# Rear Dew Claws



## Paula_in_Oregon (Feb 13, 2010)

I was just reading in another thread that not all breeds have rear dew claws.

I had been under the impression that most all dogs are born with them, they're just removed shortly after birth.

So my question is, what are the breeds that DO have rear dew claws? 

I did a Google search but can't find anything definitive.


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## GypsyJazmine (Nov 27, 2009)

I don't know about other breeds but, my heart breed, Great Pyrenees have double rear dews...They are attached securely by a piece of bone & should never be removed.
eta: My Akbash/Maremma (both flock guardians) cross has single rear dews.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

great pyr
st. bernard
some nordic breeds like malamutes and samoyeds.
Swedish valhund and buhunds
A lot of obscure flock guarding breeds I'm sure you never heard of

It also can crop up in some breeds that it isn't normal in like I have a neighbor who has a pit with rear dew claws. 

That's just the short list. I'm sure there's many more that I left off


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## Dexter23 (Mar 29, 2010)

Paula_in_Oregon said:


> I had been under the impression that most all dogs are born with them, they're just removed shortly after birth.


Thats what I thought too.


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## Paula_in_Oregon (Feb 13, 2010)

Yeah, I ask because I have a dog that's an unkown mix who has rear dew claws, securely affixed to bone, and I'd like to get an idea what he might be. 

Interestingly, the rescue speculated St. Bernard as being in the mix, but I just don't see it in him.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

I know the Beauceron has double rear dews.


Not to many breeds have them as a standard. They can pop up on any breed though.

I have a met a lhaso apso with them as well, seemed strange.


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## GypsyJazmine (Nov 27, 2009)

Paula_in_Oregon said:


> Yeah, I ask because I have a dog that's an unkown mix who has rear dew claws, securely affixed to bone, and I'd like to get an idea what he might be.
> 
> Interestingly, the rescue speculated St. Bernard as being in the mix, but I just don't see it in him.


Just an f.y.i...In the late 1800's the smooth coated St. (which there only were then) were crossed with the Great Pyrenees among other breeds & that's why some St.'s have double rear dews today...Not sure if the original smooth coated St. had rear dews but, because of the work they did, I'd bet they did.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

nope most breeds do not have rear dews it is a mutation that occurs sometimes and in some breeds it is a mutation that breeds true. Rear dews are typically never removed, all of the breeds that breed true for them are expected to keep them.


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## sadie34 (Feb 2, 2010)

Only certain breeds are known for their dew claws. I previously had a Newfie with easy removable dew claws....some dew claws are attached to bone and some are not.

I now have 2 from same litter (mother Great Pryenees - father Antolian Shepherd)...one had dew claws and the other did not. 

When dew claws are attached to bone, removal is more major an operation and should only be done if necessary. My dog's dew claws were attached to bone but were so "large and floppy" I knew in future they could catch and rip so I had them removed when she was spayed....healed beautifully and as she wanders the mountains and woods I'm glad I made the decision to have them removed.


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## sablegsd (Jan 24, 2010)

I have had a GSD with 1 rear dew claw and a Pom with 1 rear dew claw.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

Some of the Shih Tzu x Maltese I have, have back dew claws, some don't. I would not remove them but the Papillon I just got has double dew claws on the backs but they are the loose floppy kind that will be easy to remove when he is neutered. That is if I can convince the only Vet we have here to do them. They will not dock tails, do ears or take dew claws off puppies.

When we had Greyhounds, we removed the front dew claws and none of them ever had back ones. I think the Bernese are supposed to have double dew claws on the hinds but Susie who is half Bernese does not have any at all on the rear.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Most Papillons don't have rear dew claws. Nia had her front ones removed but never had any on her rear paws.

I don't think Cavalier King charles usually have rear dew claws either.

Edit: I have only ever seen/heard of one papillon with rear dew claws. Now I've heard another!


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## Bubbly (Mar 20, 2010)

Bubbles still have both of her rear dew claws. Actually, she still has all 4 of her dew claws. The front ones are attached to the bone while her rear ones are only attached by the skin. The HS didn't remove them before we adopted her and I just didn't see a reason to put her through a surgery for the rear ones. She's an ACD mix (or so they think).


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I've only met one dog with rear dews, and he was a yellow Lab (mix?) pup my brother's roommate dragged home. They named him Toast  and I don't want to think about life in that bachelor pad  . They all vacated the house after wrecking it and I was left with the puppy. I wanted to keep him but the timing was bad, so I found him a nice new home. I saw him after he was grown, and he was neutered but still had his rear dews, so I guess the vet and his owners saw no reason to remove them. I thought they were pretty awesome myself.


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## yappypappymom (Oct 22, 2009)

Leif came to me w/no rear dew claws(papillon)...it confused me too for a bit..(lord knows I went "checking" everywhere for them too) LOL  I emailed his breeder, &, she verified that nope, they had not had any removed, so....theres another for the pap/-dew claws vote


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Really they're that common that so many people think all dogs come with them? Like I said, I've only met the one dog that did have them. But then I never looked for them....I always figured dogs were like cats; "thumbs" on the front paws, not on the back.


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## yappypappymom (Oct 22, 2009)

Willowy said:


> Really they're that common that so many people think all dogs come with them?


I have not had THAT many dogs before, &, the ones that I did, had rears...so, yes, I WAS suprised to notice that my pup had none back there.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I've never had a dog with a rear dewclaw. I've had all my shelties without fronts (they were removeD). Nard also doesn't have fronts because they were removed. But none were born with rear dewclaws.


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