But the dewclaw cannot move independently like a thumb, a dog may use it as a 'wedge' to help when trying to eat a chew but my girls that don't have their dewclaws can eat chews in record times too and haven't never looked to me to have missed out.  

Horses for courses.............this practice has been going on for years but the PC brigade (Like with so many day to day occurences which are now deemed incorrect) would like to take our freedom of choice away from us.

Mine can move theirs Ok?  They stick them out sideways at will.

Our lab had no voluntary movement in hers at all.

That is why I beleive the choice should remain with the breeders who know how their dogs develop.

Lol :D   Maybe that is what they are for to stop cantankerous bitches from getting away during mating :D

My dogs (Labradors) certainly do use their dew claws, both to hold bones and toys and also to gain footing as they climb up steep or icy inclines. I have several dogs without dewclaws and they cannot get up the same banks of our creek that my dogs with dewclaws can. That is absolute indisputable proof to me that they do use these claws.

Just like evolution is an unproven "theory", so to is the idea that the dewclaws used to be in line with the other claws and somehow decided to move itself up the leg to become a so called useless appendage. I think it serves a very useful purpose right where it is and cannot even if I were someone who believed in evolution, I would fail to see the cause behind that sort of adaptation. My goodness... if that is the case, will all of our dog's claws have migrated up their legs in a few thousand years?  :) 

>My goodness... if that is the case, will all of our dog's claws have migrated up their legs in a few thousand years?

No, it'd take a bit longer than that! Horses originally had 5 toes, and the minor ones gradually disappeared, and now they have only the one toe - or hoof!

Why are dogs born with fore/dew claws then? :) They must be there for a reason.

Christine i think we posted together :o

Why do humans have an appendix? They were probably useful once ...

But now they try not to remove them routinely as they did in the past because they do not know what it is for! If dew claws were a major issue then all breeds would have them removed same with tail docking. The fact is the risk of injury is miniscule when you count the entire dog population. You just don't get that many injuries. Yes it may be painful should a poor dog catch it's dew claw but none of mine ever have, they've ripped off their other claws in incidents so based on that should dogs have all their claws removed because a small percentage of dogs will suffer an injury to them? Glad I have a breed that keep everything intact.

Dapple

On a similar note...why do some religions advocate circumsion of men?   There's no medical reasons that make it of any benefit for a man?

Also judging by American TV it would seem that most boys are circumsised and one that isn't is considered odd?  This was the impression given in the first series of 'Nip N Tuck'  anyone?

The same in Australia.

Also it's mentioned on Sex and the City a couple of times....those girls are disgusted by the thought of un-circumcised men folk!!!!

Also the dew claws vary from bred to breed.  In mine they are useful but neat never causing a problem unless neglected,a dn often th4e dogs will chew them for themselves to keep the down.  On amny occasions I ahve thought claw cutting needed only to find they had done it for me :D

In some breeds they are really vestigal, with no movement barely attached to the leg.

In yet others they are very pronounced and stick out and get caught on things, especially if they are smooth coated.

In my breed they are never removed, In other breeds they always are by knowledgeable breeders.

Rear Dewclawas nearly always cause problems and are best removed, but are a required feature in soem breeds.

I ahve seen many Pet Border Collies/WS with hind dews on one or both legs, and they so often cause problemns and are usually advised to be removed when the dog/bitch are neutered.  In these cases the breeder really should have had them doen a lot less traumatic and no wound to speak of instead of quite a big thing when older.

Some breeds definately have worse dew claws than others.  Cavaliers, Lhaso and  shit zu's spring to mind as the worse offenders.  I have lost count of how many I groom where they have gone right around and into their pads.  I never had to cut my JR's ones once but the other one ripped them and had to have them removed.

>I have lost count of how many I groom where they have gone right around and >into their pads.

The fact that they have been allowed to curl so far round is the fault of the owners! Poor dogs, It must be very up-setting having to deal with this because owners are too lazy to check their dogs nails and coat regularly.

The thing is though Polly some of them do grow very quickly.  I have one dog who I do every 6 weeks without fail and he nearly always has them touching his pads in spite of me cutting them everytime.  I must say it can be very upsetting when the owners have let them cut in and they do get lectured one woman even said she didnt realise her dog had them! 

When I sell any puppy this is one thing covered in the grooming and general care information I give the new owner. When I contact them I always ask if they are coping and remembering to check their dog over regularly. Perhaps breeders should think more about this aspect and show the new owners these things. One of my dogs nails grow really fast so I know what you mean, but like you I know this is the case and regularly check the dogs nails.
In my village, quite a few people will ring me and ask me to clip their dogs nails on a regular basis, so even though I do not groom dogs but I still end up cutting nails! lol At least these owners are keeping an eye on their dogs feet and toe nails.