Would this be too big a fault to show?

[Becky and Wilson]

Paisley is 9 months now, and I know I'm very biased but I think she is such a pretty cocker and I'd LOVE to try her at showing!  The problem is her teeth!  Instead of her having a scissor bite where the top teeth sit just in front of the bottom teeth, her bottom teeth sit just in front of her top teeth IYSWIM?!

So would we get laughed out of the ring?!

[KarenB]

I think this is called a over shot jaw, their teeth are checked at shows for this problem so don't think you could show.

[MegandMolly]

Think prob you can't show her as it would be deemed a fault.
(used to show rabbits and it would have been a disqualifying fault in the bunny world, not sure about dogs as don't show mine)

[Dessie]

Hi

As some of the others have said this is a fault and most judges would pick this up and place her down the line up for it - there are some judges though that would over look this especially judges that didn't really know the finer points of a Cocker Spaniel    I would avoid Champ Shows but maybe you could have a go at a few Open Shows or Limit Shows.  I have a friend who has a Cocker with a slightly under shot top jaw and she has been placed in classes under Hound Judges 

HTH

Dessie

[tiamaria]

At what age will it be clear to see if your dog/puppy will have an overshot jaw?

[KarenB]

I am led to believe you should wait till your dog has it's adult teeth but if it is a over show jaw then this would be present as a puppy.

[Becky and Wilson]

Paisley had it when she was 8 weeks, not sure when the breeder actually noticed it but I presume pretty early on!  I heard they could grow out of it, but at 9 months now I'm guessing it's not going to happen!

I will possibly try paisley in a few open/limit shows then!  Off to find some in our area!  Maybe we'll just watch a few first as I've never been to a cocker show before!  

[tiamaria]

I am led to believe you should wait till your dog has it's adult teeth but if it is a over show jaw then this would be present as a puppy.

what other 'jaw' faults are there?

[Jane S]

If the bottom teeth overlap the top teeth, that's undershot not overshot (overshot is when the top teeth protrude too far over the bottom teeth). This site has some photos of mouth/teeth faults which are quite useful : http://www.dentalvet.com/patients/orthodontics/pet_orthodontics.htm

As Dessie says, any mouth fault can be difficult to get away with in the show ring, specially at a higher level, as most judges do know that a scissor bite is needed in a gundog & mouth faults are easy to spot. That's not to say you shouldn't have a go at the smaller shows though and see what happens

[MegandMolly]

Think there is undershot and overshot, think under is when bottom jaw sticks out more than top, over is when teeth stick out too far.  (could be wrong),
My son is awaiting his brace - he has a mix of the two! One tooth is behind bottom row, one is too far in front - symptom of overcrowding and 'funny' jaw shape I suppose there must be a doggy equivalent too.

(Sorry posted same time as JaneS)

[tiamaria]

If the bottom teeth overlap the top teeth, that's undershot not overshot (overshot is when the top teeth protrude too far over the bottom teeth). This site has some photos of mouth/teeth faults which are quite useful : http://www.dentalvet.com/patients/orthodontics/pet_orthodontics.htm

As Dessie says, any mouth fault can be difficult to get away with in the show ring, specially at a higher level, as most judges do know that a scissor bite is needed in a gundog & mouth faults are easy to spot. That's not to say you shouldn't have a go at the smaller shows though and see what happens

Makes more sense with photographs! The scissor bite is different to what i thought! Thanks for that! 

[tracey]

At what age will it be clear to see if your dog/puppy will have an overshot jaw?

By the time the adult teeth come through.

Mouth faults are not always evident as baby pup's. What looks like a perfectly normal mouth/bite at 8 weeks can change and all sorts of faults can appear by the time the adult teeth come through.

You could have a go at the smaller shows and see if you like showing.

Good luck

[Beth]

what other 'jaw' faults are there?

Jarvis has a fault i've never seen or heard of in another dog he has an extra canine tooth just inside the other one, he had perfect puppy teeth too, the second tooth was only there in his adult set.

You can see it in this photo:

[Tori]

what other 'jaw' faults are there?

Jarvis has a fault i've never seen or heard of in another dog he has an extra canine tooth just inside the other one, he had perfect puppy teeth too, the second tooth was only there in his adult set.

You can see it in this photo:

My friend has had this happen a few times with her GSD's in a line that she imported for Germany....Originally the vet thought it was a retained baby tooth but its happen 3 times now down this lines sooo ....Bit of a poo with GSD's as well as the german judges count their teeth!


Forgot to add........Gorgeous piccie Jarvis personally i think it makes him special

[Beth]

My friend has had this happen a few times with her GSD's in a line that she imported for Germany....Originally the vet thought it was a retained baby tooth but its happen 3 times now down this lines sooo ....Bit of a poo with GSD's as well as the german judges count their teeth!


Forgot to add........Gorgeous piccie Jarvis personally i think it makes him special

Ooooh, so it does happen with other dogs. I don't think his parents had them, so must've been some sort of throwback. His breeders also told me it was a baby tooth which i knew it wasn't 'cos it looks completely different. I think it makes him extra special too. He also had a wotsit missing, so i used to joke that his genes got confused.