As a general guideline, though, the American Veterinary Medical Association breaks it down like this: 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog's life. Year two for a dog equals about nine years for a human. And after that, each human year would be approximately five years for a dog.
The first year of a medium-sized dog's life equates to about 15 human years. Year two for a dog equals about nine additional human years, making the dog about 24 in 'dog years'. After age two, each human year adds around five dog years.
So a 7-year-old dog would be roughly 62.1 human years old.
Using this formula, a 10-year old dog is the equivalent of a 53-year old human. Using the simple 7:1 ratio, this same 10-year old dog would be the equivalent of a 70-year old human.
8 dog years = 55 years. 9 dog years = 61 years. 10 dog years = 66 years. 11 dog years = 72 years.
Some of the longest living dogs have been known to live upwards of 20, even 25 years. To put that in perspective, 20 years old for a dog equates to 140 years old in dog years, which is an incredibly long lifespan (learn more about how to work out how old your dog is in human years here).
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
As a general guideline, though, the American Veterinary Medical Association breaks it down like this: 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog's life. Year two for a dog equals about nine years for a human. And after that, each human year would be approximately five years for a dog.
If you're anything like us, you'll probably continue referring to your dog as a puppy until they're old and grey! But generally speaking, a puppy is officially considered an adult dog between the ages of 1 - 2 years, once their bones have fully developed and they've reached their final height and size.
According to several behavioral measures, Coren says dogs' mental abilities are close to a human child age 2 to 2.5 years. The intelligence of various types of dogs does differ and the dog's breed determines some of these differences, Coren says.
Signs Your Dog is Aging
We know that dog senior status varies according to size and breed. Generally, small dogs are considered senior citizens when they reach 11 years of age, medium-sized dogs at 10 years of age, large breeds at 8 years of age, and giant-breeds at 7.
CONQUEIROS, Portugal (AP) — The world's oldest dog recently celebrated his 31st birthday, according to Guinness World Records. Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog, celebrated during a party Saturday at his home in the Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where has lived his entire life.
Editor's Note, May 16, 2023: On May 11, Bobi turned 31 years old and celebrated at a “big birthday party” with more than 100 guests, according to a statement from Guinness World Records.
As he's gotten older, he has had difficulties walking and also experienced a decline in his eyesight. Costa attributed his dog's longevity in part to the “calm, peaceful environment” where he lives. In addition to being the oldest dog currently living, Bobi is also the oldest dog ever recorded, according to Guinness.
The first year of a dog's life is equal to 15 human years. The second year of a dog's life is equal to about nine human years. Each additional year is equal to about four or five human years.
Generally, a dog of six has aged about as much as a 45-year-old human. At 10, she's like a human of 65; at 12, a human of 75; and at 15, a human of 90.
Sadly, most mammals technically age faster than humans. This is mostly because other mammals have different DNA to humans, giving them a higher heart rate and metabolic rate. As a result of these genetic differences between humans and dogs, dogs have bodies that go through more wear and tear sooner.
At four months old, he is probably roughly the same age as a two or three-year-old human. This will depend a little bit on the breed and size of the dog. Some dog breeds develop more slowly than others (physically, mentally, or both), but just like with humans, everybody pretty much catches up to each other eventually.
The best way to determine the age of a puppy is by looking at their teeth. All of a puppy's baby teeth should erupt between 3 and 6 weeks of age and their adult teeth should appear between 12 and 16 weeks of age at the front of the mouth and between 16 and 24 weeks toward the back.