Puppies and How to Take Care of Them
Life Stage No. 1: Puppy. Your dog is a puppy from the time its a newborn until its able to reproduce.
This happens at different ages, depending on the breed of your dog. Small breeds tend to reach sexual maturity earlier than larger breeds.
Weaning. Puppies slowly switch from their mothers milk to eating other foods when theyre 3 or 4 weeks old. They should be fully switched over from milk to food by the time theyre 7 or 8 weeks old.
Feeding. The number of feedings per day changes as your puppy gets older:
After age 1, feed your dog once or twice a day. Tiny dogs may need more frequent meals.
Dental Care. Dogs may show signs of gum disease by age 4 — or even as early as age 1 in some small-breed dogs — if you dont take proper care of their teeth. So the right time to begin proper dental care is when your dog is still a puppy. To clean your puppys teeth, use a special toothbrush made for dogs or else use a clean piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. You can make your own toothpaste out of baking soda and water or buy one that is specially formulated for dogs. Never use toothpaste thats meant for people.
House training. You can introduce the idea of house training as soon as your puppy is weaned. They are still developing, though, so dont expect them to learn quickly. By the time they are 4 to 6 months old, they can usually go without having accidents.
Spaying and neutering. You may want to have your puppy spayed (removing females ovaries and uterus) or neutered (removing males testicles). These operations keep dogs from reproducing and having more puppies. They are usually done when your puppy is around 6 months old.
Spaying and neutering while they are puppies rather than as adults can help prevent problems like breast cancer and testicular disease when they get older.
Vaccines. Dogs need several rounds of vaccinations or shots during their first year. Talk to your veterinarian about which ones your dog needs and when to get them.
In these three stages your dog is in the prime of their life. The ages for these stages may differ with each breed, but here are some guidelines:
Life Stage No. 2: Junior. Now your dog is kind of like a teenager. Although they can reproduce, they are still growing, so are not quite an adult yet. Their age in this stage ranges from 6 to 12 months.
Life Stage No. 3: Adult. Your dog is officially an “adult” once they have finished growing. They look and behave like a grown dog. Their age ranges from 1 to 7 years.
Life Stage No. 4: Mature. Your dog has hit middle age! Their age is older than 7 years. Breeds that are smaller — as measured by weight, not height — tend to live longer than bigger dogs.
While theyre usually easier to care for than puppies, grown dogs still need your help with a few things so they can live their best:
Exercise. No matter their life stage, be sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. It will help keep them happy and at a healthy weight. Just donât overdo it, especially in large and giant breeds, because their skeletons are not mature until about 2 years of age.
Vaccines and visits to the vet. Take your dog to the vet every year for a checkup and vaccines to protect them against disease.
Older Dogs and How to Take Care of Them
Life Stage No. 5: Senior. Your dog enters this stage once they have reached the last quarter of their life expectancy. A dogs lifespan varies according to size and breed.
Life Stage No. 6: Geriatric. Your dog has reached their life expectancy and is still going! Dogs stay in this final stage for the rest of their lives.
As they get older, your dog may slow down and need a little more TLC.
Food. Older dogs may not need as much food as they did when they were younger. Ask your vet whether you should switch to food made for senior dogs and how much to feed them.
Checkups. You may need to begin taking your older dog to the vet for checkups every 6 months. Thats because later in life, dogs are more likely to develop arthritis and other diseases. Routine blood tests can help detect problems early, such as kidney disease. Early diagnosis and therapy can help prolong their life.
Your dog may develop bad breath and dental problems as they get older. Talk to your vet about how to care for your dogs teeth.
Temperature. Older dogs still need exercise. But they often cant handle extreme temperatures as well. So, protect your senior dog from overheating.
Home. Later in life, dogs may have poorer vision and more trouble walking and thinking clearly. “Age-proof” your house to protect your dog by keeping the floor clear of electric cords and other objects. Provide thicker bedding so there is less pressure on their joints when lying down.
Dog Years to Human Years Converter
| Dogs Age | Human Years |
|---|---|
| years | years |
Enter your dogs age (from 1 to 16) to get the human years equivalent. The calculation is made for a “medium” dog (21 to 50 pounds) using the AKC recommendation. Body
How old is your dog in human years? We used to simply multiply a dog’s age by seven. However, this calculation isn’t so cut-and-dried. See our dog age calculator and chart to discover your dog’s age.
The Unpopular Truth About Your Puppy’s “Teenage Phase”
When it comes to understanding how a dog ages, you may have heard that one dog year is equivalent to seven human years. But according to Dr. Lisa Lippman, a veterinarian based in New York City, that isn’t an exact calculation for determining dog age.
“The ‘seven-year rule’ is a simplified explanation of canine-human aging,” she says. According to Dr. Lippman, a medium-size dog thats well cared for will live roughly 1/7th as long as their owner, but different breeds of dogs age differently.
This guide will explain how a dog ages and how to best care for your dog at every life stage.