Level 3Experienced
Teeth: a quick check worth preparing for!
The answer
“Show me the teeth, please.”
Your dog turns their head away, licks your fingers… and you discover that showing their mouth takes a bit of practice!
The dentition check lets the judge check the teeth and the way the jaws close, according to the breed standard. The aim is to make this examination easy, with gentle handling and a dog who feels confident.
What does the judge check?
The teeth present
The judge may check their presence, position and apparent condition.
A complete adult set normally has 42 teeth, while the milk teeth number 28. In a young dog, the replacement of teeth has to be taken into consideration. These figures are an anatomical reference: the judging requirements are found in each breed’s standard.
The bite
The “bite” describes the relationship between the teeth when the mouth closes.
Among others, you may come across:
- Scissor bite: the upper incisors slightly overlap the lower ones, in contact.
- Pincer bite: the incisors meet edge to edge.
- Undershot: the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper one.
- Overshot: the upper jaw protrudes beyond the lower one.
Conformity depends on the breed. For example, the German Shepherd standard asks for a complete set of 42 teeth and a scissor bite.
Visible faults
MyDogShow tip: watch out for jaw and tooth anomalies that may bother your dog, notably canines that injure the palate, and discuss them with your vet.
The check in the ring does not replace a veterinary examination.
How do you show the mouth?
To observe the bite, the judge must see the relationship between the teeth when the jaws are naturally closed. So the lips are gently moved aside, without squeezing the muzzle.
The judge may then ask to see the sides or the inside of the mouth to complete the check.
Follow their request: showing the incisors and allowing a full check do not require exactly the same movements.
Beginner — 3 tips for a calm start
1. Get your dog used to contact near the mouth
Start by briefly touching the cheek, then reward. Move on to a light touch on the lip.
When this step is comfortable, gently lift the lip for a moment.
A good start: a very short handling, well accepted, then a pause.
2. Prepare the movement before the show
Ask an experienced person to show you how to move the lips aside without hiding the teeth with your fingers.
Practise somewhere calm, before asking your dog to manage it in a busy hall.
3. Reward after the handling
Let your dog finish chewing before starting again. A treat in the mouth gets in the way of the check and can cause tongue movements.
Keep the sequence simple: show, release, reward.
Intermediate — 3 tips for making the check easier
1. Work on the front and both sides
A dog may accept having their incisors shown, but hesitate when the handling goes further round to the side.
Train these areas separately. Gradually increase the duration, without pulling hard on the lips or forcing the mouth open.
2. Add the presence of an observer
Ask a calm person to watch while you show the teeth. They can then gradually come closer.
Prepare your dog for the judge being close, without multiplying hands around their head.
3. Read the “Jaws/Teeth” section of the standard
Note the bite required, any tolerances and the faults mentioned.
Avoid the simplistic rule “a missing tooth always gets the same penalty”: you need to identify which tooth is concerned and look at the provisions that apply to the breed.
Advanced — 3 tips for fine-tuning your preparation
1. Identify the different teeth precisely
Learn to tell incisors, canines, premolars and molars apart with the help of a vet or a knowledgeable person.
You will better understand a comment mentioning a “P1” or an “M1”, without confusing location and type of tooth.
2. Prepare several examination situations
Work on a presentation done by you, then, if your dog is comfortable, short touches by another person.
Change one difficulty at a time: person, place or duration. The aim is to keep a handling that is accepted calmly.
3. Plan for dental particularities
In the case of a broken or lost tooth, or an extraction, ask a vet’s opinion and check with the organiser or the kennel organisation about any supporting documents that may be acceptable.
A certificate does not guarantee that the tooth will be considered present or correct. Do not try to alter or hide the dentition to influence the judging: the regulations target treatments intended to deceive the judge.
If your dog refuses
An occasional hesitation should not become a battle of wills. Release the handling and tell the judge about the difficulty.
A constant refusal preventing the teeth from being assessed can lead to the entry “Cannot be judged”. The best preparation remains gradual learning; if the contact seems painful, have your dog examined by a vet.
The nine tips are practical recommendations. The rules quoted come under the FCI framework and must be read together with the breed standard and the applicable national provisions.