# Fur turning white quickly



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

This may be way off, but...could his face have been touched up by the previous owner to more easily find a new home for him? Some dogs go white earlier than others and since does make them look older, they didn't want him to appear older than he is.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

If your dog has had a huge change in his life (new home, new people, new life), then that is quite enough stress to cause all those white hairs. 

Our collie went through the same thing when my sister (indeed my whole fam) adopted him. He started going white on his nose, eyebrows, back, and ears. 

And stress can have the same impact on younger dogs. My golden is two, and he started getting white hairs on his back, eyebrows, and whiskers. I assume it has everything to do with a tough year we had last year and then his developing storm phobia this summer. 

I wouldn't worry about it unless you can see other health issues (behavior, energy, eating, etc).


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Do you have a pedigree or something where you can verify his age?


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## Enzos_Mom (Apr 8, 2010)

My fiance's mom has a yellow lab that this happened to. The vet said that the death of their Golden is what set it off. He took on the "old dog" persona after Buck died, even though he was only 5 at the time.


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

My old golden started getting a white face just under 3 years of age. I thought it was fairly early at the time but read where lot's do. So I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Teddi is only three years old. I have noticed a lot of gray on her face coming out lately. Some just gray. She had some under her chin, but now it is on her eyes too. Max took forever to gray, over ten before she started. Teddi is graying early. Just her genes. 

Ann


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Same with Bender, she started going white in the face around 4 or so. Has not affected much, she's coming up on 13 and going strong.

Lana


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## iluvlucy (Sep 29, 2009)

lucy too. just started at approx age 4 also. the darker goldens obviously easier to tell but everything ive read no big deal about..i wouldnt worry about it.. : )


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## jenlaur (Jun 24, 2009)

Our previous golden was 2 when we got our weimaraner. Within 3 years her face was white. Come to think of it that weimy has cause me quite a few gray hairs too!

We recently adopted a white faced boy. He is only 6. If I didn't have his papers I would swear he was older.


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## Sal gal (Jul 26, 2010)

*Not necessarily "way off"...*



Willow52 said:


> This may be way off, but...could his face have been touched up by the previous owner to more easily find a new home for him? Some dogs go white earlier than others and since does make them look older, they didn't want him to appear older than he is.


 
Thanks so much for writing. I was amazed when I saw the first response back, which was yours... I was thinking the same thing! I hope that I am wrong, but I definitely have my suspicions. If so, that's a sad thing to do to someone; it just isn't right.

Thanks again


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## Sal gal (Jul 26, 2010)

*Much appreciated*

Thanks so much to all of you who wrote. It was a big help to me and I appreciate it.


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Sierra is going SUGAR a lot faster than I realize,
Certain lighting really make the white hairs show up (I guess on me too!)
Sierra will be 4 on Aug 26, so I guess it's not too early.
I have people ask me how old she is, and are surprised she's so young.
Karen


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

Pippa started going white in the face around 3yrs old. The colour seemed to always come back in the summer months but not this year (she's now 5). The breeder told me that Pippa's sire went white in the face very young so I am thinking this is hereditary.


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## Emilie (May 17, 2021)

Megora said:


> If your dog has had a huge change in his life (new home, new people, new life), then that is quite enough stress to cause all those white hairs.
> 
> Our collie went through the same thing when my sister (indeed my whole fam) adopted him. He started going white on his nose, eyebrows, back, and ears.
> 
> ...


What if my dog had her face getting white when I had other puppies around but once she is alone and got all the attention her face is getting back to normal. Is it possible she gets stressed because of jealousy?


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

My girl has white on her face and she's only 6. People who don't know her are always surprised by her energy because she looks much older! (The darker one in the profile pic)


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