Page 116 - ShowSight - September 2019

Keeping Calm, Pampering Puppies... BY MICHELLE SCOTT continued
“Instead of being reactive, meditation has allowed me
TO MANAGE MY EMOTIONS, HELPED ME TO BE LESS DISTRACTED, AND BECOME LESS ANXIOUS.”
Now let’s sink our teeth into this: Over- shot or Parrot Mouth. This is not an accept- able bite for any breed and is a disqualifica- tion in many.
I find it really interesting the number of people calling it a Parrot Mouth, as if that’s different than Overshot? Spira’s book Canine Terminology says they’re the same. I decided to keep looking for definitions. The CKC glossary doesn’t have the term Parrot Mouth and neither does the AKC list it. Gilbert & Brown’s K-9 Structure & Terminology also has no definition for Par- rot Mouth. Gilbert’s book Encyclopedia of K-9 Terminology says “Overshot bite. Brachygnathism. Over bite. Overshot jaw. Swine-chopped. Pig jaw or pig mouth. 1. Front teeth (incisors) of the upper jaw over- lapping or projecting beyond the front teeth of the lower jaw when the mouth is closed, causing the upper jaw to overhand the lower jaw (overshot and undershot are in relation to the lower jaw). 2. Upper jaw extending beyond the lower jaw with a gap between the incisors when the mouth is closed.”
“Parrot bite. A term used to describe a condition in which the upper jaw is fully developed, but the lower jaw is undeveloped in both length and width such that it fits fully into the confines of the upper jaw.”
“Pig-jawed or Pig-mouth. Overshot bite. A badly overshot jaw. When the lower jaw is receded from the nose and the upper jaw in the manner of a pig’s under jaw. It is a dis- qualification in the AKC and CKC English Foxhound and the CKC Welsh Terrier.”
So, according to this maybe we should be calling it Pig-jawed because it is severely overshot?
So, how to work with a clearer head and a happier attitude? Simple: Meditation. Instead of being reactive, meditation has allowed me to manage my emotions, helped me to be less distracted, and become less anxious. Now I look forward to the sense of ease, calm and clarity that I get during and after meditating. I highly recommend it!
114 • ShowSight Magazine, SepteMber 2019