# Teeth, Under/Over



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

How much issue is there in the dog's bite set, under or over bites? I know for breeding that neither is good...Does the issue in puppies change greatly as the animal gets older? Will you find more wear and a greater chance of tooth breakage with these conditions?:???:


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## Gerald Guay (Jun 15, 2010)

Almost every female GSD I ever owned had a slight undershot mandible when they were very young. By the time they were 10 months old the bites were perfect. Seems the lower jaw grows/fills in last.

Gerald


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## Ricardo Ashton (Jun 3, 2010)

In my experience overshot doesn't really have too much of an effect on a dog's ability to do work, but does affect their eating occasionally. I also observe there is a greater risk of developing wry mouth with undershot.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

With the earth dogs the undershot or overshot mouth can lead to the loss of incissors but the ones I've seen didn't seem to be bothered with it as far as working.
The bite can shift a LOT during growth in many of the sight hounds.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Howard in my experience it tends to get more pronounced over time. As far as the effects I think that depends on the particular dog in question.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

If a puppy had an over bite that was spaced about two nickels thick, how much shifting would be done to bring it to normal? 

Isn't it better to have the proper bite from the start, then you have almost no issues down the road?


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

Well, bouvier bites can be all over the place. They can start out scissors and by the time the dog reaches maturity--be undershot [more common]. In GSDs I've always had correct scissors bites. I've heard slightly over shot can correct itself. I guess like anything else its part of genetics and selection. I've heard in the past it impeded work but having watched an undershot dog with hardly any teeth work and heard the decoys talk about the grip hardness, maybe the bite thing is overrated.

Terrasita


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## Ricardo Ashton (Jun 3, 2010)

Can you define "hardly any teeth" Terrasita? I sincerely doubt a seasoned decoy would be impressed by a dog thats gumming the sleeve.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

I don't know if Lynda has taken a picture of it or not but most of them are worn down to nothing I guess from biting at a fence--not sure but the first time I looked in his mouth, I was amazed. I was taught that you needed a good scissors bite for work and that it even negatively affected the grip in stock work. [GSDs were selected as stock dogs for a full calm grip over the withers of the sheep]. Looking at breeds that have in their standards, bites that are otherwise considered malocclusions or wrong for other breeds, makes you rethink this after you have seen them work. Oh, I guess also, teeth are one thing, but jaw strength and the intent/drive the dog brings with it are the other.

Terrasita


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Terrasita Cuffie said:


> I don't know if Lynda has taken a picture of it or not but most of them are worn down to nothing I guess from biting at a fence--not sure but the first time I looked in his mouth, I was amazed. I was taught that you needed a good scissors bite for work and that it even negatively affected the grip in stock work. [GSDs were selected as stock dogs for a full calm grip over the withers of the sheep]. Looking at breeds that have in their standards, bites that are otherwise considered malocclusions or wrong for other breeds, makes you rethink this after you have seen them work. Oh, I guess also, teeth are one thing, but jaw strength and the intent/drive the dog brings with it are the other.
> 
> Terrasita


 Ooops! I knew there was something I said I would get posted up for you.  Will try to have it up later today.


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Ricardo Ashton said:


> Can you define "hardly any teeth" Terrasita? I sincerely doubt a seasoned decoy would be impressed by a dog thats gumming the sleeve.


Ricardo it is true...Rook lost most of his teeth in a kennel fence fight ( gums were removed from the jaw top and bottom) about three years ago. All of his incisors are gone as well as most of the his molars and the upper canines might be 1/3 of an inch long, however he did manage to keep the lower canines. Rook has been worked by several well known and respected helpers/decoys and while his attitude to bitework is not serious, the quality of his grip and the pressure he's able to apply makes up for it.


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## Wawashkashi Tashi (Aug 25, 2009)

Lynda Myers said:


> and while his attitude to bitework is not serious, the quality of his grip and the pressure he's able to apply makes up for it.


I have nothing but the utmost of respect for people who recognize "who" their dogs are & appreciate them for it.. I wish the dumb little "applauding smiley" would work, cuz I'd stick him in right here for you, Lynda! :grin:


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## Maureen A Osborn (Feb 12, 2010)

In a dogo, as a puppy, I want to see an overshot mouth by 1/16-1/8" because it will grow to a scissor or tight scissor as an adult. Toro is 5 1/2 years old with a tight scissor now and from the bitework, his lower incissors are wearing down big time already, so it might be better to be scissor or slightly overshot or undershot(for bullies) to prevent this,IMHO.


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