How old is my dog in human years? Size and breed play roles in how long dogs live, and how quickly they mature. For most dogs, the first year of life is an equivalent of about 15 human years, but after that it slows down. The world record holder for oldest dog is Bluey. He was an Australian Cattle Dog who lived to be 29 years and 5 months. The dog Maggie might have been even older, she reached the age of 30, but cannot get into the Guinness World Records because of missing documentation. If you don’t know how old your dog is, your vet can help give a qualified guess. Teeth often give good clues: 8 weeks of age – the puppy has all its baby teeth. 7 months – all permanent teeth have come in, and since they’re brand new, they’re white and clean. 1-2 years – the teeth will have gotten a duller shine and some may start turning yellow. 3-5 years – teeth will start showing wear. Unless the dog’s teeth have been cleaned they are likely to have tartar buildup. 5-10 years – teeth show wear and signs of disease. 10-15 years – teeth are worn and some are probably missing. The table below gives a rough guide to a dog’s age in human years. Just like with humans there’s an individual component to aging. Things like diet, physical shape, and amounts of mental stimulation also play important parts in staying young. Dog’s age Age in human years Small – 20 lbs or less Medium – 21-50 lbs Large – 50 lbs or more 1 15 15 15 2 24 24 24 3 28 28 28 4 32 32 32 5 36 36 36 6 40 42 45 7 44 47 50 8 48 51 55 9 52 56 61 10 56 60 66 11 60 65 72 12 64 69 77 13 68 74 82 14 72 78 88 15 76 83 93 16 80 87 120 The encouraging thing is, even though dogs have a shorter lifespan than humans, they can stay with us for a long time!
