Dogs generally have five toes on the front feet and four on the hind feet, but some dogs also have dewclaws on their hind feet. So, what should be done for these dogs with hind foot dewclaws? Do they need to be removed?

　　Some dogs are born with dewclaws on their hind legs, usually caused by undesirable genes. These are actually vestigial and have little purpose, so removal is possible. Dewclaw removal typically takes place within 10 days after birth and is a very simple surgical procedure. The purpose of this surgery is to prevent future pain caused by accidental injury to the dewclaw or excessive dewclaw growth embedding into the limb. Additionally, some removals are due to aesthetic preferences, as a pair of long, straight legs may have the overall effect disrupted by dewclaws.

　　Within professional dog show circles, not all dogs need to have dewclaws removed, so there are distinctions between "must remove," "can remove," and "must not remove." For example, Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherds can have two dewclaws on one hind leg; the former must have theirs preserved, while the latter allows removal.