What If You Don't Know Your Dog's Real Birthday?

[Jay]

I got my first rescue over the weekend, and all they know is that he is between 2 and 3 years old.  So what should I tell people?  That he's 2, or 3? Do you have a "birthdate" for him, or do you just make one up?  I just made up a date since they don't know for sure, I went with 3 years old. 

 

And how can they determine that he is between 2 and 3?  What do they look for?

 

 

[RedJasper]

They look at the teeth.  2 different vets guessed Vader was 2.  Turns out he is 7.  You really don't know.  I was crushed to find out he was 7.  I thought I had a good 10 years or so with him.  I love him just the same.  I personally went with the adoption date when I did not know for celebratory things.  When people asked how old?  I would say not sure he's a rescue but it is guessed about 2ish.

[LittleLuka]

i go by the date rescued for Knox. it's so iffy when they tell age but they do tell by teeth. Bexley is between 2-4. First vet said 4, now they say 2.

[Jay]

The rescue's vet put 2 years old on the vaccination records, so I will go with that.  I will ask my vet when I take him there in a couple months.

[Elyse]

If he is microchipped, you can try seeing if you can get his birthday off of that. That's how I found out when Suka's birthday is (turns out he is 2 years younger than what they said on his adoption papers).

 

But, up until then, I just celebrated his 'birthday' on the day he was adopted. 

[HuskyGuerl]

I celebrate cherokees birthday on the day we adopted her because she has no records and nobody knows..the vet says she is around 4 years old thought but im not to sure

[Andy]

If you really don't know choose a date.and an age and that will be the birthday.

If you want to be really random.

Take two dice.

Roll two dice twice and combine the numbers thats the day.

Roll the two dice again and that will be the month.

[HuskyMom09]

My rescues I generally pick their 'rescued' date as their birthday and just use a general guess at how old they are.  Most people understand when you say they're a rescue

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

Angel i had a month and year on her microchip.

I just made up a date.

Since we got her on the 24th of june. Her birthday is the 24th of october.

[Jay]

Where do you go to look up his information?  He is chipped but I am not sure when he was chipped, however I do have the AVID number

 

If he is microchipped, you can try seeing if you can get his birthday off of that. That's how I found out when Suka's birthday is (turns out he is 2 years younger than what they said on his adoption papers).

 

But, up until then, I just celebrated his 'birthday' on the day he was adopted. 

[Elyse]

Where do you go to look up his information?  He is chipped but I am not sure when he was chipped, however I do have the AVID number

 

I called his microchip company (the company and chip # was in his health records). I mentioned I had adopted him in 2009, and gave them his chip ID #. All I asked for was his birthday, so they gave me that. 

 

I've been thinking I should contact them again to see if I can change any of the contact info on it...I think it still has his original owner's info on there. 

[Jay]

Yeah, I looked online at a registry but AVID does not participate so I would need to call them.  The rescue said that the microchipped will be registered to them and I can never change it.  If he goes missing they would be notified.  So I bet that they microchipped him, so they probably would not have his birthdate

 

I called his microchip company (the company and chip # was in his health records). I mentioned I had adopted him in 2009, and gave them his chip ID #. All I asked for was his birthday, so they gave me that. 

 

I've been thinking I should contact them again to see if I can change any of the contact info on it...I think it still has his original owner's info on there. 

[Shadow-Kodah-Drako]

I got Drako's  details from the microchip company they just gave me month & year  he was born so I just added a date which is 28th, Shadow & Kodah's birthday is 26th & 30th, just easy for me to remember

[Elyse]

Yeah, I looked online at a registry but AVID does not participate so I would need to call them.  The rescue said that the microchipped will be registered to them and I can never change it.  If he goes missing they would be notified.  So I bet that they microchipped him, so they probably would not have his birthdate

 

That is weird - my microchip company (24PetWatch) allows changes in ownership.

 

I just had a quick look at AVID's website...turns out you can transfer ownership using the form here: http://www.avidid.com/pettrac/forms

 

You'd probably have to provide proof though, like adoption papers or something. 

[Jay]

The rescue I got him from said when they did the registration they put a note in the file to forbid anyone from changing the contact information.  They told me I could add my name as a secondary but I could never change it.

 

That is weird - my microchip company (24PetWatch) allows changes in ownership.

 

I just had a quick look at AVID's website...turns out you can transfer ownership using the form here: http://www.avidid.com/pettrac/forms

 

You'd probably have to provide proof though, like adoption papers or something. 

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Use their adoption date I just tell people bings is around 13/14 n celebrate his 'birthday' on the day we got him

[Elyse]

The rescue I got him from said when they did the registration they put a note in the file to forbid anyone from changing the contact information.  They told me I could add my name as a secondary but I could never change it.

 

Oh - I see. I guess that kinda makes sense though...saves you from calling the shelter, atleast. I'm assuming you added your name as the secondary contact, though?

 

And it sucks that it sounds like you'll never know how old he is. The 'teeth' thing is really just a rough estimate. They do this by determining how sharp/white the teeth are. Generally, the sharper and whiter the teeth...the younger the dog. 

 

 

Ridges and Unevenness on the Front Teeth: At about 1 year of age, a dog will have ridges or bumps along the tops of their 4 front incisors, top and bottom jaw. Front incisors are the teeth that your dog uses for that nibbling type of grooming. As he ages, the bumps will wear down. At 3 to 4 years of age, the ridges should be halfway worn away and at about 7 years of age, the tops of these incisors should be completely smooth.

 

Taken from: http://www.foundanimals.org/blog/determining-a-dogs-age/

[Jay]

Interesting!  I will have to check that.  I still have to add myself as a secondary, so I will do that and ask if they know his birthdate as well. 

 

 

Oh - I see. I guess that kinda makes sense though...saves you from calling the shelter, atleast. I'm assuming you added your name as the secondary contact, though?

 

And it sucks that it sounds like you'll never know how old he is. The 'teeth' thing is really just a rough estimate. They do this by determining how sharp/white the teeth are. Generally, the sharper and whiter the teeth...the younger the dog. 

 

Taken from: http://www.foundanimals.org/blog/determining-a-dogs-age/

[RedJasper]

Oh - I see. I guess that kinda makes sense though...saves you from calling the shelter, atleast. I'm assuming you added your name as the secondary contact, though?

 

And it sucks that it sounds like you'll never know how old he is. The 'teeth' thing is really just a rough estimate. They do this by determining how sharp/white the teeth are. Generally, the sharper and whiter the teeth...the younger the dog. 

 

Taken from: http://www.foundanimals.org/blog/determining-a-dogs-age/

The teeth is certainly an estimate.  I was told Vader was about 2 and he is 7 .  A bad estimate

[Jay]

I wonder how old he really is. I guess I will never really know. He is pretty playful but that isn't much of a sign since huskies are puppies until they are about 5 lol.

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[LittleLuka]

That is weird - my microchip company (24PetWatch) allows changes in ownership.

 

I just had a quick look at AVID's website...turns out you can transfer ownership using the form here: http://www.avidid.com/pettrac/forms

 

You'd probably have to provide proof though, like adoption papers or something. 

 

most rescues don't allow changing over the microchip because if they ever get lost or wind up in a shelter the rescue will be the first party contacted. it may be your dog but every good rescue has clauses in their contracts which require you return the dog if you can't keep them. this just makes it easier for them to track them.

[Keeonah]

I got Drako's  details from the microchip company they just gave me month & year  he was born so I just added a date which is 28th, Shadow & Kodah's birthday is 26th & 30th, just easy for me to remember

Just contacted the microchip company for Skye and I have managed to find out that Skye is 18 months old which means that she was 9 months old when I got her. Born November 2011 no date so her birthday will now be the same as my daughters 11/11.

 

Gary.

[Jay]

That's exactly the contract I signed from the rescue that I got Kodi from (Adopt-A-Husky).  Although I called AVID and they said it was never registered and I can sign up online.

 

Also, you can always register the chip number with several different companies as well.

 

most rescues don't allow changing over the microchip because if they ever get lost or wind up in a shelter the rescue will be the first party contacted. it may be your dog but every good rescue has clauses in their contracts which require you return the dog if you can't keep them. this just makes it easier for them to track them.

[CARRINGTON]

We went with Balto's based on when the humane society and vet said which both said around the same date. I know a ton of people who adopt older dogs and it is hard to tell their exact age simply because many shelters go off what the owners tell them and teeth but once they have hit 2 it gets harder to tell for sure especially if they were malnourished, have gum disease, etc. so most just go when they were adopted I don't think Kodiak will be mad at you because you don't know his actual birthday but will be more excited for the extra treats, attention, and walks.

[Jay]

LOL Oh, I know, I was just curious for my own knowledge.  I just made up a date since they said he was between 2 and 3 I put him at 2 1/2 and picked a random date, just so I will know when someone asks how old he is.

We went with Balto's based on when the humane society and vet said which both said around the same date. I know a ton of people who adopt older dogs and it is hard to tell their exact age simply because many shelters go off what the owners tell them and teeth but once they have hit 2 it gets harder to tell for sure especially if they were malnourished, have gum disease, etc. so most just go when they were adopted I don't think Kodiak will be mad at you because you don't know his actual birthday but will be more excited for the extra treats, attention, and walks.