My 5 month puppy now has her adult teeth, I would class it as a wide-ish scissor - NOT overshot, but I wouldn't want the top row any further away from the bottom. Is there anything I can do as regards depth of food bowl, chew toys etc, to ensure that as the mouth matures the bite doesn't deteriorate? Puppy bite was perfect. I know you breed for the bite, but I'm not talking a major problem, just wanting to make sure I don't inadvertently encourage incorrect growth. Sort of like when I had my brace removed as a child and was told to make sure I still held my mouth in the right position! :-)

I'd just hang on in there without actively doing anything as the bottom jaw usually grows on after the top jaw has stopped in the traditional scissor-bite breeds that I know.

I agree - wait!  I have only ever known undershot get worse.  I think there is a high chance that her top jaw will adjust a tad at this age.

Just going on my experience with a breed that does have problems.

Oh phew, thanks. :-) This is where I need so much more experience than I currently have. Oh well, that's another thing learned. :-)

Never had a bad bite in pups but when I see one of my kittens with an overshot bite as opposed to undershot I usually feel relief, as it more often than not means it will end up being bang on level as the bottom jaw will continue to grow.

Really doubt there is anything you could do but the lower jaw may well not have finished growing so hang in there providing the upper teeth are over the lower then I would stop worrying.

Thanks all! I will stop worrying and stop poking around in the poor puppy's mouth looking at them all the time too, lol! :-D

As the lower jaw tends to grow longer the scissor should tighten up, would be more worried if it was tight at this stage as then she could easily end up undershot, a more likely problem with a shorter muzzle, so sounds good to me.

>easily end up undershot, a more likely problem with a shorter muzzle

Happens in Chihuahuas.  :-(

The 'bite' is a strange matter, we worry about in the ring but unless very wrong I would think it matters not one jot to the dog, I am moderately overshot and unfortunately it has not stopped me eating.

Don't know about others but I find it easier to accept a level or small overshot than an undershot mouth when looking for a scissor, perhaps this is wrong of me but the undershot just looks so wrong and ugly in a dog that should not have it where as an overshot is far less noticeable - er! perhaps I should tighten up my judging of teeth.

>where as an overshot is far less noticeable - er! perhaps I should tighten up my judging of teeth.

You have only stated what I have always thought!!  :-)

Lol Nova, unfortunately my own overshot bite hasn't stopped me eating either!! Lottie certainly has no trouble with clearing her dish (such a nice sight after my picky princess) and I won't worry about it anymore. Thanks to all! :-)

Lucy your puppy girl is just too cute and so layed back and so well behaved for a baby, was lovley catching up with you today and seeing your baby

An overbite in a Cavalier almost always goes hand in hand with a 'beaky' face so lets hope it tightens up.
Nothing but time and genetic make will alter it Im afraid.

Well she certainly hasn't got a beaky face I don't think, it's looking softer and more cushioned all the time as she comes out of the 'plain' phase. It's probably just that Henry had a very tight scissor bite, and so a wider one looks different just in comparison. Like I said in my first post, it's certainly NOT an overbite, Ellie is verging on that and Lottie's is nowhere near as wide. I was almost certainly worrying about nothing, it's so long since I've had a really competitive dog I'm just on hyper alert for anything that might go wrong. :-)

Denny it was lovely to catch up with you too, can't believe how grown up the girls are now! Take care and hope to see you around this summer, now I have both a puppy and a veteran to take out and about!

i would wait and see how she is in several months time as her head will change and probably all will come ok