The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DOG-TOOTH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
D
O
G
-
T
O
O
T
H
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Check/canines" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case check/canines = dog-tooth.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DOG-TOOTH mean?
DOG-TOOTH noun- A sharp zig-zag pattern on the leading edge of a wing which increases the vorticity over the wing and reduces spanwise flow.