Could anyone explain or direct me to relevant literature explaining why there is an absence of dew claws in the species. I've always been under the impression that dew claws played a role in increasing traction and reducing torsion on the rest of the foot and leg during locomotion, and am curious as to why this isn't the case in this instance, assuming that to be true.
Patrice Showers Corneli
I wonder if it is just that the dew claw is simply a vestigial remnant of the evolution to a simplified, faster digitigrade gait. It has no function any longer and is simply lost in many wild canids and other fast running species.
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