# Dew Claws



## Boly (Sep 23, 2008)

I just ptcked up a new Lab puppy and the people that I got him from did not have the dew claws removed. I have heard that they can be beneficial to the dog getting back on ice after getting in the water. I will be hunting this dog for waterfowl and upland game. I have had a lot of labs but never had the dew claws still on. Should I have them removed or just leave them?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

They also get hung up on brush and weeds and tear easily. I would have them removed no question.


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## Sawbillslayer (Oct 24, 2013)

I have had dogs with them and have had dogs that have had them removed. The reason people take them off is that they are easy to snag on objects and tear it from the skin (I have never had this happen but would imagine it would be painful to the dog if it did). Most of my dogs have been used for waterfowl. If I had the money I would probably have them removed.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

All my dogs have always had the removed except one which surprised me because the lab was from a hunting breeder- at about 8 years old she tore it and it was ugly.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

They use their dew claws for pulling themselves out of the ice. I would never take the dew claws off a waterfowl dog that I use where it might fall through ice.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Interesting video, but if you watch closely the ice always seems thicker when the dogs with the dew claws are tested. The dogs without dew claws keep breaking through the thin ice. I don't dispute the fact that dew claws would help in a situation like ice, but this video seems very one sided. My Labrador doesn't have dew claws and he is a ice breaking machine. When the ice is thick enough to hold his weight he gets out just fine. On a side note, that 15 year old dog in the video looks **** good for it's age.


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## Trooper (Oct 18, 2007)

This is probably not really a life-changing decision. My old Sam had them because he was really my wife's dog and she was poor when she brought him home. It was occassionally fun to see how dextrous he could be with them- but holding a bone still or hanging on to the side of a boat or some such is not often that crucial. 

I would have them removed from a puppy and leave them on an older dog. If you don't have them off, get some of that blood clotting agent, because eventually he is going to tear one and it bleeds like crazy- like the worst hangnail you ever saw.


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