Dutch Shepherd Forum

Geyser is nearly 6 months old (next weekend), and is nearly done teething.

This got me to wondering...

She's about 2/3 of her adult size, I'd guess, at 40ish lbs and about 19 inches. What happens to their skulls after they finish teething? Do the skulls continue to grow? I'd guess so, since their bodies continue to grow, but that makes me wonder about their dentition and how their skulls get bigger without messing up the fit of the teeth/jaw?

Looking for enlightenment! (Mr Google wasn't much help...)

The skull is what grows the longest, and slowest. The jaw get's a bit more "bone" I guess, but the teeth stay pretty much the same. That's what I've seen anyway. From what I've seen I think it's mainly the bones that will get more "mass" if you know what I men, but the teeth are stuck in the jaw a few weeks after they have come through.

That makes sense, Marjolein.

I remember seeing a show on TV about dog development...how all canids at birth look the same and the genetic instructions tell what parts to grow, when, and for how long, and that's when you get all the differences between breeds.

I guess the rest of the skull continues to grow but the jaw part doesn't grow as much? I know her head is going to get bigger!

Nature is a trip...