Ask a group of breeders and handlers if their dogs have dewclaws and you’ll get a mixed response. “They’ve got to be removed,” says one group. Those folks don’t believe dewclaws are essential to a gun dog’s performance. In fact, they’ll cite numerous examples of how a broken or torn dewclaw has landed their dog on injured reserve. Others believe that the dewclaws are part of the dog’s anatomy and should be left intact. They’ll reference that removal can cause arthritis later on, and that with some normal and preventative maintenance they won’t break or tear.

Let’s take a look into dewclaws and examine the pros and cons of their removal.

Pause for Paws   

The dog’s paws are their connection with the ground, and there are two parts to them: pads and claws. Each paw has four digital pads, and two are in front and two are to the side. The digital pads support some of the dog’s weight and joints. Behind those four digital pads is one other pad. It’s a heart-shaped pad in the center of the dog’s paw that, because of its proximity, absorbs more of the dog’s weight. That pad in the front paw is called the metacarpal pad. The same pad located on each of the rear paws is known as the metatarsal pad. A sixth pad is located higher up on the leg just above the dewclaw. It’s called the carpal pad and serves as a shock absorber when the dog is running hard. Paw pads also provide protection from rough terrain, traction, and the protection from either hot or cold ground. They’re made of muscles, keratin, collagen, adipose (fat) tissue, ligaments, tendons, and bone.

What is a Dewclaw?

Each front paw has five claws, sometimes called toenails. Four of the claws extend from the front of the paw. One claw connects with each of the digital pads and provides the dog with traction. They’re also used for digging or holding prey. Claws are like our nails in that they are made of keratin and contain nerve endings and blood vessels. The fifth claw, the dewclaw, sits above the wrist. It gets its name because its position situated high enough above the ground so that it only brushes the morning dew.

Is There a Use for Dewclaws? 

While all breeders and handlers agree on the importance of pads and claws, their views on dewclaws is a coin toss. Many believe that it is the dewclaw that offers dogs stability, traction, and improved manipulation with their feet. Those dewclaws don’t touch the ground while the dog is standing still, but when their running at full speed they make contact with the ground. You’ll notice that extended front leg reach in speed demons like whippets, border collies, and greyhounds, but you’ll also see it in many performance sporting dogs. Dewclaws provide extra stability and leg stabilization when they’re running wide open.

Other breeds use their dewclaws in tough environmental conditions. The Beauceron, the Great Pyrenees, and the Icelandic sheep dog use their dewclaws for gaining traction on ice in slippery winter conditions. Retrievers navigating ice while fetching late season ducks are likely to use their dewclaws, too. Those dewclaws come in handy in the uplands as well. Pointing, flushing, and versatile breeds can benefit from improved traction when climbing hillsides and rough terrain. Give a dog a bone and you’ll see him use his dewclaws for manipulation. The paw and claw combination resembles our hand and fingers. The dewclaw functions as the thumb. Some dogs have two, called double dewclaws. The Great Pyrenees and the Icelandic sheep dog have double dewclaws including two on each of their hind legs.

M. Christine Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVSMR, is a veterinarian with Johns Hopkins University, and has extensively studied dewclaws. Her research suggests that dewclaws are essential to a dog’s mobility. Zink’s 2015 study Form Follows Function-A New Perspective on an Old Adage features sequential images that she shot of dogs running. Zink’s images show that the dewclaws dig into the ground and prevent the legs from twisting and torquing which enhances and strengthens forward movement. As a result, she believes that dewclaws shouldn’t be removed. “If the dog doesn’t have dewclaws, the leg twists,” she wrote. “A lifetime of that can result in carpal arthritis, or perhaps injuries to other joints, such as the elbow, shoulder, and toes. When a dog runs, the entire foot, from the carpus to the toes, contacts the ground. If the dog then turns, it can dig the dewclaw (the equivalent of our thumb) into the ground to stabilize the leg and reduce torque on the rest of the leg.”

Zink believes that there is a great deal of misconception about front dewclaws. “The fact that they are not in contact with the ground when the dog is standing still has led people to mistakenly believe that they have no function in movement,” she said. “As a result, the dewclaws are removed from many purebred puppies soon after birth. Many breeders feel this gives a cleaner, straighter look to the dog’s front legs. Others believe that the dewclaws should be removed so that they will not get injured. But stop-action photographs clearly demonstrate that they are in contact with the ground whenever the dog canters or gallops.”

Muscles and tendons that connect to the dewclaw suggests that they are part of the dog’s ambulatory ability, says Zink. Though not proven, their removal is suspected to cause arthritis later in life. “Further proof of the front dewclaws’ functionality comes from anatomical studies demonstrating that that there are several tendons that connect muscles of the lower limb to the dewclaw. There are two major functioning tendons attached to the front dewclaws. Of course, at the other end of a tendon is a muscle, and that means that if you cut off the dewclaws, there are major muscle bundles that will become atrophied from disused. Those muscles indicate that the dewclaws have a function. Some veterinarians report a higher incidence of foot and carpus injuries and arthritis in dogs that lack dewclaws, likely because of additional torque on the leg. Thus, for working dogs it is best for the dewclaws not to be amputated. If the dewclaw does suffer a traumatic injury, the problem can be dealt with at that time, including amputation if needed.”

Johnny Myers, DVM, is a bird dogger, a waterfowler, and the owner of the Animal Wellness Center in Paducah, Kentucky. Dr. Myers is not a fan of removing dewclaws from newborn puppies. “Injured dewclaws are the least represented injury to the digits,” he said. “Removal isn’t as easy as it looks, either. There is a sweet spot where the dewclaw connects to the tendon, and it’s surrounded by nerves, blood vessels, and muscle. If the procedure isn’t precise then there can be collateral damage that appears later in the dog’s life. Presenting complications affecting older dogs typically involve arthritis or orthopedic tendonitis. So while the removal of a dewclaw may prevent a break, it may create significant issues later on. If you want to know what it’s like then try doing pushups with just four fingers. It’s not as easy as it is with five, is it?”

The Case for Claw Removal  

Dewclaws can be broken in a wide variety of conditions. Dogs catch them when jumping over logs or old stone walls, in brush and briars in shelterbelts or other wooded areas. They also can be broken getting in and out of a duck boat. Dogs with torn dewclaws may need some time out of a hunting rotation in order to properly heal. That’s not an issue if you’ve got a string, but if you’ve got one dog then the loss of time cuts into your season.

If you’ve ever had a dog with a broken or split dewclaw then you know it’s not fun. Gun dogs are tough, and beyond limping, they won’t show a lot of pain. The quick of the nail contains nerve endings and blood vessels that provide nutrients to keep the nail healthy. Dogs experiencing problems with their dewclaws are easy to spot, with common symptoms of limping, bleeding, swelling, or excessive licking of the foot. Dogs may flinch or yelp when handlers touch the afflicted area, especially if the quick is exposed to air.

Avoiding that kind of pain is a main reason many breeders and hunters remove dewclaws. Others consider the dewclaw to be a weak digit. Front dewclaws are connected to tendons, muscles and bone, but since they’re not connected to a pad they oftentimes are seen as a weak digit and considered non-essential. Rear dewclaws are often connected just by skin, and that connection is even less significant than those in the front legs.

Some believe that dewclaws don’t help their dogs perform. Dewclaws that sit higher up on the leg and don’t connect with the ground offer no benefit. The same holds true with dogs that do not run at an all-out pace. Dogs that are more methodical than fast might not have dewclaws that come in contact with the ground. One way to tell is by examining the wear patterns on dogs with dewclaws. If there is a sharp point, then the claw probably isn’t touching the ground. If the tip is rounded, then the dewclaw probably comes in contact with the ground.

Even though early life is the best time to remove a dewclaw, they can be removed from older dogs. That procedure is more difficult and painful, and infection is a common side effect. So, if you’re going to have a dewclaw removed, it’s best to do it in those first few puppy days. Breeders usually remove dewclaws from puppies that are between two and five days old.

Dewclaw Care  

If your dog still has his dewclaws, then spend a bit of time to ensure that they remain healthy. Some common maintenance suggestions for issues are:

• Regularly Trim Dewclaws: Because the dewclaw is higher up on the paw it’s easy to forget about them. Overgrown dewclaws become rounded to the point where they grow close to the skin. Sharp points can tear skin and create infections, or they can grow directly into the skin like an ingrown nail. Keep them trimmed short and you’ll avoid those problems.

• Infections: Broken nails expose the quick to environmental bacteria. It’s easy for a dewclaw to become infected which is why many vets prescribe antibiotics.

• Feed for Health: Nutrition can help create strong claws, says Eukanuba’s Scientific Services Nutritionist and avid bird dogger, Russ Kelley. “Ligaments connect them with muscle and bone. They also contain blood vessels and nerve endings. Keeping claws from injury is important, and nutrition can help strengthen the claws. Diets with appropriate amounts of protein, Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium, and vitamins like B-7 (biotin) and B-12 (cobalamin) help support nail growth and strength to withstand the tough upland and waterfowl environments.”

Whether or not a breeder or owner removes the dewclaw is a matter of choice. Weigh your options carefully, and if you go forward with the removal work with a veterinarian or experienced breeder to make sure the procedure is done correctly.