An accurate conversion of dog’s age to human years
When it comes to our beloved pets, nothing is as simple as it seems. As much as we would like to think our dogs are just like us, understanding their age can be more complicated than it appears. That’s why it’s important for pet owners to know the accurate conversion of their dog’s age to human years. Understanding this distinction makes a difference in your pet’s care.
It can be difficult to understand how a dog’s age compares to a human’s when you’re trying to decide how much care your pet needs at different ages. While there is no single formula for accurately converting a dog’s age into human years, there are essentially helpful guidelines for pet owners to keep in mind when evaluating their dog’s age.
A popular method to calculate your dog’s age is to simply multiply your pet’s current age by 7. For example, a one-year-old dog would be the equivalent of a seven-year-old human. This old rule of thumb that one dog year equals seven human years is based on the concept that dogs live about 10 years while humans live to about 70. While this method is quick and easy, it isn’t always accurate. Just like us, dogs age and develop at different rates. Breed size can impact development, though, so this ratio is flawed and is not always accurate nor ideal for all pet owners.
There’s no universal rule for calculating a dog’s age to human years, as there is no perfect formula. However you can get a close estimate using this advanced dog age calculator, a new resource from our friends at betterpet that is free and accessible to the public.
Unfortunately, many pet owners don’t always know how old their dog actually is and how they should be caring for their companion. Perhaps you adopted your dog with no background history, so you don’t know their birthday or even the year they were born. If dog owners know their dog’s exact stage of life, they can make better decisions about their diet, nutrition, exercise, and health. Thank you to our friends Dr. Leslie Brooks, veterinarian and an advisor at betterpet, and team for creating this tool. Our friends at Betterpet are an online resource for promoting responsible pet ownership.
You can get a close estimate using this new dog age calculator here.
This dog age calculator allows users to enter a dog’s age and see it converted to human years. Even more, the tool provides insights like average life expectancy, weight, and height for over 100 dog breeds.
How to use dog age calculator
To find your dog’s approximate age in “human” years, select:
- Dog’s weight
- Breed
- *You don’t have to know the dog’s exact breed, but it helps to know whether they are small, medium, or large because their size and life expectancy go hand-in-hand
- Years since birth
A new way to calculate age
A 2019 study, Quantitative translation of dog-to-human aging by conserved remodeling of epigenetic networks, suggests there’s now a better way to calculate your dog’s age.
A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego, studied the methylation in a dog’s DNA to see how it corresponds to aging. Methylation in genes acts like “wrinkles,” similar to wrinkles on our foreheads as we grow older. By comparing the methylation of over 100 Labrador retrievers to methylation in humans and mice, scientists created a formula to estimate your dog’s age in human years. This new equation multiplies the natural logarithm of the dog’s age by 16 and adds 31.
What does methylation age prediction mean for my dog’s health?
Loyal, a clinical-stage veterinary medicine company developing drugs intended to extend the healthspan and lifespan of dogs, also shares predicting age through methylation.
We independently research, test, and recommend the best products. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting this website, the welfare of animals, and being a responsible pet owner.
Learn other ways to figure out your dog’s age and the 6 stages of a dog’s life
We all know our beloved pets are considered part of the family and that we love them deeply. It’s no secret that seeing them age can be heartbreaking, which is why it’s important for pet owners to have an understanding of how to properly interpret their pet’s age. This will provide pet owners with accurate conversions of dog age to human years, so that pet owners can understand how far along in life their furry companion is.
If pet owners know their dog’s exact stage of life, they can make informed decisions about their diet, nutrition, exercise, health, and more. That’s why the team at betterpet decided to make a resource like this free and accessible to the public.
Synergistically Yours,
Danielle
Sheepdog Riggs, Forever in Our hearts
Did you find this information helpful? Do you enjoy my content or learn something new? Consider showing your support by buying me a coffee.
Has your dog been affected by Canine Copper-Associated Hepatopathy? Please see our Members Page.
Are you in need of a Veterinarian right now? Vetster is 24/7 on demand online veterinary virtual appointments. Search by location, availability, species, vet profile, treatment and more. Connect with a licensed veterinarian in minutes from the comfort of your own home.
