Vet Explains How To Count Dog Years And It Appears 1 Human Year Is Not Equal To 7 Dog Years
Pets are an endless source of joy and comfort for many. Some find taking care of a small critter fulfilling, others lean towards dogs that they can be active with, and then there are those who like cats and their general independence. Basically, there’s a pet for every type of personality, and people are largely thankful for the companionship, reciprocating the unconditional love with dedicated care.
And it will likely surprise no one that one of the most popular pets around the globe is a dog! These pets can accompany you for majority of your life; they can watch you grow up just as much as you document their journey. Dogs often become full-fledged members of the family, so their birthdays become as much of a milestone as your own. But here’s the hard truth—their cake day holds more significance than many imagine.
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A veterinarian debunks the idea that 1 human year equals 7 dog years
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
A video went viral on TikTok, made by veterinarian Dr. Hunter Finn. It was viewed 4.2m times and unfortunately, it’s not about dog petting techniques. “Okay, so you know that one saying that one human year equals seven dog years?” said Dr. Finn. “It’s not true.” Dr. Finn informed people that the largely prevalent idea that dogs age according to the formula of 1 human year=7 dog years is actually wrong. In fact, 1 human year means your dog has aged to the equivalent of 31 human years!
@dr.hunterfinn♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
A 1-year-old dog equals 31 years in human years, but the aging scales down with time
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
While the 1=31 might seem scary, there’s no need to panic (much)! “A 1-year-old dog equals a 31-year-old human,” the veterinarian continued. “And a 2-year-old dog is 49.” So we can rejoice that a 2-year-old doggie is not secretly a 62-year-old. In fact, a 7-year-old dog is equal to 62 years in age, and an 8-year-old dog is 64. The aging slows down with years, which can provide some relief to dog owners. This calculation might be a blow to some people, especially with senior dogs in the families, but information such as this serves a very important purpose—education.
When you know the dog’s age, you can act accordingly and take care of it better
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
Image credits: Dr. Hunter Finn
Think of it like this—the older you are, the more closely you have to monitor your health. When you could climb a tree in a minute when you were 10, at the age of 40, you might find yourself struggling. Over time, the body becomes less nimble and there is a plethora of other problems. It’s exactly the same for your dog! If the pooch is nearing his 5th birthday, his health is closer to that of a 50-year-old man, so it’s likely he needs more monitoring and frequent checkups.
The new calculations have a scientific study behind them
Image credits: UC San Diego News Center
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine released a study that focuses on a method for determining the age of a cell, tissue, or organism. The created formula is transferrable across species and shows that dogs mature and age quite rapidly during their first years, reaching human-based maturity in less than a year. “This makes sense when you think about it—after all, a nine-month-old dog can have puppies, so we already knew that the 1:7 ratio wasn’t an accurate measure of age,” said senior author Trey Ideker.
But there’s no truly definitive research in the field right now
The discussion about dog ages is ongoing both between dog owners and scientists themselves. All the way back in 2013, an article appeared in The American Naturalist magazine about a study that found bigger dog breeds age faster than smaller dogs. For large dogs, adult life is in fast motion, which results in them dying young, but there’s no answer as to why.
The American Kennel Club calculates that 1 human year is 12-15 for a dog
A few years ago, even the American Kennel Club chimed in on the topic, stating smaller dogs age approximately 15 years in one human year, while bigger dogs age 12 years in the same time. However, according to them, these numbers switch places as time goes by, meaning bigger dogs will reach older age faster: after 5 human years, small dogs have reached 36, while big dogs would be 45. And then there are the middle calculations for the in-between breeds.
Image credits: American Kennel Club
Naturally, people online were both amazed and concerned by the conflicting news
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I’m calling false. A 2 year old dog is a puppy, last I checked, children don’t become adults after 40 some years. This would also cancel out the 7 year myth, it’d be closer to 6 years. Due to puppies no longer being considered puppies after 3. 6 * 3 = 18. Adult. But, it’s actually measured per revolution of the sun, so 1 “human year” is equal to 1 “dog year”, they just live shorter lives
Breeds vary too much. If you have one breed that only lives 8 or 9 years (like Irish Wolfhounds) and another that lives nearly twice that (eg terrier breeds) then the calculations fall apart instantly. Sexual maturity also varies. A chihuahua, bichon or Yorkshire terrier puppy will stop being a puppy around 10 months. Large or giant breeds won’t stop being puppies until they reach 18 months. Totally agree that being able to breed does not mean they should. As I said, far too varied.
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I don't think we can really compare things that are that different. People want to know how old their dog would be if it was a man, but that's purely mundane. What really counts is to know what the dog needs at which age, and to take good care of him, regardless of how old of a humane being he would be.
This guy tells bullshit. This might be right for small dog breeds as a chihuahua, but it definitely doesn't work for all dogs. The Boerboel mastiff I used to care for was an adult with 2.5 years, what would mean according to his calculation he'd be already an adult human with 1 year. Nonsense
My lab is 13 and he is an old boy. He moves slower than Captain Tom and he was 100 yrs old before he died Bless him.
Aw, 13 is not a bad age. Labs average between 10 to 14 years. We do have an elderly lady near us, she's 17 bless her.
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It is breed specific, but what he is saying is wrong for all breeds https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-calculate-dog-years-to-human-years/
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I was going to agree on the general idea, but this comparison 2 year old dog / 49 year old human is upsetting. A 2 year old dog is fully grown-up, that's true, but young and full of energy, and not already enduring the ageing process humans clearly begin to feel at age 50 or even before. I always thought the 1:7 ratio made no sense but I don't buy the concept of dogs being old 80 % of their life either, that's ridiculous.
Yeah. A 2yo is equivalent to a human in their early 20s. Adult but young. In medium-big/medium breeds. In giant breeds is basically a teenager.
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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until they open their mouths." "I always take life with a grain of salt. Plus, a slice of lemon. And a shot of tequila." "I don't have a beer gut. I have a protective covering for my rock hard abs." "I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and I think, 'Well, that's not going to happen.'" "Money talks. But all mine ever says is goodbye." "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." "Life's like a bird. It's pretty cute until it poops on your head." "I'm skeptical of anyone who tells me they do yoga every day. That's a bit of a stretch." "I don't have a girlfriend. But I know a girl that would get really mad if she heard me say that." "A computer once beat me at chess. But it was no match for me at kickboxing." "I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort."
That would be the most sensible suggestion. There are far to many variations across the breeds!
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Can't be true. A 1 year old dog may be able to mate that makes it 12 years at best. A 31 year old human already is over the peak of it's physical prime - the dogs prime not even started yet. A dog at two years is just an adult, but not like a 49 years old, that's long after it's physical prime. He's talking bullshit on Taktik.
This is wrong. So is the 7 year thing, but if anything this is worse. The first year is actually equal to about 15 years https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-calculate-dog-years-to-human-years/.
It largely depends on the breed/size of the dog. Generally speaking the larger the breed the shorter life expectancy
But also the longer the infancy and teenager years. A 1yo big dog is a teenager.
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I would say a one year old dog is more like a 21 year old human. Old enough not to partake in too many adolescent antics, but still has lots of energy and able to get into trouble if the opportunity presents itself.
Depends on the size. A big 1yo is still a teenager. A giant 1yo is a puppy.
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I also know that this is total bullshit because you can't compare the human brain to a dog's brain. We just don't mature in the same way or have the same general mental capacity or characteristics. Also, people mature differently so you can never give such specific numbers. Complete fail.
Even with cats the principle is flawed. Average life span of a cat is 15. 7 x 15 is 105. Cats often live to about 20 and so that makes them 140. Then the longest age a cat has lived to is 38 and 7 x 38 is 266. As a very broad guide, fine, but it's best to think of animals in their own life stages rather than try and apply human ones.
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My dog was fully mature at 2. She instantly knew what her job was. By 5 I started noting she was tired. By 8, her memory was slipping. By 10, her energy was waning. She died before she turned 11. She was a Cane Corso.
My maltese/pomeranian/weiner dog is most definitely a horny teenager and he's just over a year old now. I refuse to believe he acts like this in "his 30's" ffs 🥸🤣😂 lol
My oldest is 10 and my other dog is 2. I prefer the AKC method of aging.
My Border Collie is 6 years and 7 months old and it's as if the 6 years never happened as he is as fit, spritely and full of play as he was as a puppy. He can go from being in a sound sleep to running around the place in a split second. All you have to do is say the word "frisbee" and he's jumping at the back door barking to go out.
For anybody who feels like just leaving a comment explaining why they're right, just don't. This is a vet and ASPCA, and while they could be wrong it is not likely and there's no reason for you to waste time and energy. If you don't believe it then click away! :)
My vet absolutely disputes this. She says that an average sized dog physically peaks abt about 18 months, which would corresponds to a 25 year old human. The basic premise that dogs mature faster in their first 2 years and then aging relatively slows is accurate, given they can breed in under a year, but saying that any 18 month old dog is effectively "over the hill" physically is just incorrect.
I've known that for years. It's breed combined with size and proper care. WebMD at pets age chart is a great tool and much easier to understand. Dawg mom
4.70588235294 There’s the math, assuming your cat lives to the average 15-20 years.
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Sounds like he's talking about the biological aging process rather than the ratio of years in the average life span of a dog and a human. Clickbaity way to say it though, "that's not actually true", while completely ignoring that they're referring to different things.
Then he is really bad at expressing what he is referring to.
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What sort of doggo? 12 may be quite young or quite old - depending on the type of dog.
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Most female dogs get their first heat when they are about 6 months old and male dogs are sexually reproductive at about the same age. That's roughly equivalent to a 13 year old human.
The smaller breeds tend to go into heat earlier and some females can have their first cycle as early as four months of age. On the other hand, the large and giant breeds can be up to two years old before they come into heat for the first time. There is only a few breeds in the middle that fit an 'equivalent'.
Load More Replies... I’m calling false. A 2 year old dog is a puppy, last I checked, children don’t become adults after 40 some years. This would also cancel out the 7 year myth, it’d be closer to 6 years. Due to puppies no longer being considered puppies after 3. 6 * 3 = 18. Adult. But, it’s actually measured per revolution of the sun, so 1 “human year” is equal to 1 “dog year”, they just live shorter lives
Breeds vary too much. If you have one breed that only lives 8 or 9 years (like Irish Wolfhounds) and another that lives nearly twice that (eg terrier breeds) then the calculations fall apart instantly. Sexual maturity also varies. A chihuahua, bichon or Yorkshire terrier puppy will stop being a puppy around 10 months. Large or giant breeds won’t stop being puppies until they reach 18 months. Totally agree that being able to breed does not mean they should. As I said, far too varied.
Load More Replies... I don't think we can really compare things that are that different. People want to know how old their dog would be if it was a man, but that's purely mundane. What really counts is to know what the dog needs at which age, and to take good care of him, regardless of how old of a humane being he would be.
This guy tells bullshit. This might be right for small dog breeds as a chihuahua, but it definitely doesn't work for all dogs. The Boerboel mastiff I used to care for was an adult with 2.5 years, what would mean according to his calculation he'd be already an adult human with 1 year. Nonsense
My lab is 13 and he is an old boy. He moves slower than Captain Tom and he was 100 yrs old before he died Bless him.
Aw, 13 is not a bad age. Labs average between 10 to 14 years. We do have an elderly lady near us, she's 17 bless her.
Load More Replies... It is breed specific, but what he is saying is wrong for all breeds https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-calculate-dog-years-to-human-years/
Load More Replies... I was going to agree on the general idea, but this comparison 2 year old dog / 49 year old human is upsetting. A 2 year old dog is fully grown-up, that's true, but young and full of energy, and not already enduring the ageing process humans clearly begin to feel at age 50 or even before. I always thought the 1:7 ratio made no sense but I don't buy the concept of dogs being old 80 % of their life either, that's ridiculous.
Yeah. A 2yo is equivalent to a human in their early 20s. Adult but young. In medium-big/medium breeds. In giant breeds is basically a teenager.
Load More Replies... Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until they open their mouths." "I always take life with a grain of salt. Plus, a slice of lemon. And a shot of tequila." "I don't have a beer gut. I have a protective covering for my rock hard abs." "I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and I think, 'Well, that's not going to happen.'" "Money talks. But all mine ever says is goodbye." "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." "Life's like a bird. It's pretty cute until it poops on your head." "I'm skeptical of anyone who tells me they do yoga every day. That's a bit of a stretch." "I don't have a girlfriend. But I know a girl that would get really mad if she heard me say that." "A computer once beat me at chess. But it was no match for me at kickboxing." "I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort."
That would be the most sensible suggestion. There are far to many variations across the breeds!
Load More Replies... Can't be true. A 1 year old dog may be able to mate that makes it 12 years at best. A 31 year old human already is over the peak of it's physical prime - the dogs prime not even started yet. A dog at two years is just an adult, but not like a 49 years old, that's long after it's physical prime. He's talking bullshit on Taktik.
This is wrong. So is the 7 year thing, but if anything this is worse. The first year is actually equal to about 15 years https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-calculate-dog-years-to-human-years/.
It largely depends on the breed/size of the dog. Generally speaking the larger the breed the shorter life expectancy
But also the longer the infancy and teenager years. A 1yo big dog is a teenager.
Load More Replies... I would say a one year old dog is more like a 21 year old human. Old enough not to partake in too many adolescent antics, but still has lots of energy and able to get into trouble if the opportunity presents itself.
Depends on the size. A big 1yo is still a teenager. A giant 1yo is a puppy.
Load More Replies... I also know that this is total bullshit because you can't compare the human brain to a dog's brain. We just don't mature in the same way or have the same general mental capacity or characteristics. Also, people mature differently so you can never give such specific numbers. Complete fail.
Even with cats the principle is flawed. Average life span of a cat is 15. 7 x 15 is 105. Cats often live to about 20 and so that makes them 140. Then the longest age a cat has lived to is 38 and 7 x 38 is 266. As a very broad guide, fine, but it's best to think of animals in their own life stages rather than try and apply human ones.
Load More Replies... My dog was fully mature at 2. She instantly knew what her job was. By 5 I started noting she was tired. By 8, her memory was slipping. By 10, her energy was waning. She died before she turned 11. She was a Cane Corso.
My maltese/pomeranian/weiner dog is most definitely a horny teenager and he's just over a year old now. I refuse to believe he acts like this in "his 30's" ffs 🥸🤣😂 lol
My oldest is 10 and my other dog is 2. I prefer the AKC method of aging.
My Border Collie is 6 years and 7 months old and it's as if the 6 years never happened as he is as fit, spritely and full of play as he was as a puppy. He can go from being in a sound sleep to running around the place in a split second. All you have to do is say the word "frisbee" and he's jumping at the back door barking to go out.
For anybody who feels like just leaving a comment explaining why they're right, just don't. This is a vet and ASPCA, and while they could be wrong it is not likely and there's no reason for you to waste time and energy. If you don't believe it then click away! :)
My vet absolutely disputes this. She says that an average sized dog physically peaks abt about 18 months, which would corresponds to a 25 year old human. The basic premise that dogs mature faster in their first 2 years and then aging relatively slows is accurate, given they can breed in under a year, but saying that any 18 month old dog is effectively "over the hill" physically is just incorrect.
I've known that for years. It's breed combined with size and proper care. WebMD at pets age chart is a great tool and much easier to understand. Dawg mom
4.70588235294 There’s the math, assuming your cat lives to the average 15-20 years.
Load More Replies... Sounds like he's talking about the biological aging process rather than the ratio of years in the average life span of a dog and a human. Clickbaity way to say it though, "that's not actually true", while completely ignoring that they're referring to different things.
Then he is really bad at expressing what he is referring to.
Load More Replies... What sort of doggo? 12 may be quite young or quite old - depending on the type of dog.
Load More Replies... Most female dogs get their first heat when they are about 6 months old and male dogs are sexually reproductive at about the same age. That's roughly equivalent to a 13 year old human.
The smaller breeds tend to go into heat earlier and some females can have their first cycle as early as four months of age. On the other hand, the large and giant breeds can be up to two years old before they come into heat for the first time. There is only a few breeds in the middle that fit an 'equivalent'.
Load More Replies...
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