Opposable "thumbs" (dewclaws)?

Behavioral Issues
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  • tanzaT

    @Varanus:

    I was wondering if anyone else experienced this. Yoshi, my basenji (probable) mix, has all four of his dewclaws and uses them in ways that I don't see in other dogs. His rear ones he uses like climbing spikes when he's scaling . He seems to be able to use his front ones independently (distressing!) to do things like hold onto windowsills, grab and hide the remotes, and manipulate his kennel lock. Am I gonna come home one day to find him typing away on the computer?

    In 25 yrs in the breed, I have never seen a Basenji with rear dew claws? Do you have a picture?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • basiB

    @tanza:

    In 25 yrs in the breed, I have never seen a Basenji with rear dew claws? Do you have a picture?

    We have never had rear dew claws either thank goodness!!. It could be because Yoshi is a Basenji mix.

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  • BasenjimammaB
    Houston

    I was thinking that as well, not for B's but for dogs in general, so I did some research..i.e googled and there are dogs out there with dewclaws on the back paws, I had no idea. I have yet, needless to say seen one in real life. I would love to see a pick as well. Apparently the dew claws on the back paws are more of a fleashy type area, so the claw does not fuse with the bone like to front ones do, therefor they can be removed, rather painlessly for the dog. I would love to see a pic as well, really interesting.

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • basiB

    @Basenjimamma:

    I was thinking that as well, not for B's but for dogs in general, so I did some research..i.e googled and there are dogs out there with dewclaws on the back paws, I had no idea. I have yet, needless to say seen one in real life. I would love to see a pick as well. Apparently the dew claws on the back paws are more of a fleashy type area, so the claw does not fuse with the bone like to front ones do, therefor they can be removed, rather painlessly for the dog. I would love to see a pic as well, really interesting.

    Like many of the Nordic breeds the Buhunds have always had ugly rear double dews:eek: which we always removed.

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  • BasenjimammaB
    Houston

    I also read that Great Pyrenees have it as a breed requirement, meaning it is not considered purebreed without'em.

    I had no clue, just goes to show how truly blond I am…swede all the way..

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • tanzaT

    I had forgotten that Yoshi was a mix.. that would explain it since Basenji do not have "rear" dew claws

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • V

    Not only is he a mix, but I think he had a pretty rough life before me, so I doubt whoever produced him knew or cared anything about breed correctness (any breed!). If he were mine when he was a puppy, I might have had the rear ones removed, but now he seems to use them functionally. I was researching this also, and I found that few breeds even have double dew claws, so let me make sure I've got this right: a dog "should" have four toes on each foot, and the fifth is a vestigial "dew claw," correct?
    attachment_p_80690_0_img_0007.jpg

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  • BasenjimammaB
    Houston

    Wow, thanks for posting a pic..how cool. I have never seen that before, so to me it is very cool. I don't know about the four toe thing, but the research I did stated that 4 was the most common.

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • renaultf1R

    @Varanus:

    Not only is he a mix, but I think he had a pretty rough life before me, so I doubt whoever produced him knew or cared anything about breed correctness (any breed!). If he were mine when he was a puppy, I might have had the rear ones removed, but now he seems to use them functionally. I was researching this also, and I found that few breeds even have double dew claws, so let me make sure I've got this right: a dog "should" have four toes on each foot, and the fifth is a vestigial "dew claw," correct?

    Wow…that is so bizarre to me - never seen it before. :eek:

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  • V

    Yeah, it was really weird when I realized he was using them to scale things and to stay on rough terrain. I'll try to get an action shot, but obviously that's easier said than done.

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  • thunderbird8588T

    Realy unusual

    Shelley

    Basenji Malaika

    Basenji Malaika
    Basenji Kwame

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  • K

    Basenjis just have front ones, which most show breeders have removed from their litters. They can be nasty if they catch on something and rip.

    I do know German Shepherds sometimes have rear dews. Not sure about most other breeds. lol Again they are removed as newborns (the rears).

    Kelli Harmon

    Kiroja Basenjis

    Southgate, MI USA

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