Full Throttle Kennel

Full Throttle Kennel Full Throttle Kennel is a full service retriever, gun dog and obedience training facility.
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We offer different training programs that are personalized to meet your dogs needs. At Full Throttle Kennel we will strive to maximize your dogs fullest potential while providing the best care and treating your dog like it is one of our own. Conveniently located 45 miles north of Milwaukee in the summer months and Boston Georgia in the winter months.

08/16/2024

Dewclaws! They are IMPORTANT! Many dog breeders routinely, and without much thought, amputate puppies' front dewclaws when the pups are 3-5 days of age. Why? The thought is to prevent potential injuries, such as tears of the digit, later in life. BUT do you realize that the dewclaw is a FUNCTIONAL, IMPORTANT digit? I am thankful that my own dog's breeder did not amputate Dunkin's front dewclaws. Do you also know that with appropriate exercises, the muscles of the dewclaw can be strengthened to help promote and maintain appropriate function and close apposition of the dewclaw to the side of the paw? Below is an article by a friend and colleague, Dr. Chris Zink, that explains the importance, anatomy, and function of the front dewclaw.

"Do the Dew(claws)?
by Chris Zink, DVM PhD DACVSMR

As a veterinary sports medicine specialist, I work extensively with canine athletes, developing rehabilitation programs for injured dogs or dogs that required surgery due to performance-related injuries. I have seen many dogs, especially field trial/hunt test and agility dogs, that have chronic carpal arthritis, frequently so severe that they must be retired or at least carefully managed for the rest of their careers. I noticed that very few of those dogs had dewclaws and began to wonder whether these appendages might, in fact, protect a dog from injuries. What I learned might surprise you.

The Anatomy of Dewclaws
Miller's Guide to the Anatomy of the Dog, a veterinary anatomy text, has an excellent figure depicting the muscular anatomy of the distal forelimb. There are 2 functional muscles, the extensor pollicis longus et indicis proprius and flexor digitorum profundus, which are attached to the front dewclaw by 4 tendons (references in blog). Each of those muscle/tendon units has a different function in movement. That means that if you cut off the dew claws, you are preventing the muscles that were attached to the dewclaws from functioning.

In contrast, rear limb dewclaws do not have muscle/tendon attachments, so their removal might be appropriate, except in the breeds such as Briards and Beauceron in which they should be retained.

Dewclaws Do Have Functions
If there are muscles and tendons attached to the dewclaws, then they most likely have a function. Broadly speaking, dewclaws have at least two different functions:
1. Grasp the ground when the dog is turning to prevent torque on the forelimb. Each time the front foot lands on the ground, particularly when the dog is cantering or galloping (see Figure 2), the dewclaw is in touch with the ground. If the dog then needs to turn, the dewclaw actively digs into the ground to stabilize the lower leg and prevent torque. In Figure 3 you can clearly see the dewclaw of a Corgi herding a sheep extended, ready to grip the ground. And in the image at the top of this article, you can see the dewclaws of a dog extended, ready to grip the water!

Do the Dew(claws)?

If a dog doesn't have dewclaws, the leg will twist on its axis, creating increased pressure on the carpal bones, as well as the elbow, shoulder and toes. A lifetime of this kind of torque and the result can be carpal arthritis or injuries to and subsequent arthritis in other joints of the forelimb, such as the elbow, shoulder, and toes. Remember, the dog is participating in the activity regardless, so there will be concussive pressures on the leg, and if the dewclaw does not help to stabilize the leg, those pressures will be transmitted to other areas of the leg, especially the joints.

2. Grip objects. We have all seen dogs using their dewclaws to grip an object such as a ball or bone (Figure 4). I've even seen many photos of agility dogs gripping the teeter for stability (Figure 5). But did you know that the dewclaws' gripping ability can, in fact, save your dog's life? Check out the video "Dewclaws Do Have a Purpose" for "gripping" views of dogs attempting to get out of water onto ice without the help of those ice picks on the inside of their legs. The video also shows dogs using their dewclaws to grip the ice and escape from a potentially fatal situation. I have known several dogs that drowned after falling through ice in the winter. None of them had dewclaws. If they had, perhaps they would have survived and spared their owners the incredible heartache of watching their dogs die unnecessarily.

Arguments for Removing Dewclaws
1. The dewclaws will get injured. This is the most common reason I hear for removing dewclaws. A friend of mine had such a severe dewclaw injury in one of her dogs that she swore she would remove them on all the dogs she bred subsequently.

But the data indicate that dewclaws are not injured very often. A study published in 2018 showed that the dewclaw was the LEAST likely toe to be injured in agility dogs, in which landing and turning from jumps and other obstacles put the toes at risk for injuries. Thus, it makes no sense to remove the dewclaws because of risk of injury. And, of course, no one would consider removing the 5th digits in the front feet, which are by far the most commonly injured toe.

2. Owners forget to trim the dewclaws. Surely this is a matter of education. Do we really want to remove a functioning digit in all dogs, just because some owners need to be reminded that they must remember to trim the dewclaws?

3. Dewclaws make the forelimb look less straight when viewed from the front in conformation. The AKC states: "The breed standard describes the characteristics of the ideal
dog to perform the function for which it was bred." While we could have long discussions about the veracity of this statement, it is interesting to note that there are VERY few breed standards that require dewclaw removal. I know of only one - the Vizsla breed standard.

A Plea
So, here's a plea to retain dogs' dewclaws. They are a functioning digit. They are the toe least likely to be injured. Isn't this enough to convince us not to do the dewclaws?"

Goose ๐Ÿ–ค
07/11/2024

Goose ๐Ÿ–ค

06/15/2024
***SOLD***Thank you all for the interest ๐ŸพDue to buyer back out I have one male puppy from Sadie x Champ ready to go thi...
06/04/2024

***SOLD***
Thank you all for the interest ๐Ÿพ

Due to buyer back out I have one male puppy from Sadie x Champ ready to go this Saturday! Calls only if interested! 4147192055

(This is not the puppy but a puppy from the same litter as we wonโ€™t know which male until Saturday)

05/28/2024
05/21/2024
Pistol and her babies ๐Ÿพ
05/19/2024

Pistol and her babies ๐Ÿพ

05/19/2024

Sadie x Champ puppies were 4 weeks old on Friday. We have started the weaning process ๐Ÿพ

05/13/2024

Pistol x Bomber puppies one week old ๐Ÿพ

05/08/2024

Pistol x Bomber puppies born yesterday ๐Ÿพ

05/04/2024

Sadie x Champ pups 2 weeks old ๐Ÿพ

Sadie x Champ puppies 1.5 weeks old
04/30/2024

Sadie x Champ puppies 1.5 weeks old

04/30/2024

Sadie is such a good momma ๐Ÿพ

04/25/2024

All of Sadieโ€™s puppies are doing great and growing like crazy!

Sadie x Champ puppies due any day ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿพ
04/18/2024

Sadie x Champ puppies due any day ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿพ

๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿฆ†
04/02/2024

๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿฆ†

02/14/2024
Storm ๐Ÿพ Taran ๐ŸพBowzer ๐ŸพR***r ๐Ÿพ
01/05/2024

Storm ๐Ÿพ
Taran ๐Ÿพ
Bowzer ๐Ÿพ
R***r ๐Ÿพ

Happy dogs ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฆ†
01/04/2024

Happy dogs ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฆ†

11/13/2022
SOLD!One male left out of Sadie x Madduxx! Calls only if interested! 4147192055
11/04/2022

SOLD!

One male left out of Sadie x Madduxx! Calls only if interested! 4147192055

10/29/2022

Sadie x Madduxx puppies almost 6 weeks ๐Ÿพ

10/25/2022

5 weeks old already! Going too fast!

Couldnโ€™t agree with this more!!
10/19/2022

Couldnโ€™t agree with this more!!

Expectations vs Reality.

Many people watch our dogs progress and it seems flawless from the perspective of social media that dogs go from puppies to finished dogs that are ready to go hunt.

Often people expect to have a ready to hunt dog in 4-6 months thatโ€™s going to go out in the field and have no problems simply because we laid a good foundation and while some dogs may have the foundation in that time and even some that may be ready and able to start hunting thereโ€™s a lot of times that simply isnโ€™t the case.

You wouldnโ€™t expect your 6 month old child to be walking and you also wouldnโ€™t throw in the towel if they werenโ€™t walking by then. You keep going untilโ€ฆ.until when? Until they figure it out. Youโ€™ve got to be patient!

Some dogs take longer than others, they mature and learn and different rates and what makes the real deal click for them is often very different.

You donโ€™t get a finished gun dog, a master hunter or a field trial competitor by doing the bare basics, for the cheapest amount, in the shortest amount of time possible. It takes a lot of time, a pretty hefty financial investment not only in training but for the puppy you purchase. You canโ€™t buy a pinto and race with supercars no matter how good the driver or coach is.

DONT buy a cheap puppy! Pushing your budget on the right puppy will give you more return on your investment than anything else!
Good dogs ainโ€™t cheap and cheap dogs ainโ€™t good!

Understand that this is a 3-4 year commitment to building a great dog, whatever that means to you. Great takes time.

In your dogs first hunting season, be patient. Let them soak it in from behind the blind. Donโ€™t worry about shooting. Work the dog.
Slowly start building them into how to hunt by doing small steps and getting them checked off in the right way first. Small wins lead to big wins, self confidence in your pup and ultimately success. Focus on getting the little things right and set your pup up to learn his first season. It will be rough. Next season youโ€™ll have a lot more fun, the 3rd season, youโ€™ll have a hunting dog.

โ€œThe one who tries to get something for nothing generally winds up getting nothing for something.โ€- Napoleon Hill

Address

W1134 Old Bridge Road
Campbellsport, WI
53010

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