Is it ok for a hunting dog to have dew claws? My 4 month old pup still has them and I heard that they get caught on stuff. All of my dogs have gotten theirs removed so don’t know how it affects them. How old is too old to get them removed? Any advice would help.
When I got my dog she was already about 2 years old, and still had her dews. I was a bit apprehensive, but decided to let her run with them. I didn’t want to have them done at her age if they wouldn’t be a problem. 5 years later and not a single problem. I’m by no means an expert, but we haven’t had any issues yet…..
DT, if you are planning on running that dog hard in the field, i would check with your vet to see if it is still possible to have them removed.
they could cause a big issue in the field if they are tore off.
If a dog has dew claws and they start to bother the dog the dog will remove them itself.
They usually do it at about 2 days old. I would personally leave them and deal with them if it becomes an issue. I’ve heard it is quite painful on older dogs.
I’ve seen more problems with barbed wire and sharp sticks than extra toes. If it does get torn itll probably bother you more than the dog. Hunting dogs are usually pretty tough critters.
Best to remove in the first few days. I have had both and 1 Lab did damage a dew claw while hunting. (had to remove it and lost a couple hunting days) If your Dog is an agressive hunter and you plan to hunt alot,I would remove them.
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Best to remove in the first few days. I have had both and 1 Lab did damage a dew claw while hunting. (had to remove it and lost a couple hunting days) If your Dog is an agressive hunter and you plan to hunt alot,I would remove them.
I think this is proof that maybe you should get them done. I’d guess, without being an expert, that these injuries are rare, but not worth chancing.
have owned several hunting labs and all have had dews. only one had a problem with them and it was only in crusty snow but he hunted thru it every time. BUT I do plan to have the dews removed from my next pup only because I am buying her that way. all Im saying is that my issues till now have been minor with dews but if I can avoid all problem I might as well do it.
My lab had his removed at two months old based on the suggestion of my vet. They said if I was going to hunt him that it would be best. It was a bigger deal for him and more expensive for me at two months old but “we” got through it okay and have not had any issues.
I’ve had many beagles, some born with dew claws, some without. We never removed any and had no problems. I guess it’s your personal choice.
Get it done now before the season starts. It’ll save her many years of issues. At 2 days old this should of been done for $8 Now? I still don’t understand why a “good” breeder doesn’t have this done. Deep crusty snow and mud seem to be the worse. Do your buddy a favor get it done. It’ll save her probably 10 years of uncomfort. She’ll be gratefull. 
It’s funny you said “good breeder”. I got her and another male because the breeder got rid of all but two pups and was either going to let them go to take care of themselves or take them out back and put them down. 
DT
My terrier Holly — a 100 per cent gung-ho hunter from a Chicago shelter — provided our vet with planty of business including broken claws, barb wire cuts and eventually cancer
from the Lindane in the flea baths they used back then– but she never had a problem with dew claws because we had them removed, and she healed quickly.
My Choc lab grew to age 14 till we had to put him down 2 years back, he came with dew claws, was my first hunting dog and I didn’t know better, but I asked anyways. Long story short, he was the best dog one could ever wish for, never once did any dew claws get injured. Vet said procedure is quick and painless as a very young pup, as they get older it’s more like surgery, recovery is longer and things could go wrong. Things still could go wrong in the field with injured dew claws, but my experience nothing did.
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It’s funny you said “good breeder”. I got her and another male because the breeder got rid of all but two pups and was either going to let them go to take care of themselves or take them out back and put them down.
DT
Your pup is a real cutie too. Sounds like she found a good owner thats finally concerned about her welfare. All the love ya give her will be paid back in loyalty for years. Labs live to please you. Enjoy!
My yellow lab is 8 years old and she has never had any problem with her dew claws. But, I do worry about them every hunting season.
If you plan on neutering or spaying, do the dewclaws at the same time. Other wise I would would just see if they ever become a problem and remove them at that time. I am a vet and have hundreds of hunting dogs in and out and can count on one hand the number of times dogs came in for with torn dewclaws. Granted most already have them removed but most dogs do not have a problem,but occasionaly do and its not always at the most convient time.
Congrats on the new hunting Buddy
Geoffrey
He looks alot like my 9 month old Lab Morgan did at his age!!
Call me naive, as a new first time dog owner, but I thought dew claw removal was just a part of a breeder’s responsibility. I mean I’m looking at all other sorts of stuff (pedigree, sire, dam, CERF/OFA/EIC qualifications, titles, etc, etc… shots started), seams like dew claws are just a given.
That’s funny, my dogs name is Morgan. She was a rescue so there is no paperwork. I’m lucky she even got her first shots.
DT
Welcome to IDO!!! its good to know we got a vet in the house 
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