[ldenise]

Dewclaws are the little thumb toenails that originate a little bit higher on the inside part of the leg.
Dewclaw removal is most often performed in puppies around 3-5 days of age to comply with specific breed standards or to prevent the loosely attached dewclaw from catching on furniture, carpet, etc. resulting in damage to the toe.
The docking of tails is a practice to avoid tail damage, for hygiene and other reasons.
I had the vet only remove about 1/2 of my new puppies tails. that is what i told them to do but they removed more than 1/2. they like to remove more so you have to watch them.