Premature Gray

[Jon]

My7 year old golden has been getting gray in the face for a year or more now. He's in great shape but looks much older than her really is. I know some find it endearing, but I wish I could do something about it. His vet says there is no medical reason.

My question. His master has tried a bit of grecian formula to mask his gray. Has anyone heard of a product for dogs? I would appreciate any feedback.

[johnwa]

Some goldies show the gray sooner than others. And no, I never heard of a "grecian like" formula for dogs. Life is tough enough without applying grecian to our dogs. The dogs are still beautiful without it. :)

[theGoldenPup]

All I can say, is don't worry about it too much. Blaze is four and has been getting visibly gray since he was at least two years old.
Some say this can be caused by plastic bowls...and I heard of a golden who de-grayed once he was on a raw diet, but I don't know how common that is.

GoldenPup

[GoldenLady]

If your dog only started going grey in the face at or shortly before the age of 6, that's actually not premature at all! It's true that it happens at different ages and rates in different dogs, and as a comparison to your dog, my now-10-year-old started to go white around the eyes when he was 3.

I actually think the white faces are beautiful. :) I admit I find it sad when it first starts to happen, just thinking of it as a sign that they are aging, but it doesn't take long before the dogs seem all the more precious *because* of those adorable white faces. Just look at the wonderful thread on this forum, featuring pictures of lots of posters' Golden Oldies. :happy2

GoldenLady :)

[Merlinsmom]

Ohhhhhh-dont dye it!!!!

I think they look so beautiful when they start going grey!

However-I do understand that it might seem premature-but-I think they look gorgeous :)

I havent heard of any dye for dogs-LOL-although-I do know some people used to dye their poodles to match their outfits-LOL

[Rusty-14]

Well, if you really have to do it, I would at least ask a vet or a groomer. I don't think its safe.

When I die my hair it smells terrible and I can hardly stand the smell. How can your dog?

When the time comes that your dog isn't hear anymore, you will want to see as many pictures of his/her grey face that you can find.

[hellzpawn]

Mine's supposedly 5 (adopted, unknown date of birth) and he's getting grey as well. Sometimes I'll feel sad coz it seems that he is aging and I'll wonder if he's really 5 or older.... but when I see him play, he looks and behaves just like a puppy.... and I decided just to enjoy having him :)

[Jo Ellen]

Are we talking about "graying" around the eyes or around the lip flaps and chin area? Daisy started turning white on her lips and chin at 2 but no graying around her eyes yet. It's fairly noticeable in this pic....

Aging? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/Jo_Ellen/Daisy2-05.jpg)

[Andi]

Porter started to go gray at about 3.....he's almost 6 and as you can see is quite gray....but that's okay. His nose went pinkish last winter and never went back to black...I don't know why....stainless dishes for food and water.

[LauraLynn]

I have been told that graying occurs earlier in some lines than others, but that diet CAN (not always) also have something to do with it. What are you feeding?

[hellzpawn]

I think they start turning white at the muzzle first before spreading to the eyes. Herbie's eye area and cheeks are starting to turn white now. This is a pic taken a few mths ago.

Not too sure about the food relation but mine's on homecooked.

http://blue-daisies.com/album/data/media/5/herbie20E.jpg

[GoldenLady]

I think they start turning white at the muzzle first before spreading to the eyes. Herbie's eye area and cheeks are starting to turn white now.

Like everything else ;) , this varies from dog to dog.... My first one had barely any white around her eyes but was starting to grey somewhat more around the muzzle when she died at the age of six. My 10 1/2 year old, on the other hand, was the exact opposite of Herbie - started going white around the eyes at a very young age, but the area around the muzzle didn't get significantly white until later on. Even now, while he's all white around the eyes and the part of the muzzle around the nose, his cheeks are still gold. :)

GoldenLady :)

[Acamarrr]

Wouldn't worry about it. Their graying faces are a badge of honor!

Besides, coloring agents are chemical in nature, and our pets gray so close to mucus membranes -- nose, eyes, etc. It's just not safe.

Depending on your pet's coloring, a wet tea bag may achieve the desired affect, without the danger of chemical hair coloring. It's extremely temporary, of course, and ultimately, it's not going to be worth it to do all the time!

(Learned that trick, sadly, from a Golden show-handler -- a championship is not always a truly earned championship.)

[mybaby]

What a gorgeous dog!

[andy123]

My Andy, this September will have his 9 years old. But he play like a teenager. But when you look at him closely you can see he is getting old. But we love him to much and we know is not going to be for ever. I always want it to have a little puppy from him, but never got lucky to found a female for him to have puppies. He is not tide yet, I do not want to do that, I still have hope to found a female for him. We know he is getting old, but never is late. :woofpup





My7 year old golden has been getting gray in the face for a year or more now. He's in great shape but looks much older than her really is. I know some find it endearing, but I wish I could do something about it. His vet says there is no medical reason.

My question. His master has tried a bit of grecian formula to mask his gray. Has anyone heard of a product for dogs? I would appreciate any feedback.

[CaynCher]

Cayenne's hair started to fade lightly in the cheek area at around seven to eight years. At 12, he has not turned white yet around the muzzle or eyes. His color has just faded to a lighter shade. Someone told me that the vitamin folic acid keeps color in hair. Maybe it could delay the onset of white for a while.

[mybaby]

Porter is gorgeous! LOVE his face!

[Andi]

Thanks...mybaby. That picture was taken about 2-3 weeks after we removed his mast cell tumor. Still hard to believe that he's gone.

****Funny...I see that you are in CT. That's where my husband and I are originally from. Porter was purchased in NH.

[ChicagoCanine]

Ginger started getting white at about 4 years old.
Here's a photo from when she was 4 1/2 or 5:
http://www.chicagocanine.com/dogtemp/Ginxmas01.jpg

[3 goldens]

Buck turned 10 in Feb. He is a red golden and white/gray shows easily. He has a little gray on his chin and lips and a tad over each eye. But he actually has very little for his age. Most people think he is much younger than he actually is, not only because of his lack of gray, but because he doens't know how to walk.

[JsMom]

I think my Jake's face turned white when he was 8 or 9 - it's been so long I can't really remember. Please, please don't use chemicals on your pup! The tea thing was interesting though - if you must. I don't even dye my own hair so needless to say, the dog going grey/white never bothered me. ;)

[GoldenParadise]

Some start to turn as early as three or four. Others stay gold until ten or longer. I'd guess it's in the genes!

Illness or pain can cause the face to turn grey faster also. You can actually see the face becoming whiter if there's a chronic medical problem that you're treating.