SusieW Posted May 13, 2020 Report Share Posted May 13, 2020 Hi everyone! I'm really enjoying using reading the forum and just thought you knowledgeable collie people might be able to help me out with a question. My boy is a rescue dog. We are his fifth (and final) place of residence from what we can gather -(originally owned by a farmer (sadly an abusive one :(), then some lifesaving person took him from the farmer but didn't keep him, then he was rehomed to someone who couldn't cope with him (he was a real nervous wreck when we got him and seems to have some sort of PTSD relating to farms/his farmer), then he was given to the rescue centre, then he came to me where he will stay forever. The rescue centre put his age at 2 (born 2014), but obviously they can't know for sure. I have always wondered if he was actually older, as he's always been extremely mature and sensible, he had bad teeth (although better now as he lets me scrape and clean them) but now I am really wondering as he has started going grey. The black patches on his face are starting to get a lot of grey hairs on them, and he's getting a lot of grey hairs on his back too. I was just wondering how old your collies have been when they started to go grey? Or if there is any way you can gauge the age of a collie? My terrier is 13 next month (we got him a year and a half ago but the previous owner has contacted us since and happened to say he didn't go grey until he was about ten). Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Collie Posted May 13, 2020 Report Share Posted May 13, 2020 I have a rescue B/C and was told she was 4 when I got her, I thought they guessed. The dentist/vet thought she was two years old. I have had her three years now, no grey hair but she sleeps like an 8 year old. We love her in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieW Posted May 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2020 Irish Collie- she's gorgeous! Thanks for your reply:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted May 14, 2020 Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 Cressa started getting grey around her eyes at 5 years old. Val is 7.5 and has no grey hairs. A lot of it is just genetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted May 14, 2020 Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 Years ago I had an 18 month GSD that had a gray muzzle from then to maturity. She was a "show dog" and it made it difficult when they would think she was an old dog in a young class. I had one rescue that one vet said was probably 2 yrs. old and another vet said 7 years. He lived to be what we determined to be 17-18, and if the one vet was correct, he would have been 23 (highly unlikely.) With rescues, a gray muzzle is only one factor. I had one shelter dog who's teeth made him look way older than he was. My vet chalked up bad teeth to bad breeding (genetics) and poor early nutrition. I wish they were like trees so you could count the rings and know their exact age!! And I love Cressa's photo of her three-headed border collie!! And Irish Collie, that is one beautiful dog you have there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted May 14, 2020 Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 My current 14 yr old has very little grey - just a few individual hairs across his shoulders. My current nearly-8 yr old starting getting a grey muzzle at age 5! So, I don't think there's any "rule" or standard. Thank you for such a great rescue! diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieW Posted May 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 Thank you so much for your replies, everyone! It's really interesting to me. It would be great if you could count rings like trees! That made me laugh So basically then the grey means nothing in terms of age. Does anyone know how rescues/shelters decide what age to give to a dog? My first terrier was said to be 1 and a half by the rescue centre...turns out she was 4 (she had a microchip) but my other two dogs were given straight to the rescue by previous owners so they knew their ages. Not the case for my collie obviously and I'd love to know how they decide what age to 'market' them as so to speak. Thanks again everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted May 14, 2020 Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 I was told they check the teeth for the estimate age? It’s more accurate the younger the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieW Posted May 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2020 Thank you SS Cressa! 6 hours ago, SS Cressa said: I was told they check the teeth for the estimate age? It’s more accurate the younger the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 I met litter mates at an agility competition, at the time they were 4, one was already really grey and the other had none. My first dog I was told was about 18 months to 2 years, but she actually grew so I reckon she was 10 months max, if I had known then what I know now it was obvious she was a goofy kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieW Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 That's so interesting! Thanks so much for your input, alligande 11 hours ago, alligande said: I met litter mates at an agility competition, at the time they were 4, one was already really grey and the other had none. My first dog I was told was about 18 months to 2 years, but she actually grew so I reckon she was 10 months max, if I had known then what I know now it was obvious she was a goofy kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 My boy started grizzling on his face when he was two years old and our girl never grayed at all. It's in the genetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusieW Posted June 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Thank you Sue! Seems like there's no straight answer but I'm so interested in all the replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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