Dewclaws 101 

Did you know that all dogs are born with a toenail on the inside of their front legs called the “dewclaw”? If you look at the dog’s foot, you will discover that the toes that contact the ground are basically the pinky, ring, middle, and index fingers. Think of the dewclaw as the thumb. Feeling the nail, you should be able to move the dewclaw a little forward and backward. You will also be able to feel tendons that connect the nail to the leg.

One of the most interesting things is that some breeds are born with dewclaws on all four legs, or even double dewclaws on the rear leg. Some believe that some rear dewclaws were purposely bred to give greater stability when working on rough terrain and snow. Just keep in mind that the presence of a rear dewclaw is rare for most breeds.

You may be wondering about the function of front dewclaws. Five tendons attach to the dewclaw and play a crucial role when the dog is in motion. The dewclaw does a great job of stabilizing the dog when they are running. Also, when a dog turns, the dewclaw digs into the ground to support the structures of the limb and prevent torque. Another interesting fact is that some dogs use their dewclaws to help them climb trees or hold items while they chew!

Dewclaw injury is common. However, there are ways to avoid it. Keeping the nail short is key to avoiding injury with the dewclaws. Much like other toenails, the nail of the dewclaw needs to be trimmed regularly but due to the location of the declaw, the nail will not contact the ground and will not wear down naturally like other toenails.

We hope that you now have a better understanding of the dewclaw. Keep in mind that when a dog is standing, the dewclaw may not appear to be functional, but when they move, the dewclaw is put in action! It is a very important part of a dog which provides stability