When comparing a dog’s life span to a human’s life span, we multiply the dog’s age by 7. This calculation is a myth. Figuring out a dog’s life span is more difficult than we thought. Using this calculation doesn’t work because a dog’s size and breed affects their life span. Larger dogs are known to have shorter lives than smaller dogs. For example, Chihuahuas are a toy breed, that ca live up to 15-20 years. They are known to live ‘forever’. But the pug is also part of the toy breed. They only live 12-15 years. This just shows us that we can’t have one calculation to solve all dogs life span.
If you are wanting to compare a dog’s life span to a humans then there is a formula that will help you calculate the difference. The formula would be (human_ age= 16ln (dog_age) +31). But this is a little complicated to figure out on our own. There are calculators that will figure this out for you online. But if you do not want to do either then I would go off of this. The first year of a dog’s life equals to 15 human years. At two years, the dog’s life is equal to about 9 years. After this, every year is about four to five years. You can use this on small, medium, or large dogs. But if they are over 100+ lbs. then the comparison will change.
It is important to know your dog’s age. This is because you will know the estimate of how long the dog will live. Also, if the dog is larger than they start developing illnesses sooner than smaller breeds. There are many signs that a dog is aging. Some of them are teeth turning yellow, fur turning gray, cloudy eyes or poor eyesight, trouble hearing, arthritis, behavioral changes, or activity level change. It is important to look at these changes because care for the dog will start to change. For example- as a dog grows and ages then their diet will start to change. This is because at the different stages, they require different nutrients. Puppies need more food because they are growing. Some puppy chows will cause the dog to grow faster. If you don’t want this then you are able to give them puppy food. Before you buy any brand of dog food, research it beforehand. This is because there are any different types of dog food that can be fed to them. As pet owners, we wouldn’t want to feed the dog’s harmful food. Adult dogs require more carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Senior dogs would need less calories and carbohydrates. If the dogs aren’t able to get what they need then this will affect their health. This is just one reason why it is important to know the dog’s life span and age.
Overall, the myth that one dog year equals to 7 years in human life is false. There is a chart you can find online, that is more accurate about a dog’s life span. Knowing the dog’s breed and size will affect how long they live. It will let you determine when to change how you take care of them. During different parts of their life, taking care of them will change.