dog older than that withstand the procedure can be painful & traumatic...No w, in the Great Pyrenees the procedure requires a bone to be removed & it is far more evasive than it is in breeds that have a loosely attached dewclaw...& also in the Great Pyr the rear double dewclaw is a sign of breed purity so it is kind of a special trait to have all the dews.

[doggylover]

Do you happen to know why they are removed in the first place?  Is there some advantage to having them removed?  It seems like a bad thing to remove anything unless there is a darn good reason for it.  To this day, it irritates me that someone hacked off poor Badger's tail (even though I adore his lil nubbin )
 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

The dews can get caught in things & rip & you have to make sure to keep them trimmed so they don't grow back into the foot...Those are the only things I can think of right off the top of my head.

[longshadowfarms]

Up to the age of 72 hours puppies don't have a central nervous system that is developed enough for the dewclaw removal to hurt...Kind of like male children being circumsized...

I've been in the vet's office when they removed some dewclaws on 2 day old pups.  Could'a fooled me that those pups didn't feel it!     Then again, I'm a woos - they might have just been upset at being handled.  They didn't sound happy though. 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Up to the age of 72 hours puppies don't have a central nervous system that is developed enough for the dewclaw removal to hurt...Kind of like male children being circumsized...

I've been in the vet's office when they removed some dewclaws on 2 day old pups.  Could'a fooled me that those pups didn't feel it!     Then again, I'm a woos - they might have just been upset at being handled.  They didn't sound happy though. 

I've heard that before...I've also heard of pups who barely woke up...pretty much slept through it...But, the same as male babies being circumcised... I always thought "do these babies tell you it doesn't hurt"!