Puppie preferences

Ericb · Jan 5, 2017

My GSP is getting ready to have a litter soon so I had a chat with my vet to get all the details worked out. To my surprise she would share very little opinion with me and only facts. I wasnt expecting there to be so many decisions I have to make about the puppies im going to sell.

First dew claws. Ive never given any real consideration to not removing them. The vet claims she has only seen one issue with not having them removed. Online I found plenty of discussion not necessarily fact that the removal may cause arthritis.

Now the holly question to dock or not to dock? Or more so if docked how much? 40% 50% or 60%? Im pretty much convinced on docking just how much. Vet claims most people are leaving longer lately.

I do plan on keeping a puppy but the rest will be sold so marketability is a factor here.

Kickemup · Jan 6, 2017

My GSP fell through the ice a couple years ago and couldn't get back out without her dew claws. My ass had to go in waist deep to get her out. Most people like them removed tho. My GSP have a really short tail like 10% and I like it but most don't.

zoops · Jan 6, 2017

I'm certainly no dog expert but I personally don't know of any hunting dogs with dew claws, but most of my experience is with labs. Friend of mine didn't do it on his wirehair pup and one got torn/infected on his first season and had to get operated on, cost him a couple months of hunting season. Not sure why you would want them but maybe that's a thing in some circles.

Fly Carpin · Jan 6, 2017

My chocolate still has her dew claws. Helps her hang on when she climbs trees to flush roosting turkeys. 3 years old, 2 seasons of pretty rigorous waterfowl and upland hunting, no issues

arrowdem · Jan 6, 2017

ya we've been breeding pups since i was a kid and ive done a couple of my own litters of labs and the dew claws are chance to cause more harm then good when it comes to hunting dogs, they stick off the side of the leg like a little toe they get hung up in fences cut up from grass etc. and cause infection, plus they are very very easy to remove and can be done at home by yourself, just take some hemostat pliers and pinch right under where the nail is, you can feel where it ends, then just with your fingers push that nail out if it didnt comes out already from the pliers and rub a little super glue over where the nail is, dogs dont even flinch, very easy to do and saves you some dough from the vet, i actually took my first litter in and the vet did the first couple and i did the rest so that he said i could just do it at home and not have to pay or travel for a simple operation, also make sure that you do the dew claws in the first couple days because after about a week or a little shorter time the dew claws start to connect to the rest of the foot rather than just sitting in the skin, thats why they come out so easily cause they arent really connected to anything, hope this helps!

bigv · Jan 6, 2017

dew claws have really become quite a topic last few years. It seems more and more breeders are choosing to leave them. I think a lot of this is just fad. It was the thing to do forever so people jump on that bandwagon. Now, people are realizing that for the most part there isnt an issue so they leave them. Can a dog injure a dew claw? Sure but no more likely than injuring a regular toe. I'm not sure I have an opinion either way. My very first lab had dews intact. He lived to be 14 and he was hunted hard! Never an issue. I was thankful a couple times. Late season hunts where he would go after one that sailed. He wouldnt call off and scared me to death. He fell through twice but popped right out using claws. Only thing else I remember about those nails is they were super sharp. They don't wear because they don't touch ground. I still have a couple light scars on hands from wrestling with him. He would like to grab me with his paws and they'd dig in.

Ericb · Jan 6, 2017

Did anyone go out and buy a dog with dew claws? Or did the pup you decided on just have them?

Lycanthrope · Jan 6, 2017

My dog has his dews, never caused any issues for him. He also has a tail, no issues there either. Docked is kinda ugly imo...

Kickemup · Jan 6, 2017

Lycanthrope said:
My dog has his dews, never caused any issues for him. He also has a tail, no issues there either. Docked is kinda ugly imo...

After everyone staring at your avatar for the last 2 years I don't thing anyone can take your word for what is ugly or not. :;:stirthepot#$%^&>

Perchslayer · Jan 6, 2017

Kickemup said:
After everyone staring at your avatar for the last 2 years I don't thing anyone can take your word for what is ugly or not. :;:stirthepot#$%^&>

Lol this is great
anyway I have a "snow dog" as I call it he was made for snow and never gets cold he has dews and a tail he also has a sense of humor, my other dog is a a lab he is seriously just muscle af his head is huge too he has dews and a tail just he always get super cold

2400 · Jan 6, 2017

Years ago when I was raising and hunting Shorthairs I had 2 big males. Both had docked tails and one had dew claws the other didn't, the one with dew claws ripped one of his out while we were hunting. I thought he was going to bleed out before I could get the bleeding stopped.

Since then any hunting dog I have had his dew claws pulled in the first day or two as a puppy. I've had Labs for the last 20 or so years and they have all had their dew claws removed.

bowcarp · Jan 6, 2017

Two of my three labs had their dew claws intact never made a difference , that were hunted hard in all conditions and cover never a injury

Puppie preferences

Ericb

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Kickemup

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zoops

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Fly Carpin

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arrowdem

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bigv

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Ericb

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Lycanthrope

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Kickemup

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Perchslayer

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2400

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bowcarp

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