When it comes to counting dog years. The old rule says that one dog year is equal to 7 humans. However, the truth is pretty different. Since the 1950s, this formula was considered for the only one. Thanks to the American Veterinary Medical Association, this rule has been changed because dogs mature faster than people.
How you should calculate dog years
First of all, not all dog breeds age the same. There are breeds that tend to live longer and that much depends on their genes and other factors as well. On the other hand, there is a general rule for counting a dog’s age.
- the first year of a dog’s life should be equal to 15 human years
- the second year of a dog’s life equals 8-9 human years
- from a dog’s 3rd year of life, each human year counts 5 dog years
Besides this statement, the scientists have discovered that the size of a canine can also affect the lifespan. Smaller dog breeds tend to age slowly and are generally considered for seniors at 7 years of age.
Large dog breeds such as Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, and Cane Corso are prone to faster get old and become seniors at 5 years of age. In case you are wondering why the scientists have chosen this classification, the answer is pretty simple.
They observed the health of different dog breeds and discovered the age when they start to suffer from certain health issues. For example, dog arthritis presents only one of them and it usually occurs as a dog gets old.
Why does smaller dog breed live longer?
You have probably heard for the fact that smaller dog breeds live longer, right?
It happens because smaller dogs are less prone to suffer from fast gaining weight and reaching the status of seniors. According to the opinions of hundreds of specialists, large dog breeds usually live between 8-10 years. On the other hand, small dogs tend to live 10-15 years, while giant canines usually live 5-8 years.
The way large and giant breeds grow much affects their bones and muscles. That’s only one of the reasons why they are prone to suffering from arthritis and stiffened muscles. Other studies have also shown that every increase in weight (approximately 2 kg) reduces the dog’s lifespan for one month.
Looking at the other statements, bigger dogs are also on a higher tendency to suffer from cancer and get cell damages.
Your dog’s teeth will discover everything
It might sound silly but your dog’s teeth can actually discover how old your pooch is. By the 8th week of age, your pup should have visible baby teeth. The terrible teething phase usually lasts until the 7th month, so it’s the time when your pooch develops permanent and white teeth. As your dog’s age, his teeth lose the shiny white colour. About his 2nd year of life, your four-legged friend’s back teeth become sort of yellowish in colour.
Tartar buildup is the next stage. It usually occurs between the 3rd and the 5th year of your dog’s life. Since the tartar can much affect your dog’s health, we recommend you to prevent the tartar buildup by buying different chewing toys. Dental sticks, teeth water additive can also present a great solution, as well as regular teeth brushing.
From the dog’s 5th year of life, it’s nothing unusual for different teeth issues to occur. Therefore, we suggest you react on time and prevent tooth loss that usually happens about a dog’s 10th year of life.
When do dogs become sexually mature?
As we all know, dogs earlier become sexually mature. Female canines can give birth from the moment they get their first menstrual cycle. Comparing to human counting of years, dogs reach sexual maturity between their 6th to 9th month of life.
It can happen before a dog becomes an adult, however, it’s recommended to wait for mating until the female is in heat. Large dog breeds tend to reach the status of sexual maturity slower. Therefore, it’s good to check with your vet when your pooch will achieve that stage.
How to extend your dog’s life?
There is no dog owner who would not like to extend the life of his dog. It’s true that sometimes you can’t predict certain health issues to happen,
however, you can improve your dog’s health by choosing the correct nutrition. Note that the rule of eating healthy ingredients applies not only to humans but also to dogs.
Dog food rich in by-products, artificial colors and other unhealthy ingredients can much affect your furry friend’s lifespan and cause different health issues. Therefore, a dog’s diet can be one of the factors in extending its lifespan.
Regular vet visits should present another important part of your dog’s life. Your furry friend should be regularly vaccinated and checked for different diseases. In that way, you will be able to prevent and react on time if some unplanned issues happen. Other studies have shown that neutered female dogs tend to live longer. Compared to neutered male dogs, females eliminate the risk of illness such as cancer, euthanasia, and pyometra.