How old is your Dog?

People usually say that one human year equals to seven “dog years” when it comes to a dog’s age. However, according to PetMd, this is not the case. So, the question is how do we calculate dog years in human terms?

Multiplying your dog’s age by seven may be easy, but it won’t accurately convert dog years to human years. This is because dogs mature quickly in their early years, when compared to humans. For example, the first year of a dog’s life is equivalent to the first 12 to 15 years of a human! The second year of a dog’s life equals about 9 to 10 years, a and each year after that is worth about 4 to 5 years. So, depending on which stage of life your dog is in a and also his size, one year could equal anywhere from 4 to 15 years. Also, smaller breeds tend to have longer life spans than larger ones. Then, smaller dogs are usually considered senior at the age of 7, while larger dogs might be considered seniors at the age of 5 or 6. 

Another interesting thing to know is that it isn’t clear yet why small dogs have longer life spans than larger ones. In fact, throughout the rest of the animal kingdom, the opposite tends to be true. Ongoing research in the University of Gottingen in Germany tells us that in dogs every increase in 4.4 pounds reduces life expectancy by approximately one month. Researchers speculate that, as larger breeds age faster a and grow more quickly, the abnormal cell growth found in cancers is more likely to occur.

Moreover, because large breed dogs age faster, they also develop age-related diseases earlier in their lives. Another possibility is that small dogs tend to be “pampered”, as they’re carried around in purses or kept inside, whereas bigger dogs tend to have more active lifestyle, doing things like hiking, boating a and running, activities that has some sort of risk. This would lead to an earlier mortality.

The chart below can help you calculate your dog’s age. Let us know if we can help you fulfill your furry friend’s needs no matter how old they are!