I'd like to add an agility perspective here -
Chris Zink writes in her book "Jumping from A to Z," that dogs jump differently when they lose thier tails. She explains that the tail acts like a counter balance for the dog and helps the dog over the jump, change direction, and reduce the stress on his front end.
In fact, I think she may have also mentioned in her column from CLeanRun Magazine, Sally Sports Vet, that removing the dew claw is also disadvantageous as the when a dog runs, the hock flexes to such a degree that the dew claw actually comes in contact with the ground and gives the dog more grip, making it easier for the dog to turn and change direction. |