How to Calculate Dog Years
Learn your dog's age in actual years., Inspect your dog's teeth., Assess the condition of the teeth., Assess your dog's size and growth., Assess your dog's muscle tone., Examine your dog's coat., Inspect your dog's eyes., Take your dog to the vet.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn your dog's age in actual years.
Knowing your dog's actual biological age is necessary to calculate his age in dog years.
It also helps you make decisions during his life that are usually based on age, such as when to spay or neuter and when to change to a senior diet.
Finding out your dog's age is easy to do if you have the dog's records or got him when he was a puppy.
However, if you don't have this information readily available, there are other ways to determine his age.
Most of these methods involving an investigation of a number of physical characteristics, including the condition of the teeth, size, coat condition, and eye conditions. -
Step 2: Inspect your dog's teeth.
Look at the stage and condition of the teeth.
Determine what stage the teeth are at.
Puppies will usually have all of their baby teeth by the time they are 8 weeks old and should have all of their permanent teeth by the time they are 6 to 7 months old.
They start getting their permanent canine teeth, the longest ones, usually right at 6 months old, which makes this the easiest time to accurately age a puppy.
If they have all of their permanent teeth and they are white and clean, they could be up to 1 1/2 to 2 years, but probably around 1 year old., Between the ages of 1 and 2 years old, many dogs will start to show some yellowing on their back teeth.
Tartar buildup starts shortly after this.Most dogs will start to show wear on their incisors, the teeth along the front of their mouth, between 3 and 5 years.
The wear on the teeth will gradually increase as your dog ages.
Significant tartar build-up with evidence of gum disease (look for red, inflamed gums) can be seen after they are 5 years old.
Missing teeth usually means that the dog is a senior and could use some dental care.The stage and condition of the teeth can help to give you a good estimate of your dog's age, but remember that there are many factors besides age that can affect their appearance including breed, genetics, chewing behavior, and history of dental care. , If your dog is continuing to grow, then he is less than 1 1/2 to 2 years old, depending on overall size.
Small dogs have reached their full height and length by around one year of age, but large and especially giant breed dogs may take until they are 18 months to 2 years old., Younger dogs are more likely to have more muscle definition because they generally have higher activity levels.
In contrast, older dogs can be a little bonier or fatter from decreased activity.Watch your dog when he moves around.
You may find he moves with a little more stiffness; this is also a sign of aging., Younger dogs usually have soft, fine coats.
Older dogs tend to have thicker and coarser fur that can sometimes also be oilier.
A senior dog may also have grays or patches of white, particularly around the snout., Younger dogs tend to have bright, clear eyes without tearing or discharge, whereas older dogs' eyes can be cloudy or opaque., Your vet can estimate your dog's age based on a comprehensive physical exam or tests that evaluate the bones, joints, muscles, and organs.
This is the best way to get an accurate assessment of your dog's actual age. -
Step 3: Assess the condition of the teeth.
-
Step 4: Assess your dog's size and growth.
-
Step 5: Assess your dog's muscle tone.
-
Step 6: Examine your dog's coat.
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Step 7: Inspect your dog's eyes.
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Step 8: Take your dog to the vet.
Detailed Guide
Knowing your dog's actual biological age is necessary to calculate his age in dog years.
It also helps you make decisions during his life that are usually based on age, such as when to spay or neuter and when to change to a senior diet.
Finding out your dog's age is easy to do if you have the dog's records or got him when he was a puppy.
However, if you don't have this information readily available, there are other ways to determine his age.
Most of these methods involving an investigation of a number of physical characteristics, including the condition of the teeth, size, coat condition, and eye conditions.
Look at the stage and condition of the teeth.
Determine what stage the teeth are at.
Puppies will usually have all of their baby teeth by the time they are 8 weeks old and should have all of their permanent teeth by the time they are 6 to 7 months old.
They start getting their permanent canine teeth, the longest ones, usually right at 6 months old, which makes this the easiest time to accurately age a puppy.
If they have all of their permanent teeth and they are white and clean, they could be up to 1 1/2 to 2 years, but probably around 1 year old., Between the ages of 1 and 2 years old, many dogs will start to show some yellowing on their back teeth.
Tartar buildup starts shortly after this.Most dogs will start to show wear on their incisors, the teeth along the front of their mouth, between 3 and 5 years.
The wear on the teeth will gradually increase as your dog ages.
Significant tartar build-up with evidence of gum disease (look for red, inflamed gums) can be seen after they are 5 years old.
Missing teeth usually means that the dog is a senior and could use some dental care.The stage and condition of the teeth can help to give you a good estimate of your dog's age, but remember that there are many factors besides age that can affect their appearance including breed, genetics, chewing behavior, and history of dental care. , If your dog is continuing to grow, then he is less than 1 1/2 to 2 years old, depending on overall size.
Small dogs have reached their full height and length by around one year of age, but large and especially giant breed dogs may take until they are 18 months to 2 years old., Younger dogs are more likely to have more muscle definition because they generally have higher activity levels.
In contrast, older dogs can be a little bonier or fatter from decreased activity.Watch your dog when he moves around.
You may find he moves with a little more stiffness; this is also a sign of aging., Younger dogs usually have soft, fine coats.
Older dogs tend to have thicker and coarser fur that can sometimes also be oilier.
A senior dog may also have grays or patches of white, particularly around the snout., Younger dogs tend to have bright, clear eyes without tearing or discharge, whereas older dogs' eyes can be cloudy or opaque., Your vet can estimate your dog's age based on a comprehensive physical exam or tests that evaluate the bones, joints, muscles, and organs.
This is the best way to get an accurate assessment of your dog's actual age.
About the Author
Jerry Martin
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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