Is there a purpose for rear dew claws? I know most breeds remove them but I know breeds such as the beauceron and Pyrenean Mountain dog and Briard are supposed to have a double dew claw according to the standard. I am just wondering what purpose it serves in these breeds?

I believe the breeds that have rear dew claws dont remove at all(front or rear), it would look silly to remove front ones if they have rear ones.... Also some breeds that have rear ones can be double

I seem to remember the breeder mentioning that they had the rear dew claws removed from an Irish Setter pup I bought. This was forty years ago, so maybe misremembering that. Do IS's normally have rear dew claws. Hadn't thought about until now.

I believe the purpose for the breeds required to have double rear dewclaws has something to do with snow, supposedly the dogs getting a better grip when walking in snow, or something along those lines. Whether that was always just an old wives tale or not I don't know.

I've had single rear dewclaws turn up in litters frequently in both my breeds.

Maybe we are going to have a bad winter.  Seriously though I had a sheltie with just one dew claw and it was always getting caught on things.  Recently at dog school border collies from different breeders have them and their vets are going to remove them when they are neutered. They were told breeders should have removed them at birth when they can just be pulled out.

They were told breeders should have removed them at birth when they can just be pulled out.

The rear dewclaws I get in my dogs are bigger than front ones with a lot of bone(just like an extra toe) and take a lot of cutting. I did the first few myself but it was too scary so now have my vet do them -he does it free of charge.

I have a Finnish Lapphund  with rear dew claws, it is optional in the breed if they are removed. At first I was very worried about them, and thought I may need to remove them later if they caused problems.
She is 17 months old now and I just keep the nails short and they have not caused any problems, they were very noticeable at first, but once they get there feathering on you can hardly see them.
She is out and about in all sorts of terrain, woods, long grass with my large breed dogs and so far she has never caught them.
I think it is best just to play it by ear, if the breeder has left on rear dew claws no point putting a dog through a general anaesthetic if it is not necessary.
Having said all of the above if I were a to have a litter myself and some were born with rear dew claws I would have then taken off, but I did not breed my FL so did not have the option.

Most vets in my area refuse to remove back dewclaws from puppies, called around multiple surgeries...
They are definitely too big to just pull out by me even when newborn!

> Recently at dog school border collies from different breeders have them and their vets are going to remove them when they are neutered

  Really!  Removing any time after 3 days old is a major thing.  I have an adult Border Collie who uses his front dew claws like thumbs.  There are a lot of dogs with functional dew claws.

I have Briards and yes they have double dew claws.

The purpose for this is that when they are working, herding cattle/sheep on very steep and uneven terrain in France, they need to be able to turn and twist quickly and with agility, the dew claws assist greatly with balance and movement.  As the Beauceron (some say related to the Briard) and P.Sheepdog were bred to do similar work and come from the same Country, I assume that this is why they also have them.

All of my Briards use their front dew claws like thumbs as well, they can grip amazingly well no matter what they are trying to hold.