A pup i was hoping to buy has an undershot jaw,the vet told his breeder during his visit at 8 weeks.Then at 10 weeks getting his 2nd vaccination the breeder was told it had improved and that once he got his adult teeth in he would be fine,is this possible or is the breeder just saying this so i will still buy her.I tried to get a hold of my own vet this morning but he is in surgery.Any advice appreciated,i dont want to make a huge mistake.Thanks

Vets are unlikely to know (unless they themselves bred this breed) to be fair.

I am assuming this is  puppy that your thinking of showing??

If it's a slightly overshot jaw (top teeth overlapping the bottom but with a noticeable gap) then as the bottom jaw tends to grow for longer than the top this may right itself.

I the jaw is in fact undershot (bottom teeth coming up over the top teeth) then this can only worsen as the bottom jaw grow.  It's the reason that puppy bites that are only just scissor will go undershot, and with a  puppy you want a really good deep scissor bite, in hopes it stays scissor.

What does  the breed standard call for in your breed.  Some ask for scissor but accept level bites.

If the puppy is intended not for show or beading then whether it is slightly undershot or overshot will not impact on it.

Assuming the breed is meant to have a scissor bite, an undershot jaw at such a young age is likely to get worse instead of better. The lower jaw tends to grow for a longer time than the upper; I've known scissor lites at 8 weeks end up as level bites or reverse scissor on adulthood, so if it's starting wrong it's likely to stay wrong.

Ditto to Brainless. I've never had a dog with a bad bite but breeding Persian and Exotic cats (flat faces) am extremely used to bad bites, and the best I can wish for is an OVERSHOT bite in a kitten as that will usually end up level. A level bite ends up undershot and an undershot one even worse -again talking about my cat breeds here. NEVER known an undershot bite to improve, only get worse. I assume you want the pup for showing? I would not risk it in that case, not if it is undershot.

>A pup i was hoping to buy has an undershot jaw,

Which breed Kenzi?

Also make sure that the correct terminology is being used and that the pup really is undershot (bottom teeth in front of upper) and not overshot.

Well like others have said it does depend on what breed the pup is as in my breed it's acceptable but an overshot is pretty much a disqaulification

I once heard a vet admit that they weren't really sure which way round under and overshot meant.  So I guess it's not part of veterinary training.  Unless the vet shows dogs I wouldn't take their answer as gospel.

I have a breed that needs a scissor bite.  If they are undershot as puppies, they are not going to come good.  Does the breeder of your pup show her dogs?


If the jaw is in fact undershot (bottom teeth coming up over the top teeth) then this can only worsen as the bottom jaw grow.  It's the reason that puppy bites that are only just scissor will go undershot, and with a  puppy you want a really good deep scissor bite, in hopes it stays scissor.


Totally correct - this is a big no-no in my breed (nothing but a scissor bite is acceptable).   In the worst scenario, a bad bite, with a big gap, either way, will affect the ability to eat, and may well lead to dental problems later on because the bite isn't meeting correctly.   And of course, a significant overbite may well hinder a bitch from dealing with her puppies, on whelping (nipping the umbilical).    Obviously dogs with incorrect bites should be excluded from any breeding programme because it is a significant fault.

If you are intending to show, don't buy this puppy - you won't be placed.   I had one who went into quarantine with a pretty 'tight' bite.   Edge to edge is accepted in N.America in my breed, but NOT here.   By the time they came out of quaranting, he had definitely gone undershot.  Tragic because he was otherwise a lovely dog - which is why we ran him on with two of his sisters.  I didn't like the look of his bite early days (his dad was edge to edge but I risked using him for his other qualities I needed, and I'd not had this fault in my line up to them).   

As a pet only, this puppy may be absolutely fine, depending on how bad the fault becomes later on (feeding).   His breeder should have been aware without having the vet tell her btw.