Dew Claws?

[gtntuf]

Yesterday, our trainer at Petsmart said something that disturbed me. She noticed that Trinity's dew claws had been removed and commented on them. She said that it was not normal for a dog to have scars where their dew claws had been removed. Something about they would've had to have been attached by a bone for it to leave a scar like that. She has an Aussie and she doesn't have scars from her dew claws being removed. As far as I can remember, all the boxers that I've met have those same scars from the removal. Brutus has them too.

I can understand if the trainer doesn't know specifically about a certain breed of dog, and I was thinking that maybe she just didn't know that boxers are handled this way. Or am I wrong in thinking that most boxer breeders remove dew claws?

 

[boxer]

I think your trainer is a bit off base. All dewclaws have "bone". Whether or not there is a scar from the removal of dewclaws is really dependant on how well they are removed - so it's more the result of the skill (or lack of it)of the vet who removed them. A good clean cut close to the skin is unlikely to leave any scar, while a less clean cut further from the base of the dewclaw is likely to leave scars... and a really bad attempt at removal may result in apparent re-growth.

 

[Mya's_Mom]

Mya has some small scars where her dew claws were. I think too it depends on the the color of the skin there as to how obvious they are. Mya and her friend Scooby both had their dew claws removed by the same vet and Scooby's are much more noticable. She also has white socks so that skin is lighter where as Mya's legs are all brown and much darker skin.

 

[jlynnholt]

Pimp has little scars from were his dew claws were removed.

 

[Shanz]

Cinnamon has scars too. Ive always known they werent removed properly.But I do think the trainer wasout of line bluntly telling you that. WHat exactly do dew claw scars have to do with obedience?

 

[Allie'sMom]

Allie has scars also. Sounds to me like scars are normal!

 

[boxer]

Sounds to me like scars are normal!

Common, certainly. But I wouldn't say "normal". I've had dogs with small scars, and dogs with no scars at all (all boxers). As said above, I think it depends on the skill of the surgeon doing the removal - certainly not on the breed of dog

 

[Capone's Mama]

Capone has a scar but he has thinner hair

Ally has scar's put you have to go looking for then becaouse she has thicker hair then Capone does

 

[gtntuf]

I didn't think it was abnormal for boxers to have scars there. My babies' feet are both white so maybe those bright pink scars are just more noticeable. Although, in 14 weeks of training Brutus she never mentioned his scars once. I think she's a good trainer, but maybe she should keep her opinions about physical aspects of my dogs to herself if she isn't knowledgeable about them.

 

[JulieM]

Aussies also have longer hair than Boxers, so a small scar is going to be far less noticeable. Most Boxers I've seen have had dewclaw scars.