Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellie May  Never heard of it being done to a dog. They don't use their claws the way cats do anyway.
If they did it and if I had a dog that was being extremely destructive with their claws, I would do it (fronts only). I would do a cat too. Everybody has their opinions on what is right or wrong. IMO, it's okay to do it and I don't see me having a cat without doing it. |
Well I've had cats over my lifetime, and they have never been declawed. As kittens they are taught, and my experience cats learn a lot faster than dogs, that they have their scratching posts to scratch on. As kittens I usually have three posts in the house. So if they start scratching at something not allowed they are taken to what is allowed!. Also their nails need to be trimmed regularly, and if so they don't scratch so much.
I would never declaw a dog. The dogs so need their nails and they do use them in different ways to cats.
Of particular importance is the front dew claws. Watch a dog working; particularly over teeter board, or A frame, or climbing, or descending steep hills. The pads spread out, and the front dew claws are used as a "hooking" action to help stabilize and balance them.
But at the end of the day, if you have animals in your home, then you have to put up with a bit of this n that in terms of the pristine nature of your home. Cats/dogs shed have accidents, puppys need to learn, and they do so at the cost of furniture and walls. I'm not advocating that you allow bad destructive behaviour of your animals, but hey accidents happen, as training needs to happen concurrently.
IMO if you are not OK with that, don't get animals period.