I know we have some enthusiasts/owners on here so seems like a good place to ask :-)

I picked up this little guy yesterday (cruelty/aggression RSPCA case, I'm literally his last chance):

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x55/Nikirushka/IMG-20120808-00439.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x55/Nikirushka/IMG-20120807-00418.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x55/Nikirushka/IMG-20120807-00434.jpg

As you can see he's quite white on his face, but nowhere else at all.  The behaviourist who assessed him at the RSPCA has experience with MPs and reckons the reds go white quite early - no-one knows his age at all so it is guesswork, she reckoned he's about 7 but she's basing that purely on him having a natural tail so in theory, being born after the docking ban (which would actually make him about 5, I think she got her numbers mixed up!).  His teeth are dirty but in pretty good condition otherwise - a little worn at the tips but Soli's were hugely worn when I got her at 5 so not a reliable indicator.

Body-wise he's in very good condition apart from being a bit plump and unfit - but he's been in kennels for the last 7 months and in a cage in a garden for no idea how long before that so that's to be expected.

So, anyone care to guess at his age? :-)

No good at guessing but our terrierX had a very deep black mask until he was 2 and then almost overnight it went very grey so grey hairs aren't always a very good indicator of age :-)

My Ruby cav has had a white muzzle and eyebrows since she was about 6yrs old whereas my 10yr old tri cav has virtually no grey at all!

I think red hair does turn white rather than grey and at a younger age too. I'm basing this on my family members  who had red hair and all of them went white while in their thirties.

Different breed of course, but my welsh springer boy who will be 5 in October is already looking very distinguished
:-)

Thanks guys, I guess the 5yr guess based on his tail is going to be the closest then!

He's such a wonky thing it's hard to tell otherwise - one hip is quite a bit lower than the other (chiropractor job, that one) and he's rather bandy legged at the moment with the podge!