I am happy to report that Viljo has all 42 permanent teeth completely in or coming in. I have been looking at his teeth regularly, both for my own information and for giving him experience with really thorough bite examination.
Vijo's father has complete dentition; his mother is missing one 1st premolar (not considered a fault).
It's funny (not ha, ha) that until a few years ago, while I knew what correct and incorrect bites looked like, I had never counted teeth or even knew how many teeth a dog should have. "Should have" is the key note on this topic. Since my involvement with the Deutscher Teckelklub, I have learned that not all dogs have complete dentition and that there is a genetic component to missing teeth. It was in 2000, and my first experience with a German judge, that I first saw any judge open dogs mouths wide and study teeth, and I'd been going to shows and observing judges off and on for 32 years.
Following are statements from the FCI Standard for the Dachshund regarding teeth.
Faults: M3 (Molar 3) are not to be considered when judging. Lack of 2PM1 (Premolar 1) is not to be penalized. The absence of PM2 should be regarded as a fault, if other than M3, no other teeth are missing, also a departure from the correctly closing scissor bite.
Serious Faults: The absence of teeth other than those described among faults or eliminating faults.
Eliminating Faults: Lack of other premolars or molars. Exceptions : The two PM1, one PM2 without consideration of M3, as mentioned under Faults.
What this means is that a dog may be missing one or two 1st premolars (the teeth just behind the canines), and one or both 3rd molars (found only on the lower jaw), without fault.
Missing a 2nd premolar is a fault.
Missing any incisor, any canine, any 3rd premolar, any 4th premolar, any 1st molar, or any 2nd molar is a disqualifying fault. Missing a 2nd premolar plus any other tooth (except 3rd molars) is also a disqualifying fault. Missing more than two 1st premolars is a disqualifying fault.
So now I pay attention, not just to the alignment of incisors and canines, but to the presence of all the teeth.
Vijo's father has complete dentition; his mother is missing one 1st premolar (not considered a fault).
It's funny (not ha, ha) that until a few years ago, while I knew what correct and incorrect bites looked like, I had never counted teeth or even knew how many teeth a dog should have. "Should have" is the key note on this topic. Since my involvement with the Deutscher Teckelklub, I have learned that not all dogs have complete dentition and that there is a genetic component to missing teeth. It was in 2000, and my first experience with a German judge, that I first saw any judge open dogs mouths wide and study teeth, and I'd been going to shows and observing judges off and on for 32 years.
Following are statements from the FCI Standard for the Dachshund regarding teeth.
Faults: M3 (Molar 3) are not to be considered when judging. Lack of 2PM1 (Premolar 1) is not to be penalized. The absence of PM2 should be regarded as a fault, if other than M3, no other teeth are missing, also a departure from the correctly closing scissor bite.
Serious Faults: The absence of teeth other than those described among faults or eliminating faults.
Eliminating Faults: Lack of other premolars or molars. Exceptions : The two PM1, one PM2 without consideration of M3, as mentioned under Faults.
What this means is that a dog may be missing one or two 1st premolars (the teeth just behind the canines), and one or both 3rd molars (found only on the lower jaw), without fault.
Missing a 2nd premolar is a fault.
Missing any incisor, any canine, any 3rd premolar, any 4th premolar, any 1st molar, or any 2nd molar is a disqualifying fault. Missing a 2nd premolar plus any other tooth (except 3rd molars) is also a disqualifying fault. Missing more than two 1st premolars is a disqualifying fault.
So now I pay attention, not just to the alignment of incisors and canines, but to the presence of all the teeth.
Above left: This is a good canine dental chart. Click on the diagram for a full-size view.
Above right: The bite of a 5-6 month old puppy is in transition. During this transition, puppies go from 28 teeth to 42. This photo shows adult incisors, two erupting adult premolars, and a puppy canine with no evidence yet of the permanent tooth.
Above right: The bite of a 5-6 month old puppy is in transition. During this transition, puppies go from 28 teeth to 42. This photo shows adult incisors, two erupting adult premolars, and a puppy canine with no evidence yet of the permanent tooth.