Hi All
Just a bit of advice and thoughts please...
I have a beautiful import bitch who will be 2 in feb, she is a 10kg breed.  Since coming into the UK she has done very well but i withdrew her from the ring due to coat loss following her season, she is now starting to look really great and i had high hopes for her next year (she already has a foreign title).
I was just about to fill in the crufts entry and was looking her over and to my horror found she has lost an incisor from the top row - one of the middle two, there is now a gaping hole as she has good size teeth.  I think if it had been a bottom tooth it would look ok but on the top looks awlful.
She has a good scissor bite otherwise.
Does anyone think she will be penalised for this? I would be showing her to finish her, would a judge still give her a ticket, or would she loose due to the tooth?  This breed is new to me, in my other breed (giants) it would not matter too much, but in a smaller breed it is so obvious.
I am in two minds at the moment, she is too good to be penalised for a missing tooth and i would rather keep her at home.
I suspect allrounders might penalise and breed specialists not, but she had a better shot under all rounders as she does not have the greatest head, but fabulous body and movement.
What do you guys think? Help?

I'd still show her.  My Pharaoh bitch lost half a tooth when play fighting like a lunatic :rolleyes:  It split lengthwise so she had a gap too.  After she lost it she won another 6 CCs and two Ch show groups.  Give it go - you've got nothing to lose :)

Debs

I agree too, my dog also won another couple of tickets and a champ show group after breaking a front tooth...and another broke one of his as a youngster and was still made up. They both won tickets from all rounders and breed specialists so she should be fine...I wonder if it's actually lucky to break a tooth :D

With Soli on this one - if she's a quality bitch it's certainly worth trying :)

I had a male lose an upper canine which was never penalised although to be on the safe side I did get my vet to write a letter certifying it had been due to trauma in case anyone ever asked (which they didn't - not even continental specialists who are usually more dentition conscious than our UK judges :) )  My vet was happy to do that as he treated him at the time and knew it was there originally (tooth caught on the collar ring of our other dog when playing rough games at high speed :rolleyes: )

If it's possible it may be best to get a similar letter from your vet just in case it is an issue with some judges - I should think it would be less likely to be penalised if you had something to confirm that her dentition was complete and correct pre trauma.

Good luck with her! regards, Teri

I am in the same boat with my Jozi, though she is now a Veteran and already a champion.  I will continue to show her, though only in Breed classes when we have Veteran, as she makes it quite clear she isn't ready for retirement yet.

I think it depends on the breed.  Hairless Cresteds can have missing and cricked teeth and not be penialized, but if a powderpuff Crested does, then it is a major fault, and can lead to a disqualification.

Dobermans are another breed that missing teeth is looked down upon. 

From the size you listed, I am making a guess that you may have a sporting dog?  Just a guess mind you, but wouldnt a missing tooth lead to them not being able to do the work they were breed to do.  Thats one reason we never showed our springer spaniel.  She had the crocked teeth, and in Canada at least, a bad mouth in a sporting dog, is worthless to show.  It is one of the highest pointed things in the dog, so out of the 100 possible scored points, there would be no point when competing against otherwise good dentation dogs.

But, I would check out your breed standard for one, then see what it says about mouth.  If it is a breed where mouth and dentation is important, you could be wasting your money.  If not, then give it a go. 

Hope that helps

Crespin

I think there is a difference when a tooth has obviously been present but lost than a dog with a bad mouth (wry, under or overshot etc) or born with missing teeth.

as long as the linement of the jaw is right for the breed that be ok. it only a missing tooth.
which can happen any time.

Not sure how this would be viewed in Terriers I've seen a really good dog placed down for a very slightly wonky incisor - as in hardly noticeable, so a missing tooth?  you can but try, I suppose it all depends on  how outstanding the rest of the mouth and dog is, and how the judge feels about it