Tank our Black Lab

Question
Our black lab was a shelter dog, and when we picked him up we were told that he was 1 1/2 years old. We have had Tank for two years but we are starting to notice a lot of white starting to appear around his snout and belly. Tank is also having some movement issues with his hips. Could it be possible that Tank is quite a bit older than 3 1/2? Tank runs everyday, and is in pretty good health. He weighs about 86 pounds.

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Sure, it's possible the dog is older. Unless the shelter was specifically told by the old owners, there is no way to know the age.

Gray hair?  I've seen it on dogs as young as 2 years old.  Just like some 20 year old people start going gray early?

Trouble with hips?  Considering labs are KNOWN for having a predisposition to hip dysplasia, I would assume the dog may be seeing signs of HD.  Unfortunately shelter labs are usually not the ones that come from good breeders doing clearances.  Take him to the vet and get them to do some xrays.