Has your dog changed color over time?

When I first got Misha, her face was brown. Her body was white with dark black spots. I've noticed over time her coloring has changed. A year ago, the spots on her back were dark brown. Today, I was noticing that they have gotten much lighter. Her face may actually be a darker shade of brown than the spots on her back now. It took three years for this transformation.

My Lab got lighter as she aged. But, she was a rich yellowish gold color until she turned 10 or so. Misha's transformation has taken place in her first three years.

My sister's Australian Shepherd mix was constantly changing colors. She was a mixture of white, brown, light brown, and black. From year to year, the patterns seemed to shifted. She was like a chameleon.

Is your dog the same color as when you first got it? Have you noticed that the colors have changed?

 

Mishka is the same colour as always. That's interesting.I wonder how other owners dogs have fared?
I tried to find some info on this. There was one comment on illness but I found a dog breeder that would not guarantee the colour of her dogs because they could change.
http://jerrier.tripod.com/color.html

 

I could also observe that when our dog gets older, its color becomes lighter.
Just like the oldest dog I had before, she have some brown spots before and those spots becomes lighter to always white color.

 

Dark Lady did change color a bit as she grew up. When she was a puppy, she had two brown spots, one each over her eyes, giving her what the Thais call the "Four-Eyed Look". As she grew up past her first year, the two spots disappeared and she ended up with a totally black face.

 

Both my childhood dogs changed color slightly as they aged over the years. Actually if you look at Rosie in my avatar, when we first got her I'm sure her eyebrows were dark. This photo was taken later in her life and by this stage she had white eyebrows and more white fur in other areas e.g her ears and tummy. Honey her sister was blonde/yellow and her coat didn't change as dramatically but I'm sure it did lighten over the years. I guess dogs are just like us humans.

 

Most of the dogs that originated from our country rarely change color until they grow very old where their faces are the first ones to grow white.

One thing I've noticed about Shih Tzus is that their dark color turns lighter when they grow old. I'm not sure if this is just because I've only taken care of the dark brown ones but every time I see a brown Shih Tzu they usually have baby pictures with dark brown patches on their fur rather than light orange-y ones they currently have.

 

Milla used to be white with cream..nowadays, she looks more white than anything, and the cream is hard to notice.

 

My Homer changed color very clearly. When he was little, he used to have dark hair. Only at the top of his head he had a few white cowlicks, it looked a bit like he was bald, so it wasn't very pretty. With time passing his hair became lighter and now they have a beautiful gold and silver shade.

 

That sounds like some men I know. When they have only a few white hairs, it look rather untidy. However when they have a whole head of white hair, the general look is one of dignity.

 

Nope! I think my dog looks the same as he has for years. He's put on weight and then lost it, so I guess his pattern shapes have changed a tiny bit with weight.

My cat changed colors a lot, though. She looks completely different now and changes every season, so I know it's pretty normal.

 

It's funny that I stumbled across this thread today because I was just thinking to myself how Jess's fur has started to change colour. She is getting flecks of orange/ginger in her tail and on her chest. It's quite unusual. I don't know if this is due to sun exposure or what? I have never heard of it before and it is quite bizarre. I see you have the same issue as well..

 

Gizmo has lost his few tan colored spots with age. He still has one on his hind. He is almost completely white colored now.

Gix has gotten darker over the years.he was once lightly colored tans and browns. He is now almost completely one darker shade of brown.

I guess animals are like people. Their hair changes colors and thins over time. It doesn't matter to me. I still love my little fur balls!