What are common signs of aging in dogs?
Therefore, it can be helpful to look at physical and behavior clues to determine your dog’s age. For example, teeth can be a particularly useful indicator of your dog’s age. As PetMD explains, by seven months, all of your dog’s permanent teeth are in; by 1-2 years, they’ll be duller and might have some yellowing; and by 5-10 years, they’ll show wear and possibly signs of disease.
Other indicators of your dog’s age, especially as they reach the senior stage, include:
Of course, you can always turn to your veterinarian for an accurate estimate of your dog’s age if you’re unsure. Your veterinarian will consider factors, including teeth, body shape, hair or fur, and eyes, etc. to give the best estimate of their age.
How do I calculate my dog’s age in human years?
If you’re looking to calculate your dog’s age in human years more accurately, you can use a new formula created by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
These researchers studied the way human and dog DNA changes over time looking at patterns called methyl groups in humans and Labrador Retrievers. From this research, they concluded that you can calculate a dog’s age to human years by multiplying the natural logarithm of the dog’s age by 16 and adding 31. Their formula looks like this: (human_age = 16ln(dog_age) + 31). As you can see, this formula is pretty complex, so it can be useful to plug in your dog’s age to an automatic calculator programmed with this formula, like the one here.
For an easier (and also accurate) way to estimate your dog’s age, you can follow this methodology for small, medium, and large dogs under 100 lbs.
So, why is this more accurate than the “one dog year equals seven human years” method?
Because it takes into account that not all dogs breeds age the same way. In general, smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs, so while a seven-year-old Great Dane might be considered a “senior” dog, the same isn’t necessarily true for a seven-year-old Chihuahua. Therefore, it’s helpful to break down a dog age chart in terms of size, as you’ll see below. Generally, you can group dogs into small dogs (under 20 lbs), medium dogs (20 to 50 lbs), large dogs (50-100 lbs), and giant dogs (100+ lbs).
Check out the dog age to human age chart below to calculate your dog’s age in human years based on their size group:
As you can see in our dog age chart – aside from the giant category – small, medium, and large dogs age pretty similarly until they reach about age six. Then, larger dogs age much faster in comparison to their smaller and medium counterparts. By seven years old, a small dog, like a Dachshund, will be six human years younger than a large breed, like an Airedale Terrier. Why is this?
Ultimately, scientists aren’t completely sure why smaller dogs age slower and live longer than larger ones. According to the American Kennel Club, some researchers hypothesize that it’s because larger dogs are affected by age-related diseases more quickly. Similarly, larger dogs progress from puppyhood to adulthood much faster, making abnormal cell growth, cancer, and other diseases more likely. It’s for this reason that using the “one dog year equals seven human years” calculation isn’t completely accurate.
While the newer method we’ve shared is more accurate, it’s still difficult to place a general formula on the way dogs age – as this progression will not only depend on your dog’s size, but their breed and individual genetics as well.
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For example, a 1-year-old dog may have reached puberty by canine standards but this does not really correlate to a 7-year-old human girl or boy. So, to simplify, one dog year can be considered equivalent to seven human years in the “middle-aged” years only.
The notion of a human year being equivalent to seven dog years is really a misconception. There is no real solid rule that can apply to all breeds and sizes when it comes to comparing dog years with human ones. Many factors must be considered and a more adaptable scale is needed to account for different maturity rates between our two species. Whether your dog is big or small, a child or a full grown mature adult, we have the perfect personalized pet tags to fit their attitude!
One of the problems with confirming this well-known formula via scientific methods is that every breed of dog can age and mature differently. Nutrition, weight, genetics, and environmental factors all come into play when comparing dog years to human years. It must also be taken into account that the one to seven ratio is likely to be inaccurate at the early and late stages of life. The formula just does not work out right for very young or very old dogs.
We all know the saying. We have all heard it repeated many times. But what is the truth behind the old adage that one dog year is equal to seven human years? Unfortunately, there’s no solid rule on this supposed age ratio. Actually, to date, there isn’t even any accurate scientific data on this topic.
Is A ‘Dog Year’ Really 7 Years?
We all know the saying. We have all heard it repeated many times. But what is the truth behind the old adage that one dog year is equal to seven human years? Unfortunately, there’s no solid rule on this supposed age ratio. Actually, to date, there isn’t even any accurate scientific data on this topic.
We all know the saying. We have all heard it repeated many times. But what is the truth behind the old adage that one dog year is equal to seven human years? Unfortunately, there’s no solid rule on this supposed age ratio. Actually, to date, there isn’t even any accurate scientific data on this topic.
One of the problems with confirming this well-known formula via scientific methods is that every breed of dog can age and mature differently. Nutrition, weight, genetics, and environmental factors all come into play when comparing dog years to human years. It must also be taken into account that the one to seven ratio is likely to be inaccurate at the early and late stages of life. The formula just does not work out right for very young or very old dogs.
For example, a 1-year-old dog may have reached puberty by canine standards but this does not really correlate to a 7-year-old human girl or boy. So, to simplify, one dog year can be considered equivalent to seven human years in the “middle-aged” years only.
– Year 1 of a puppy’s life is equivalent to a human teenager (approximately a 13 years old) – Year 2 for a pet is equivalent to a young adult (approximately a 22 year old) – Each year after that is equivalent to approximately four human years.
The graph below shows a more accurate representation of dog years to human years based on the weight of your pup.
The average lifespan of a dog seems to vary according to their adult size, which is usually a factor of breed. Small dogs often live between 15 to 16 years, medium and large size dogs typically live 10 to 13 years, and some giant dog breeds often live only 7 to 8 years. Giant breeds also tend to mature slightly at an older age than smaller breed. They become “adult” at around two years old compared to around 15 to 18 months for other breeds.
The notion of a human year being equivalent to seven dog years is really a misconception. There is no real solid rule that can apply to all breeds and sizes when it comes to comparing dog years with human ones. Many factors must be considered and a more adaptable scale is needed to account for different maturity rates between our two species. Whether your dog is big or small, a child or a full grown mature adult, we have the perfect personalized pet tags to fit their attitude!
Russ Barker has the perfect last name to work in the pet industry. He is a rising star at DogTagArt.com, a company whose passion and goal is making sure as many pets as possible are protected with pet ID tags. In order to assure a safe return when lost, they offer beautiful full-color custom dog tags with over 500 designs and the ability to create a unique tag using your own photos or artwork.