Do not repeat breedings that produce these defects. A good or excellent dog should not be eliminated solely on the basis of one or two missing teeth. However as more are missing or extra, the fault becomes more serious. Dogs with multiple missing or extra teeth should probably not be bred. A male with missing teeth should never be allowed to become a popular sire.
Dropped incisors are the least problematic mouth defect from a functional standpoint.
Dropped incisors have been observed in wolves, though never to the extremes seen in Aussies. If an animal has dropped incisors, do not breed it to its relatives and breed it only to mates which do not have them and whose near kin do not have them. For questions about ASCA, ASCA programs, or Australian Shepherds, click here . For dead links or comments about the site, contact the ASCA Webmaster . Copyright 2001 Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc.