# What are dog's dew claws for?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 4, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900 "2001-08-04T14:46:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Swirdle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Swirdle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swirdle)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900/1 "2001-08-04T14:46:32Z")

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What are dew claws for?  
and what is the name for that ‘extra toe pad’-thing at the back of a dog’s ‘wrist’?

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**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900/2 "2001-08-04T15:44:13Z")

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They’re vestigial ‘thumbs’. A dog’s paw is actually his ‘fingertips’.

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**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900/3 "2001-08-04T18:03:39Z")

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I would check [http://www.k9web.com](http://www.k9web.com) - it’s down right now or I would have done a search.

The dew claw is removed in many breeds, particularly hunting breeds, as they tend to get snagged fairly easily on underbrush. My dog still has his and uses them when he wants to get a good grip on something like a rawhide or bone.

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**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900/4 "2001-08-04T18:46:34Z")

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**Shiva** was right about the “vestigal” part. They used to be for grabbing and holding. A trait not as needed in the pack atmosphere. So it “vestigated”. Now they are used for snagging women’s (OK, and some men’s) stockings. The nail is also there to be a pain in the butt to trim. If it gets too ong and breaks, hooo mama, what a mess. Also some dogs have extra “bonus toes”, The Great Pyranees _has_ to have multiple dewclaws on the back legs.

The pad on the back of the “wrist” is the “carpal pad”. Yup, the wrist pad. Also know in veterinary circles as the  
“pad on the back of the wrist”. (Trivia: the dog’s “knee” is the stifle. You’re better off talking about the “knee” though.) It is there to pad the dog’s wrist. (Sorry if that sounded condescending. It was not meant to.) When a dog goes scrabling over rocks and tree limbs and trashcans and stuff, the pad helps to keep the wrist from getting too banged up.  
-Rue.

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**Author:** ![Swirdle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Swirdle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swirdle)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-dogs-dew-claws-for/74900/5 "2001-08-04T21:41:18Z")

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[QUOTE]  
\*Originally posted by Rue DeDay \*  
The pad on the back of the “wrist” is the “carpal pad”. Yup, the wrist pad. Also know in veterinary circles as the  
“pad on the back of the wrist”.(Sorry if that sounded condescending. It was not meant to.)

Not at all Rue, Cheers