One human year equals seven dog years, right? Nope … not anymore! Most of us work out our dog’s age on 7:1 ratio based on a formula that’s been around since the 1950s. But dog age calculators have evolved since then. So how old is your dog in human years?
Dogs do age faster than us; that’s only natural given their shorter lifespans. But it’s not as basic as dividing the human lifespan by that of a dog. In this article, we get to the bottom of how to check your dog’s age in human years.
In this article
Dog age calculator: How to work out a dog’s age
Okay, so how do you answer the question: “how old is my dog in human years?” Basically, it depends on their breed and size. Smaller breeds tend to live longer than larger ones, so their aging process is a bit different.
For example, a small dog like a Chihuahua may age more slowly during their early years, reaching what we might consider “middle age” around 7 to 10 years. In human years, they might be about 40 to 50 years old at that point. On the other hand, larger breeds like Great Danes can hit their senior years much sooner, often around 5 to 7 years old, which might equate to 40 to 50 in human years. Here’s a general guideline to help you out:
Giant breeds (like Mastiffs or Great Danes): They age the fastest. In their first two years, they might age about 10-12 human years each, and then every year after can be about 8-10 human years.
Small breeds (like Dachshunds or Poodles): They age more slowly initially. For the first two years, each year equals about 12-15 human years. After that, each extra year is about 4-5 human years on the dog age calculator.
Medium breeds (like Beagles or Bulldogs): They tend to age more evenly. The first two years might add up to around 10-12 human years each. After that, each year is roughly 6-7 human years.
Large breeds (like Labradors or German Shepherds): These guys age more quickly. In the first two years, they may age about 9-11 human years each. After that, each additional year can be around 7-8 human years.
The more you know: One explanation for how the 7:1 dog age ratio came about is that it’s based on old stats that humans live to about 70, and dogs to about 10 years.
Use our dog age calculator
If all of this is a bit confusing, just check your dog’s age using our chart below. The updated rule of thumb is that the first year of a dog’s life is roughly equivalent to 12 – 15 years.
After this the gap closes a bit and their second year is equal to about nine human years. By the third year and thereafter every dog year is calculated as roughly five human years with some give and take based on dog size.
What is the new dog age calculator based on?
So if the 7:1 ratio was worked out according to human lifespan vs dog lifespan, what is this new formula based on? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association:
“Cats and small dogs are generally considered ‘senior’ at seven years old, but we all know they’ve got plenty of life left in them at that age. Larger-breed dogs tend to have shorter lifespans compared to smaller breeds and are often considered senior when they are 5 to 6 years of age. The ‘senior’ classification is based on the fact that pets age faster than people, and veterinarians start seeing more age-related problems in these pets. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not age at a rate of 7 human years for each year in dog years.”
The below video gives fascinating insights into dog gerontology:
Give them their best years with pet insurance
So now you’ve answered the question “how old is my dog in human years” and know why it’s important. It’s all about making the best of the years with your pet.
Another important way to do that is by getting pet insurance.
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