I wouldn't think of leaving the dewclaws on my terriers. I would almost garantee they would,sooner or later, get ripped off with the serious digging they can do underground. And all the myths.....well I know a Great Pyr breeder, and she honestly believes they use the doubles on the back legs to get tangles out of their coats, but since she always grooms them, they have never had to learn how. and I've never tried picking my teeth with my toe nails.....Naw...probably to old and stiff to try now anyway.

And you don't believe in evolution?
How do we explain VanCamp? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'm only gonna say it once, lets keep this one about dewclaws, pros and cons of slicing them off.

A few years ago we visited a dog chiropractor who was involved in the racing greyhound scene. He had several photos of racing dogs around his walls, and one showed a dog at full gallop going around a curve: the front legs were extended and reaching for ground. The dewclaw on the forward leg was extended also and touching the ground as the dog cornered. I couldn't tell whether it was used for balance or for reach, but it was in use.

I don't understand why Jerry mentioned evolution.
What dogs USED to have on their paws is just irrelevant to the conversation. I see them TODAY, needing their dew claws, I dunno what they used to do (many breeds didn't even exist 100 years ago) nor do I pretend to.
I think you missed my point Jerry. And its not a myth because I can tape my dog doing it and send it to you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Sure, Van Camp, I have seen dogs hurt their dew claws too and I believe some breeds (with longer paws like GSD) are a bit more prone than others (with cat feet) but none to the extent that they should have them removed from puppy-hood.
About sled dogs and boots- can't say because I have no experience with them.
Of course, once a dewclaw is torn it SHOULD be removed because it will most likely be torn again soon anyway and may easily become infected and/or intesely painful.
I only wanted to mention that I have time and time again witnessed a need for dewclaws (only the front ones).
As for the back ones they seem more of a problem than anything else -especially the double dewclaws like in the Great Pyrenees. Their breeders will SWEAR it helps them climb but to me THAT'S a myth. It would be like me using my earlobes to climb- <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

You have a problem understanding why I brought up evolution. Next you want to try and narrow down the process of development down to the last hundred years of some breeds.

Sorry but evolution is exactly why dogs have dew claws where they are on their legs. Some are articulated and some not, Why is that? Some are fused bone that juts straight out and some are simply soft tissue.

Now there has to be a real good reason why such diversity and location.

The dew claw was and is still concidered the first toe on the dogs foot just that it has evolved up the leg as it is being eliminated now through human intervention along with lack of need and that is evolution no matter how you slice and dice it.

Your only looking at the modern day dog as we see them today but this is the evolved look.

Yes dogs had more toes on their feet at one time and their pasterns were of much greater angulations along with in some cases almost an extended foot.

Here are a few links to go and learn about this stuff.

http://www.specificbreeds.com/html/claws.html

This next one brings up Evolution.

http://www.dogstuff.info/dewclaws.html

More with genetics

http://www.gsdhelpline.com/genetics.htm

This one is deep but relevent.

http://cal.nbc.upenn.edu/saortho/chapter_57/57mast.htm

Even the Dino's had FUNTIONLESS Dew Claws.

http://www.zoomwhales.com/subjects/dinosaurs/anatomy/Locomotion.shtml

Sorry, I did not miss the point that you were attempting to make. The dew claw is evolving away from the original purpose and that was as a toe. These dew claw Toes were on the ground at one time and I can prove this with just one look at a correct bred Beauceron and the rear double dews and in the case of the correct bred beauceron they are fully padded, articulated toes and a united part of the whole foot with each of the six toes in this case on the ground and not up the leg. They are no longer real dews then as we call them but when you see a not so well bred show beauceron then they are up the legs in the location we now identify to Dew Claws.

I am sure you have seen your dog rub it's face though with it's leg.

I have a question for you and I am not for one moment suggesting your dog has fleas. But if it did for the sake of this topic. Would the dog use the dews to scratch and get rid of the flea or would the dog use the feet?

He would use the rear feet to get at something in the head area that was bothersome to the dog.

Jerry

I've always had my dogs without dewclaws. However, I can't say the pros and cons. I will ask this though, is a dog without dewclaws really up a creek without a paddle?

Why take the chance for injury?
Wouldn't it cost more money in the long run if it were damaged?
Could it keep it from competing at a key moment in sport?