You May Be Surprised To Find Out How Old Your Dog REALLY Is!

by pawbuzz on in Dogs 29

Ever wonder how old your dog is in human years? The most common myth out there is to simply multiply your dog's age in human years by 7. So, if your dog is 6 years old, his age would be equivalent to a 42-year-old human.

Turns out, the math isn’t that simple. To determine your dog’s “human” age, you need to take a few more factors into account.

With hundreds of dog breeds ranging from tiny Teacup Poodles to giant Great Danes, there simply cannot be a one-size-fits-all calculation for aging. A study led by Dr. Kate Creevy of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine has honed in on just how much size and breed affect canine aging.

The study found that larger canines have a much higher chance of dying from cancer than their smaller canine cousins. They are also more likely to succumb to intestinal diseases and musculoskeletal problems.

Along the same lines, certain breeds just aren’t as hearty as others. English Bulldogs are at an especially high risk of respiratory crisis. Golden Retrievers and Boxers have extremely high cancer rates, often developing the disease quite young.

Dr. Creevy pointed out to the BBC that although small dogs have the aging advantage in later life, they tend to age faster in the first 2 years. They have a shortened adolescence and a longer adulthood, while very large dogs can take up to 2 years to reach full maturity, but may only live another 5 or 6 years.

Small dogs reach skeletal and reproductive maturity sooner than larger breeds. Once they’ve achieved those measures of adulthood they carry on to live longer.

Strangely, this phenomenon only appears in dogs. Dr. Creevy chocks it up to the fact that no other species has such a diverse range of sizes.

To answer the question – how old is your dog in human years – Dr. Creevy recommends the following guidelines:

For the first two years:

  • Small dogs: 12.5 years per human year
  • Medium sized dogs: 10.5 years per human year
  • Large dogs: 9 years per human year

For dogs 3 and up, breed begins to come into play. Add the following number of years for each additional “human year” to calculate the age of these popular breeds:

  • Dachshund (Miniature) 4.32
  • Border Terrier 4.47
  • Lhasa Apso 4.49
  • Shih Tzu 4.78
  • Whippet 5.30
  • Chihuahua 4.87
  • West Highland Terrier 4.96
  • Beagle 5.20
  • Miniature Schnauzer 5.46
  • Cocker Spaniel 5.55
  • Cavalier King Charles 5.77
  • Pug 5.95
  • French Bulldog 7.65
  • Springer Spaniel 5.46
  • Labrador Retriever 5.74
  • Golden Retriever 5.74
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier 5.33
  • Bulldog 13.42
  • German Shepherd 7.84
  • Boxer 8.90

So a 7-year-old Miniature Dachshund is 46.6 in “dog years”, while a 7-year-old Boxer is more like 62.5. Certainly seems a little more accurate than the old 7 year rule, huh? Unfortunately, it still leaves us Mutt parents in the dark. But as the saying goes, you’re only as old as you feel, and my sweet Rosie sure seems to feel like a pup!

H/T to BBC.com



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29 thoughts on “You May Be Surprised To Find Out How Old Your Dog REALLY Is!”

  2. Mike Heins

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    My lab mix Boomer is 8 years old but very healthy. I still want to find a good not real expensive dog health plan so I can be sure all his possible medical needs can be taken care of. He still loves hiking but someday he won’t be able to go with me as his joints get old.

  10. Jared Harris

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    How on earth do they come up with these figures? I always thought 7 was too high a figure for any dog. Now they’ve got it as high as 12.5! So, if a medium sized dog lives until it’s 18 (which isn’t unheard of) it’s actually nearly 190 yrs old? Utter rubbish!

  23. Jim Kerrigan

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    By the reasoning here a 10 year old Rottweiler is 90 and a 13 year old is 117. Human to dog years average human male 78 average human female 80 in terms of life span. Most of my rotties passed between 12 and 14. 7 years is the math if you are comparing rott to human years.

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