After years of research, we have decided

to keep our puppies’ dewclaws intact. 

 

The dewclaw is like a dog’s thumb and is used to help a dog maneuver while running, enables them to climb and grip objects such as bones, and is connected to other tendons in the wrist. They are not dead appendages. Removing the claw is not only extremely painful, but damages those tendons which can lead to arthritis. In our medium to large breed dogs especially, we want to minimize the risk of arthritis as much as we can. 

 

There are two types of dewclaws- attached dewclaws and detached dewclaws. Attached dewclaws have a bone connecting the claw to their wrist, when attached dewclaws are removed, it is similar to removing a finger on a human. Detached dewclaws do not have a bone connecting to their wrist, are floppy, and otherwise useless. Detached dewclaws that we feel will be a nuisance as a dog matures will be removed. 

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As for tails, we have one AussieDoodle with a docked tail and one without. Tails can help with balance and help when playing with other dogs.   Tails also help us tell the dog's emotions by being able to see their tails wagging or if they're tucked between their legs. For these reasons, we choose to leave their tails undocked.

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We believe dogs were given thumbs and tails for a reason!

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