How old is your dog in human years? We used to simply multiply a dog’s age by seven. However, this calculation isn’t so cut-and-dried. See our dog age calculator and chart to discover your dog’s age.
Do Dogs Age 7 Years to Our 1 Year?
The easy way to calculate a dog’s age is to take 1 dog year and multiply it by 7 years. This is based on the assumption that dogs live to about 10 and humans live to about 70, on average. For example, a dog that is 5 years old is 35 in “human years.”
Contrary to common belief, dogs do not age at a rate of 7 human years for each dog year. The number of human years piles onto a dog’s life more quickly during the dog’s rapid growth to maturity.
That said, this isn’t a bad approach from a health perspective because it helps humans realize that our dogs aren’t the same as children.
As pets get older, they need extra care and attention. Small dogs are generally considered “senior” at seven years of age. Larger breeds are often senior when they are 5 to 6 years of age.
Be aware of arthritis and related discomfort or irritability, weight control, sight and hearing issues, and any changes in behavior or activity that could indicate more serious issues.
Visit your vet for exams regularly; adjustments can be made to give your pet a more comfortable, longer, and healthier life.
How to Calculate a Dog’s Age Properly
Statistics from pet insurance companies, breed club surveys, and veterinary hospitals have helped us learn more about how dogs age. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association:
- The first year of a medium-sized dog’s life equals approximately 15 years of a human’s life.
- The second year of a dog’s life equals about nine years for a human.
- After that, every human year equals approximately four or five years for a dog.
Dog Age Calculator: Dog Years to Human Years
If we think like a dog, here’s how a dog’s age compares to a human’s age! Note that this is still not a perfect calculator. There are many variations based on a dog’s breed, its background, and its size. Note that this calculator is for a medium-sized breed of dog. Consult the chart below to see the differences between dogs of different sizes (small, medium, large, giant). It should give you a good sense of where your dog is in the development/aging process.
- Small Dog: 20 pounds or less
- Medium Dog: 21 to 50 pounds
- Large Dog: 51 pounds to 100 pounds
- Giant Dog: Over 100 pounds
Dog Years to Human Years ChartAge of Dog (dog’s age according to the calendar) | Dog’s Age in Human Years (dog’s age in equivalent human years, based on average breed size) |
|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | Giant |
|---|
| 1 year | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
|---|
| 2 years | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
|---|
| 3 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 31 |
|---|
| 4 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 38 |
|---|
| 5 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 45 |
|---|
| 6 | 40 | 42 | 45 | 49 |
|---|
| 7 | 44 | 47 | 50 | 56 |
|---|
| 8 | 48 | 51 | 55 | 64 |
|---|
| 9 | 52 | 56 | 61 | 71 |
|---|
| 10 | 56 | 60 | 66 | 79 |
|---|
| 11 | 60 | 65 | 72 | 86 |
|---|
| 12 | 64 | 69 | 77 | 93 |
|---|
| 13 | 68 | 74 | 82 | 100 |
|---|
| 14 | 72 | 78 | 88 | 107 |
|---|
| 15 | 76 | 83 | 93 | 114 |
|---|
| 16 | 80 | 87 | 99 | 121 |
|---|
Source: AKC, “How to Calculate Dog Years to Human Years”
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