question (my pup still has all 4 dewclaws?)

DEVERO2 · 11-16-2012, 06:57 PM

I hope this is the correct place to post this. My GSD Stig is 20 months old and I rescued him so I have NO idea about lineage or anything of the sort. After looking at many of the amazing GSD on this site I noticed something Stig has that others dont. Dew claws. He has all 4 still. I rescued him at 6-7 months and he went to the vet and got caught up on shots and all of that stuff. The vet never said anything about him other than he is ENORMOUS. Any info helps. Here are a couple pics so you can see what he looks like.

Gharrissc · 11-16-2012, 07:08 PM

A lot of dogs have their dew claws and it normally isn't a problem as long as you keep them cut. I don't know if you were asking about removing them or not,but I wouldn't as long as they aren't causing a problem for the dog.

selzer · 11-16-2012, 07:18 PM

Back dew claws should have been removed by the breeder at a few days old. They can snag on something and bleed like the dickens, or so I understand. So far I haven't experienced these. Front dews are kind of used like thumbs. I leave them alone, save when trimming toenails.

huntergreen · 11-16-2012, 08:16 PM

my great pyraneese had their dew claws which is part of the standard for this breed. as stated need to keep them clipped. this being said, this breed is not as active or as agile as a gsd.

DEVERO2 · 11-16-2012, 09:28 PM

Ok thanks for the responses. Since we rescued him I'm not sure what was going on before we got him.

msvette2u · 11-16-2012, 09:33 PM

If they are attached by just skin, the rears can be taken off when neutering.
But if there's bone, too, then it's best to leave them. It'd be an amputation and cause a lot of pain at that point.

My Scotch collie

had dew claws on her back legs but they had just skin, no bones, so they removed them at spay time.
One of my Dachshunds (purebred) has rear dew claws attached with bone, they are stable, and a part of her foot, so we leave them.

msvette2u · 11-16-2012, 09:47 PM

BTW he is GORGEOUS!!!!

DEVERO2 · 11-16-2012, 11:42 PM

Thank you for the compliment.

He was neutered when we got him checked out. They didn't say anything about them coming out so I guess they will stay. I have to make sure I pay attention to them.

Lucy Dog · 11-16-2012, 11:45 PM

Just like Selzer mentioned, the fronts usually stay on, but the breeder will typically remove the rear ones if born with them.

BroncoK · 11-17-2012, 10:33 AM

Our Sam whom we rescued has his back dew claws. They don't seem to bother him and we have a pretty active lifestyle and they have never gotten in the way or bothered him.

11-16-2012, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
DEVERO2 Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 59	question (my pup still has all 4 dewclaws?) I hope this is the correct place to post this. My GSD Stig is 20 months old and I rescued him so I have NO idea about lineage or anything of the sort. After looking at many of the amazing GSD on this site I noticed something Stig has that others dont. Dew claws. He has all 4 still. I rescued him at 6-7 months and he went to the vet and got caught up on shots and all of that stuff. The vet never said anything about him other than he is ENORMOUS. Any info helps. Here are a couple pics so you can see what he looks like. __________________ Stig: 20 month old, 120 lb "puppy" Paul Devereux person who feeds him LOL

11-16-2012, 07:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 20,858	Back dew claws should have been removed by the breeder at a few days old. They can snag on something and bleed like the dickens, or so I understand. So far I haven't experienced these. Front dews are kind of used like thumbs. I leave them alone, save when trimming toenails. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC & Babs, CD RA CGC HIC (not AKC) Heidi, RA CGC & Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC & Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly CGC & Bear Gretta Hepzibah

11-16-2012, 09:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
DEVERO2 Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 59	Ok thanks for the responses. Since we rescued him I'm not sure what was going on before we got him. __________________ Stig: 20 month old, 120 lb "puppy" Paul Devereux person who feeds him LOL

11-16-2012, 11:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
DEVERO2 Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 59	Thank you for the compliment. He was neutered when we got him checked out. They didn't say anything about them coming out so I guess they will stay. I have to make sure I pay attention to them. __________________ Stig: 20 month old, 120 lb "puppy" Paul Devereux person who feeds him LOL

11-16-2012, 07:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gharrissc Knighted Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,760	A lot of dogs have their dew claws and it normally isn't a problem as long as you keep them cut. I don't know if you were asking about removing them or not,but I wouldn't as long as they aren't causing a problem for the dog.

11-16-2012, 08:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
huntergreen Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,199	my great pyraneese had their dew claws which is part of the standard for this breed. as stated need to keep them clipped. this being said, this breed is not as active or as agile as a gsd.

11-16-2012, 09:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
msvette2u Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 11,005	If they are attached by just skin, the rears can be taken off when neutering. But if there's bone, too, then it's best to leave them. It'd be an amputation and cause a lot of pain at that point. My Scotch collie had dew claws on her back legs but they had just skin, no bones, so they removed them at spay time. One of my Dachshunds (purebred) has rear dew claws attached with bone, they are stable, and a part of her foot, so we leave them.

11-16-2012, 09:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
msvette2u Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 11,005	BTW he is GORGEOUS!!!!

11-16-2012, 11:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
Lucy Dog Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,945	Just like Selzer mentioned, the fronts usually stay on, but the breeder will typically remove the rear ones if born with them.

11-17-2012, 10:33 AM	#10 (permalink)
BroncoK Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: In the dessert! HA! It's HOT Posts: 88	Our Sam whom we rescued has his back dew claws. They don't seem to bother him and we have a pretty active lifestyle and they have never gotten in the way or bothered him.

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