When I was small I always used to think the age of a dog and the age of a person are calculated in much the same way. But, unfortunately it is not.
Dog years are a bit longer on the dog side compared to human years. The first year of a dog’s life equates to more or less 15 years in human life. Some folks still regard it as a 7:1 ratio, but in actual fact it is 15 years.
How is My Dogs? - Comparing The Years Of The Dog To The Years Of The Person
Throughout the years as well as through a variety of friends, colleagues and acquaintances, I have come to the realisation that dogs age on more or less the same basis as their human counterparts, some more gracefully than others. And every so often you get that one dog you wish you could give the elixir of the forever youth potion to, so that they can live forever.
Age in a dog can be visible in a number of ways, e.g. by the cloudiness of the eyes, the gradual greying of the hair round the face, problems in hearing, joint stiffness, etc. Or even a puppy becoming less unruly and calmer.
Teeth Can Say How Old Your Is?
But determining the age of a dog can be a very simple process. To start with – just compare the teeth. Just like babies, dogs’ ages are also measured by their teeth development. Sometimes when we adopt or purchase a dog, their exact age is a bit unclear. The dental can be a big help here:
Dogs’ ages are also measured by their teeth development
- 8 Weeks: All those lovely sharp baby teeth are out and ready to chew on everything
- 7 Months: The shiny white permanent teeth have settled
- 1-2 Years: Teeth are sHowing a bit more yellowing and wear and tear
- 3-5 Years: More tartar build-up is visible on the teeth. Greenies have a tendency to reduce this a bit, but under normal circumstances it will be more clearly visible
- 5-10 Years: Teeth are obviously more worn out from day to day chewing on food and everything in-between
- 10-15 Years: As with humans, at some point in time your teeth start to sHow the signs of aging. Also, unlike their human counterparts, dogs are not able to get a crown replacement for damaged or missing teeth.
Sizing Up The Competition
Jack Russell’s can live up to the ripe old age of 15
Apart from the dental work, the size of the dog can also determine the aging factor in a dog. Bigger dogs have a tendency to have little less life in their bones than smaller dogs. Great Dane’s for instances usually don’t have higher life expectancy than 8-10 years, but smaller dogs like Jack Russell’s, can live up to the ripe old age of 15.
Rescue dogs also might have a little less (or even a little more?) life in them. Depending on How life on the streets treated them and How hardy they turned out to be or How “damaged” they are.
“…In Sickness and In Health…”
No one of us will live forever, not even our prized companions. But we can all do our part to greatly enhance and improve the lives of our dear friends.
Taking proper care for the well being of your dog is the best gift you can give to them. Nowadays wonderful food products and other accessories are available to help you with this, considering their current health state.
Looking after the teeth, giving proper feeding for the health and ailments of your dog as well as regular exercise will go greatly towards giving your dog a more enjoyable quality of life.
Conclusion
Unfortunately our beloved dogs will not be able to live forever. But giving the best possible care and compassion for them whilst they are still alive is the best your can do.
And, you may never know, that senior dog of yours might just have the heart of a 5 year old energetic young dog!
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