3Woofs Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Hi, Just wondering at what age you assess a pups bite? Is it possible at 4 weeks or will they move a lot more and be more reliable at 6 weeks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Each breed, just like each puppies mouth will set at different times. It maybe good at 6 weeks, but be crap by 8 or could be good at 6 months and crap by 9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I wouldn't consider a pup's bite at 4 weeks to be any indication of what it's going to be as an adult. With mine, their teeth aren't even fully erupted by that age so something that looks like it's going undershot often surprises just a few days later. Examine the jaw - the positioning of the upper and lower jaws give you some clue about whether a certain pup might end up undershot but even then, not reliable at 4 weeks. Wait until 6-8 weeks and you may have a faint idea but even then it's a lottery in a bull breed. Have a look at how the molars & premolars line up too - often more reliable than the incisors at a young age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) Cavaliers good at 8 weeks should be good later on. Can go off around 4 months and at other times with a growth spurt. Sometimes does not come good until 3. Edited for typos. Edited January 10, 2012 by Bilbo Baggins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Woofs Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I’ll look at the conformation of the litter for now, and see how the bites are looking at 6-8 weeks. There are a couple of pups that look overshot at the moment so fingers crossed the lower jaws will catch up in growth over the next few weeks. Arghh so hard to choose THE ONE lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I would rather take my chances with a good bite on a pup staying good than hoping on a bad bite improving with time. Not saying it can't happen I just prefer those odds personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 The lower jaw will grow at a slower rate but these puppies are only 4 weeks, stop worrying and don't keep checking. I don't even look at my puppies jaws until they have all of their teeth erupted at around 6 weeks. Just enjoy them and stop worrying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I’ll look at the conformation of the litter for now, and see how the bites are looking at 6-8 weeks. There are a couple of pups that look overshot at the moment so fingers crossed the lower jaws will catch up in growth over the next few weeks. Arghh so hard to choose THE ONE lol. Not if you only get one. (I had just the one with my last litter!) but at 6 weeks she's looking very nice, it's kind of taking "breeding only to keep going" to the extreme though! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zensu Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I recently had a lovely bitch.. 6 weeks - perfect bite 8 weeks - perfect bite 10 wees - perfect bite 12 weeks - perfect bite 4 months - perfect bite 5 months - bad bite 6 months - level bite 7 months - bad bite & pet home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I recently had a lovely bitch.. 6 weeks - perfect bite 8 weeks - perfect bite 10 wees - perfect bite 12 weeks - perfect bite 4 months - perfect bite 5 months - bad bite 6 months - level bite 7 months - bad bite & pet home I think the rate at which certain breed mature has to be taken into consideration too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I’ll look at the conformation of the litter for now, and see how the bites are looking at 6-8 weeks. There are a couple of pups that look overshot at the moment so fingers crossed the lower jaws will catch up in growth over the next few weeks. Arghh so hard to choose THE ONE lol. Overshot is good - you definitely want to like that :D. The lower jaw keeps growing after the upper has stopped so a "tight" bite or even a "perfect scissor bite" at 6-8 weeks scares the heck out of me. I've had a bitch who was close to 1/2 an inch overshot at 12 weeks, had a pefect bite as an adult and it stayed that way all her life (she died at 14). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowenhart Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I've picked a bad overshot mouth at 3-4 weeks. The dog had a significantly shorter/narrower lowerjaw that never caught up. I check teeth and jaws as part of my regular handling. If Lowchen have teeth at 4-5 weeks, it's likely they are smooth. If they don't yet have them at 7-8 weeks they are likely to be undershot with an overdone head. By checking regularly and noting it down, you can learn for the next litter. Makes predicting outcomes easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I’ll look at the conformation of the litter for now, and see how the bites are looking at 6-8 weeks. There are a couple of pups that look overshot at the moment so fingers crossed the lower jaws will catch up in growth over the next few weeks. Arghh so hard to choose THE ONE lol. Overshot is good - you definitely want to like that :D. The lower jaw keeps growing after the upper has stopped so a "tight" bite or even a "perfect scissor bite" at 6-8 weeks scares the heck out of me. I've had a bitch who was close to 1/2 an inch overshot at 12 weeks, had a pefect bite as an adult and it stayed that way all her life (she died at 14). Would that be a worse senario in longer snouted breeds ie. GSD's and Poodles, hounds or is it much of a muchness???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts