Anyone know anything about dewclaws?..
does every breed have them?..

I never knew what they were until I was on a website and they mentioned them..

Chester is 3 months and still has his, is it necessary to have them removed?..

I can now feel them when I pick him up (and didnt notice before since I didnt know what they were)

anyways I was just wondering if you think its a good idea to have them removed or is it just painful and not necessary
thanks!

I am not an expert on the subject, so don't take this as a topic I'm well educated in. However, I have not had the dewclaws removed from any of my dogs, and they have never caught on anything or torn or been any sort of a problem. Until I learn otherwise, I think it is just up to the pet owner's best judgment. (Usually I am against elective procedures, however, I don't see how this can affect a dog's quality of life. If I am wrong, someone please educate me!)

Dew claws are just something that grows that has no purpose anymore. Mostly, they are removed when the pup is under a week old. Some Vets will ask to remove them during neutering if they are really loose. The cost skyrockets the older the dog, and if that is the only surgery.
The only problem with them is since the claws do not touch the ground they may need to be clipped more often, as some dew claws tend to curl back on themselves when left to grow.

I've never had dew claws removed from my dogs & they've never had any problems with them. Most people that I know (including vets) say to leave them alone, especially if they are older than 2wks. The only time I have ever heard of people removing dewclaws are if they are on the back feet (like german bred german shepherds). They can really get in the way if they're on the back feet & can get caught on things & cause pain. But the front ones can be useful to a dog by helping them hold on to things, or getting things out of their eyes...I personally don't like the procedure if it's not necessary.

thanks for the responses!

I couldnt remember if my other dog had them removed or not..but I think he did, because I never felt them before
so it just felt different on Chester