Has anybody had litters of pups born without front dew claws in a breed that normally has them ? I was talking to someone yesterday who said the breeder told them she hadn't removed the dew claws the litter was born without them. Just sounded strange to me

If she is experienced, I would bet on it being a white lie. She probably knew that she could do a neater job than her vet, but would prefer to keep quiet about it.

>She probably knew that she could do a neater job than her vet, but would prefer to keep quiet about it.

No need for a vet to do it; perfectly legal for anyone over 18.

As far as I'm aware, in the UK at any rate, it's not illegal for a breeder to do this themselves.   I never did because I didn't feel confident enough but in any case, after we lost a puppy, one of a litter my vet did the removing, I stopped taking them off (front - rarely if ever do we have rear dews in my main breed).  That puppy may well have been weaker than the others and doding this quick surgery may have pushed him over the edge.   My then vet, overseas, hated doing it in any case.  It used to be felt, again in the UK, that it made for a neater-looking paw but it wasnt' often done overseas and as more and more were exported, this was stopped in the UK.   My current buy-in boy has his although my Whippet had her's taken off so doesn't have any.

White lie was my thought too