Howard Baker passes

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i have a mix breed dog, she looks like a schnauzer. have had several ask about getting one of her pups when she has a litter. sorry, she's spayed. i was studying her feet, with declaws dogs have the same number of 'fingers' we have, but they have paws instead of hands. we have a foot so we can stand upright (easier to carry things if we walk instead of being on all fours), they have more leg.
true about evolution not being a straight line, it also doesn't necessarily change things for the better, it has no moral compass or goal.

Ours still has her dewclaws, too. A lot of vets recommend removing them, especially on hunting dogs because they aren't really attached by anything other than skin and can get torn off in the field, but, eh, they don't seem to be causing her any trouble and her "hunting" is limited to fetching a Chuck It. I read somewhere that long ago they helped the wild ancestors of the dog grasp food.

She also has her ears and tail. Good, because I don't approve of docking, especially for dogs that are just pets, but I do understand the temptation to dock the tail. Effing thing is like a whip. She's knocked stuff off tables with it and given me a welt on my shin from overenthusiastic wagging.

[Danzig]

the people who had the mom had the pups rear dewclaws removed, and they docked their tails . i hate they cut their tails off, but i can imagine how much she'd knock over with that thing.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Danzig

the people who had the mom had the pups rear dewclaws removed, and they docked their tails . i hate they cut their tails off, but i can imagine how much she'd knock over with that thing.

Our first dog was a mini schnauzer and her tail was docked, too. I mean, if they're going to do it, better to do it when they're just a few days old and won't remember it, I guess.

You know, like circumcisions. Heh.