The life cycle of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis was systematically investigated in vivo. The life cycle of females and males consisted of an egg, larva, protonymph, and a tritonymph that gave rise to an adult. Development from egg to adult required 10.06-13.16 days for the male and 9.93-13.03 days for the female. Egg incubation times were >50.1 to <52.97 hr. Larval duration was between 3.22 and 4.20 days. The durations of protonymphal stages that were destined to become females and males were >2.40 to <3.40 days and >2.33 to <3.33 days, respectively. Tritonymphs destined to become females and males molted in >2.22 to <3.22 days and >2.42 to <3.42 days, respectively. During development, all life stages frequently left their burrows and wandered on the skin surface.