How to Calculate Your Dog's Age in Human Years (It's Not How You Expect)

Have you ever wondered how old your dog is in “human” years? In the past, the answer to this question was simple: multiply your furry friend’s current age by seven. This straightforward calculation has been loosely held as the standard for determining a dog’s “human” age, but it turns out that the true answer may be a bit more complicated.

How Do Dogs Age?

According to researchers at UC San Diego Health, the classic conversion of seven dog years for every human year isn’t all that accurate. The researchers compared human and dog DNA to understand how both humans and dogs age over time.

By evaluating blood samples from dogs of all ages, the scientists could look for certain signs to indicate roughly how these dogs compared to humans in terms of the aging process. The research found that dogs don’t age at the same rate that we do.

According to the experts, dogs age quickly when they’re young and reach adulthood much earlier than the old 1-to-7-year ratio suggests. The researchers suggest that a 1-year-old dog is actually closer in age to a 30-year-old human than a young child. How a dog ages then slows down from there, especially once our furry friends turn 7.

Of course, it’s important to remember that these estimates can vary depending on each dog’s breed. In this particular review, researchers worked with Labrador Retrievers. Researchers still aren’t sure if the way dogs age changes based on size and/or other factors. Still, we now have more accurate information on just how old our beloved friends are compared to us.

How to Calculate Dog Years

While new research has disproven the old seven-year ratio, there is a new method that people can use to estimate their dog’s age in human years. Based on what they found, the researchers were able to create a simple formula for age calculation.

• Multiply the natural logarithm of your dog's age and add 31 to that initial total.

Alright, maybe that formula isn’t very simple after all. The basic idea behind the formula is that as a dog gets older the natural logarithm gets smaller to mirror the rapid decrease in aging. That’s not nearly as convenient in terms of simple math, so fortunately the researchers included a handy chart to give everyone an idea of their dogs’ ages in human years or take a look at this simple calculator.

Source: Cell Press

Support Your Furry Friend Throughout the Years

No matter how old your dog is, it’s essential to make sure he gets the nutritional support he needs to live a happy, healthy life. As your furry friend grows, you’ll want to get him custom nutrition for his specifc needs. Please use our Bil-Jac Food Finder to find out what dog food is right for your best friend.

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