Dog Years to Human years: The Difference Between a 15 Year Old Dog and a 15 Year Old Child
A lot of people who are planning to get a dog will be wondering how old the dog they want is in human years. It might seem that because humans have longer lifespans than dogs, this should be easy to figure out, but it really isn’t all that simple.
People have come up with many different methods for determining the age of a dog in human years. One of the simplest is to simply take the current age of the dog in dog years and multiply it by seven.
For example, if your 15-year-old dog were a person, his age would be 93-114 years old because he is fifteen times seven. This might seem like a good system for figuring out a dog’s age in human years, but it isn’t very accurate.
Canine lifespans vary greatly from breed to breed and also depend on the size of the dog. Also, if you have a mixed breed dog that was not purebred, to begin with, then he or she may not necessarily follow these guidelines.
For more accurate results, you can use a canine age calculator. Veterinarians have found that the formula most often used to determine the age of dogs is different than what they use for humans. The following table shows how to calculate your dog’s age according to veterinarians:
Age of Dog (dog’s age according to the calendar) | Dog’s Age in Human Years (dog’s age in equivalent human years, based on the stage of 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”
The reason why we convert the age to months instead of years is that dogs are considered “yearlings” when they are only six months old. When you think about it, this actually makes sense. If a human were born at 6 months, they would be just starting to walk at 12 months and probably not considered very healthy or mature because their immune system isn’t completely developed yet either.
Also, most dogs will reach physical and emotional maturity at about the same time humans do too. It is actually pretty amazing that we can figure out how old a dog with such an irregular lifespan is in human years this accurately!
Note that if you have a breed with an average lifespan of 10 years or less then it will take only about seven human years to equal one dog year. In other words, a 10-year old mixed breed would be equivalent to a 60-70-year old person in human years.
As you can see from the above information, figuring out how old a dog is in human years can be quite complicated. The best way to determine this for your dog is to ask your veterinarian for help. He or she will be able to tell you how old your dog is in dog years and provide lots of other useful information as well.
But how long do they live?
The average life expectancy for dogs varies depending on the specific breed but generally ranges from 10-13 years (the numbers include both purebred and non-purebred). However, if you take good care of your dog and do not let it become obese or suffer serious injuries, it can live up to 20 years!
Because dogs are kept as pets much longer than they used to be in the past when they were primarily used for work purposes, their medical needs have also increased. Dogs need regular exercise, love, attention, good nutrition, and veterinary care. All of these factors can help give them a longer life.
However, the average dog lifespan is still not as long as our own. This is because dogs are at higher risk for diseases that may be caused by their breed, size, or age which reduces their lifespan compared to humans on average. In general, bigger breeds have a shorter life span since they are more likely to suffer from bone and joint diseases. Some breeds also have a higher risk of cancer due to their genetics which can shorten their lives slightly.
For example, the average lifespan for large-sized dogs such as the Mastiff or Saint Bernard is 6-8 years while small dogs such as the Chihuahua have an average lifespan of 13-15. Medium-sized breeds are somewhere in between with an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years. Of course, these numbers can be altered by behavior and health factors but they give you a general idea of how long your dog could live if it is kept healthy.
If you are considering adding a dog to your family, it is important to keep in mind how long it may live so that you can prepare. Would you be able to provide for this pet for its entire life? Do you have the time and money to take care of it properly? These are all questions worth thinking about before buying a puppy.
Despite these considerations, dogs make great companions and pets. They love spending time with their owners and want to be a part of the family (if you do not believe this, try and separate a dog from its owner without it getting upset!). Living with a canine friend can be very rewarding but you must be prepared for its needs and its lifespan.
As this article has shown, dog lifespans can vary greatly depending on multiple factors including breed, size, age, and overall health. If you take good care of your pooch and make sure it does not become obese or get injured, you should be able to enjoy a longer life with your furry friend!
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