A dew claw is a small digit located on the inner side of a dog’s leg, positioned higher than the other toes so it doesn’t touch the ground when the dog is standing. Think of it as roughly equivalent to a human thumb or big toe. Nearly all dogs have dew claws on their front legs, and some breeds have them on their rear legs as well.
Where Dew Claws Are Located
Front dew claws sit on the inner (medial) side of the front leg, just above the paw. They’re attached to bone and connected to functioning tendons, making them a true digit with a limited range of motion. The front dew claw has two small bones inside it rather than the three found in a dog’s other toes, since it’s missing the middle bone.
Rear dew claws are a different story. They’re often attached only by skin and loose connective tissue, with little or no bony connection to the rest of the leg. The small foot bone they would normally connect to is often undersized or partially fused to another bone. Because of this flimsy attachment, rear dew claws tend to dangle and catch on things more easily than front ones.
What Dew Claws Actually Do
Front dew claws look useless when a dog is just standing around, but they serve a real purpose during movement. When a dog is galloping, jumping, or making sharp turns, most of its weight shifts onto the front legs. At that point the dew claw makes contact with the ground and digs in, helping stabilize the lower leg and reducing rotational stress on the wrist joint. For working dogs and active breeds, this grip during high-speed turns is genuinely functional.
There’s also a less obvious use. Dogs that fall through ice or swim in freezing water can use their front dew claws like small ice picks, gripping the edge of the ice to pull themselves out of the water. You can also watch many dogs use their dew claws to hold bones, toys, or sticks between their front paws while chewing.
Rear dew claws generally don’t serve the same stabilizing function, though some breeds are exceptions. Great Pyrenees historically used theirs as a braking mechanism while racing down mountainsides to chase wolves away from livestock. Herding breeds like the Briard and Beauceron may benefit from rear dew claws when navigating rough terrain at speed.
An Evolutionary Leftover, Sort Of
Dogs and their wild relatives, including wolves and jackals, walk on four toes per hind foot. The dew claw represents a first digit that was lost during canine evolution. When it reappears on the hind legs, it’s technically a developmental trait that restores that lost toe, a form of extra digit growth called preaxial polydactyly. This is why rear dew claws were historically considered a hereditary defect, though in certain breeds they’re completely normal and even prized.
Breeds With Rear and Double Dew Claws
While front dew claws are nearly universal in dogs, rear dew claws show up mainly in specific breeds. Some breeds go a step further and have double dew claws, two dew claws on each hind leg. The Great Pyrenees, Briard, Beauceron, and Icelandic Sheepdog all commonly have rear double dew claws, and depending on the breed, these may be required by the breed standard. Removing them in those breeds would actually disqualify a dog from the show ring.
Why Dew Claw Trimming Matters
Because dew claws don’t contact the ground during normal walking, they never wear down naturally the way other nails do. This makes regular trimming essential. Left unchecked, a dew claw nail will curve in a circle and eventually grow into the toe pad, causing pain and infection.
A scissors-type nail clipper works best for dew claws. The loose skin attachment lets you gently bend the dew claw away from the leg for a clear view and easy access. Check your dog’s dew claws every time you trim the rest of the nails, roughly every two to four weeks depending on growth rate. It’s easy to forget them since they’re tucked out of sight.
Common Dew Claw Injuries
Rear dew claws, especially loosely attached ones, are prone to snagging on brush, carpet, fencing, or blankets. A torn or partially ripped dew claw is one of the more common minor injuries veterinarians see. Signs include limping, licking at the paw, visible bleeding, or a nail hanging at an odd angle.
If you notice a torn dew claw, gently rinse the area with lukewarm water to remove debris. A light, breathable bandage can protect it temporarily. Make sure the bandage isn’t too tight: you should be able to slide two fingers between it and your dog’s leg. Change it daily or whenever it gets wet.
Most minor tears heal well, but watch for signs of infection. Slight redness with minimal swelling is normal in the first day or two. If you see thick yellow, green, or bloody discharge, swelling that spreads up the leg, or if your dog refuses to bear weight on the paw, that needs veterinary attention quickly. Mild redness can escalate to a serious infection within 24 to 48 hours, so daily monitoring matters.
Dew Claw Removal
Dew claw removal is sometimes performed on puppies between 3 and 5 days old, particularly for breeds with loosely attached rear dew claws that are likely to snag and tear throughout the dog’s life. At that age, the procedure is relatively minor. In adult dogs, removal is a more involved surgery requiring anesthesia, and recovery involves limiting jumping and running for several days afterward.
The decision depends largely on which dew claws you’re talking about. Front dew claws are functional, bone-attached digits, and most veterinarians discourage removing them without a medical reason such as a tumor, chronic infection, or severe injury. Rear dew claws that are only attached by skin and repeatedly getting caught or injured are more commonly removed as a preventive measure. For breeds where double rear dew claws are part of the breed standard, removal is generally avoided unless medically necessary.
If your dog has had a dew claw surgically removed, watch the site closely in the days that follow. Normal healing involves mild redness that stays localized. Thick or discolored discharge, swelling spreading beyond the paw, lethargy, loss of appetite, or fever all signal an infection that needs professional care right away.