It you cut into it, it will be very painful for him. Pull the claw away from the leg and, using the clippers, snip a smallĪmount from the tip.

Place your weight (gently) across his shoulder and take one of his front legs in your hand.

Stroke him gently and tell him he's a good boy.

Place your Cocker on his side on either a table or the floor.

I can't confirm that this is true or whether it's simply an 'old wives tale,' but I like the theory! It's said that the term 'dew claws' originated from the fact that they're positioned at the same height as a blade of grass and that when the dog is walked through a meadow they catch the dew from the top of each blade. The basic essentials are: a pair of dog nail clippers a styptic pen or loose powder (you can also use cornflour) and a sterile bandage (just in case). The ideal time to trim your pet's claws is when you're cutting your Spaniel's nails.Ĭheck that you have everything you need before you begin. If the claw pierces the skin, obviously it will cause your dog pain, but it can also lead to infection. Just like your dog's nails, his claws can grow very long, but because they're hidden it's very easy to forget that they're there.Īs they grow they tend to curl back on themselves until eventually the tip of the nail begins to dig into the leg. If your Cocker Spaniel still has these claws, personally, I would leave well alone unless they're causing problems.īut if you decide to keep them, don't forget to trim them regularly. Isn't normally necessary however the vet may decide to use either a If the claws are removed within the first few days of birth, a general anaesthetic (So if you want your puppy to keep these side claws, be sure to let your breeder know before it's too late!). Regardless of whether the dog is a show Cocker or a working Cocker, many breeders have the claws automatically removed when their puppies are young, usually between two and five days old. This could save you some heard-earned cash as you won't be forking out twice for an anaesthetic and it will certainly be less traumatic for your Cocker Spaniel! Breeders & Dew Claw Removal If your Cocker is regularly having minor snagging problems your vet may recommend that you wait until your dog is to be castrated or spayed, or is scheduled to have other surgery.

Should the dewclaw has be seriously torn your vet may be able to save it, but if that's not possible at least it will be safely removed.

If the claw is badly torn you'll probably notice it because it will bleed profusely, and if you don't, your dog will let you know because it will be painful! If the claw catches and bleeds you may not even notice it with all that fur on his legs, which could be a problem because it could lead to infection.

Loose dew claw dog