1 Dog Year Equals 7 Human Years Is Wrong. How To Determine Your Dog's Human Age

May 28, 2018

Most dog lovers believe a year in a dog's life is equal to seven years in a human's life. So, if your dog is two calendar years old, he is fourteen years old. Likewise, if your dog is ten years old, he's seventy years old. While this method of aging a dog to human years is easy, there's a more accurate way to age your dog. 
 

The problem with using the seven-year rule is that a female dog is sexually mature at one year but, a seven-year-old child isn't. If we apply the seven-year rule to a ten-year-old female dog, a dog that's seventy-years-old in human years is capable of giving birth, which would not be the case with a seventy-year-old woman. 
 

The truth is that on average dogs age fastest during their first two years of life.

It's also true that large breeds don't live as long as medium and smaller breeds do. For this reason, larger dogs are usually mature at about five years of age while it may take smaller dogs ten years to reach full maturity. 
 

Vets have determined a better way to age your dog in human years. The first year of a dog's life is equivalent to fifteen years in human years with the second year being equivalent to nine years. After their second year, add four years for every year. If your dog is seven calendar years old, your dog is forty-four in human years. 

Dog Age - "Human Age"
 

1 - 12
2 - 24
3 - 28
4 - 32
5 - 36
6 - 40
7 - 44
8 - 48
9 - 52
10 - 56
11 - 60
12 - 64
13 - 68
14 - 72
15 - 76
16 - 80
17 - 84
18 - 88
 

Calculating your dog's age using this scale results in a more accurate representation of your dog's human age. It takes into account dogs' maturity rates. It also recognizes their maturity rate slows down after two years. Now, you can treat your dog in a manner that more accurately reflects his human age and, you'll be able to give your canine friend the best possible care! 

Do you agree this more accurately reflects a dog's human age? If so, tell everyone so they can provide what their dog needs as they age together!