Is my dog old? Is the long-believe "1 dog year = 7 human years" theory correct? Well, sadly, it is not supported by science. Dogs of different breeds age differently, with small dogs generally living longer than large ones. How to calculate dog years to human years? What are the aging signs?
- How to calculate?
The American Veterinary Medical Association has the following general guideline for calculating dog years to human years:
1) 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog’s life
2) Year two for a dog is about nine years for a human
3) After that, each human year would be approximately five years for a dog
Not all dogs breeds age the same way. In general, smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs. Therefore, you can take reference from dog age charts online where dogs are classified in terms of size: small dogs (under 20 lbs), medium dogs (20 to 50 lbs), large dogs (50-100 lbs), and giant dogs (100+ lbs).
Here are some of the life spans classified by breeds in this study:
- Jack Russell Terrier 12.72 years
- Yorkshire Terrier 12.54 years
- Labrador Retriever 11.77 years
- Beagle 9.85 years
- Husky 9.53 years
- Chihuahua 7.91 years
- French Bulldog 4.53 years
Do bear in mind this is only a calculation of the average lifespan among a group of dogs and does not give you nuance. For example, if your dog has an average life expectancy of 10 years but is already 9 years old, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog is likely to die within the next year.
- You can look for following signs to see if your dog starts aging: graying hair, poor eyesight, cloudy eyes, trouble hearing, stiff muscles and joints, arthritis, lower activity level, and behavioral changes such as increased anxiety,
If you are still unsure how to calculate your dog’s age, you can always turn to your veterinarian for an accurate estimation. Your veterinarian will consider factors including teeth, body shape, hair or fur, and eyes, etc., to give the best estimate of a dog’s age and whether it is already aging.
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