How to calculate the age of the dog? How much does it represent in years of man?

The age of the dog is an important thing when we take care of a quadruped. A dog for two years must be treated differently from an elderly man, even if at first glance there are no differences between them. To better estimate the age of the dog and the related needs, it is calculated indicatively to the human age.

Dogs mature much faster than people and their lives is much shorter. Although they cross the same phases, the changes in the age of humans, the relationship between the age of the dog and human age is not linear. So it is difficult to create an infallible algorithm that can calculate the age of a dog in the human years.

The age of dogs and the various phases of their life

There are many difficulties in determining the relationship between the age of a dog and the stadium of life in which they are located. First of all, There are variations in the life expectancy between the breeds. Dogs live on average up to 10-12 years. However, small breeds can live up to 20 years, while some large races do not reach up to 8 years. Of course, life expectancy also depends on individual characteristics, lifestyle and the owner’s way of care.

With the utmost precision you can relate the phases of a dog’s life with his age during the chicken period (for example, observing changes in the animal tooth). Until the age of 4 months, several breed samples increase at a similar rhythm, but with every following month the differences are becoming larger. For example, small dogs can reach sexual maturity from the age of 6-8 months, while dogs of great, closer to two years. Over time, the discrepancy between the living phases of the different races and their age grows more and more.

How do we calculate the age of the dog?

If the story of the dog has been known since it was chickens, it is usually known exactly how old she has. But how to determine the age of a dog adopted by the refuge? It is mainly suggested by the condition of the tooth and, more precisely, the wear of some groups of teeth. The age of the Patrude can also be estimated by observing the eyes: they become more troubled over time. In the case of dark dogs, a visible sign of aging is also the color of the fur, on which gray hair is observed.

Can the age of the dog be calculated in years of human years?

To better understand the needs of their pet, dog owners often try to calculate their real age in human years. For a long time it was a quadruped year to be approximately equal to 7 years of human life (Calculation from the age of a year, when the dog is approximately in the same phase of development as people aged between 13 and 18). This hypothesis was based on the fact that people statistically live 7 times more than a dog. Scientists think this is too much simplification.

For a long time, an algorithm is requested with which the age of a dog can be calculated in human years with greater precision. Recently, the geneticists of the University of California, in San Diego, have proposed to use an indicator: to discover a «human» age, multiply the natural logarithm of its real age for 16 years, therefore adding 31. The above method is not perfect, because it was developed on the basis of a Labrador Retriever study. While several breed dogs age. Furthermore, The aging rate of dogs during life changes differently than humans.

A universal converter of the dog’s age can probably not be found. In the tables that illustrate this addiction, very often it is added to the quadrupeds – starting from the second year of life (dogs have about 25 years of humans) – 4-5 years. However, the breed or weight of the animal is not taken into consideration, which is why this formula must be considered indicative.

Why is it worth knowing the age of the dog?

It is difficult to carefully transform the age of a dog in the years of man, but It is worth knowing the specific stages of your animal’s life to give them the most appropriate care. This knowledge allows:

• the choice of appropriate food,
• Apply adequate veterinary prophylaxis,
• Regulate the level of physical activity to the ability of the quadruped.

The correct approach to the problems mentioned above has a significant impact on the dog’s health and longevity.

Szymon Wiszcz