Yep small gear dogs on third gear , dr500 , dr400 are the same part numbers , I had a dr500 and broke the third gear dog , after I put a new one in it because it was broke when I got it .
I also got a spare bottom end for parts and third gear was broke in that to .
So it's a common prob .
The tt500 gear dogs are twice the size and I have had these bikes for 25 years and never had gear box woes .
Even the Xl500 , xr500 have better gear dog sizes than the sp , dr suzukis