I am getting a 10 week old black lab. She still has her dew claws. Should I worry about taking them off? I know if I have her fixed I will do it then, but I am kind of leaning towards trying to get a litter out of her at some point.

If you're going to use your dog for hunting, you probably should get it removed. It could be a bloody mess someday if you don't. One of my dogs had a front dew claw when I got her. It's very rare for a Cocker to have a dew claw, so the breeder had missed it. I took her into the vet at around 8 weeks and he cut it off and cauterized the wound. I think it cost me 15 bucks. You might be able to find a farm vet that'd do it cheaply for you. I'm not sure at what age it turns into a larger ordeal though.

Are you saying the vet cut if off without using any anesthesia at 8 weeks? If they are not cut off in the first 4-6 days then the dogs have to be put under and have it removed. I doubt you will be able to get done for under $100 and probably will cost you more like $200+. I can guarantee you that you won’t find a vet that will do it without anesthesia.

I have been hunting with a dog that got her dew claw torn off and it was painful for the dog. If you wait to have it done just make sure you always carry a first aid kit with you when hunting and can bandage it up.

Yup, I am definitely saying he cut it off at 8 weeks without anesthesia. I held her while he did it. She gave just a little whine when he cut it and then she was fine. It wasn't a big deal at all. I'm sure there are some vets that would love to make a killing on something like that, but the vet I used was in his mid 70's and had been practicing for 50 years, mostly on farm animals, and openly said he no longer did it for the money. Like I said before though, I'm not sure at what age it would no longer be possible to remove the dew claw like that. It definitely wasn't an issue on my dog at 8 weeks though.

I wouldn't have it done to a pup after 10 weeks. Too bad they didn't do it to the litter. I met a new red setter pup today which still had dew calwas. It came from a kennel. I don't understand! Boot them one time and you'll wish they had them off.

I have had hunting labs all my live and Never had a problem with dew claws left on! Not to say it can't happen!

its a shame people don't get educated, its so easy @ 2-3 days old, dog nail clippers and a dab of super glue.

Had my pup's dew claws removed when he was like 6 months old. Wasn't too much of a big deal. He got to ham it up at the vet's for the day and no work for a week or so. Had to wear some funky looking socks as wrappings though.

If you are hunting then get rid of the dew claws.

Daisy had one on one of her back feet (easy for the breeder to miss) & I didnt notice it till she was 12 weeks or so, Like Gengo said, not that big of a deal & she got be spoiled for a few days (as if she's not already spoiled enough). I would get them removed for sure.

How much did that run you?

Had him chipped the same time but I think around $80. Most of it was the anesthesia I think.

I suggest talking to your vet. I do think if you are going to hunt with the dog, the dew claw should be removed if not don't worry about it. I removed the dew claws on my litter of puppies at two days of age.

Doesn't bother my dogs one way or the other. I have never had one have a problem because the dew claws had not been removed.
If they weren't done at two days old, I wouldn't bother.
I witnessed them being removed from a 10 week old pup one time and even with him being anesthetized, it was painful for him, and certainly for me.

Just to confirm....

When you guys say that hunting dogs should have them removed - are you referring to the front dew claws?

Yes, Labs should only have front dew claws when born. For some reason if the dog also has rear dew claws, which I have never seen before on a lab, they should also be removed.