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What Are The Five Stages Of Dog Life? How To Calculate Dog Years To Human Years?

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dog years to human years

We love our fur babies like our own babies. Thus, we often forget that our fur babies tend to age a lot faster than we do.  

Unfortunately, this is the ultimate reality. Hence, it is important to properly care for your dog and adjust their lifestyle accordingly. Various dogs have different life spans. 

Generally, when calculating dog years to human years, people assume that 7 years of dog age is equivalent to 1 year of human age. 

However, that is not always true. Aging and lifespan differ across species. Generally, the dog’s size determines its age. 

Smaller dogs tend to live longer than elderly dogs. Small dogs generally suffer less joint and organ damage than larger dogs. 

Thus, as they age, smaller and larger dogs experience different life stages at different times. 

Hence, this article explains the five major stages in a dog’s life. The dog’s body goes through significant changes during these stages of life. 

How To Figure Out The Perfect Value For The Dog Years To Human Years Ratio?

The life span and aging stages vary for dogs belonging to different stages.  

This chart will help you figure out the dog years to human years. 

Years of AgeSmall Dogs (20 lbs. and below)Medium Dogs (21-50 lbs.) Large Dogs (51-100 lbs.)Giant Dogs (100 lbs. and Over) 
3 Months Around 3 Years old Around 3 Years old Around 3 Years old Around 3 Years old 
6 Months Around 7 Years Old Around 7 Years Old Around 6 Years Old Around 6 Years Old 
1 Year 15 Years Old 15 Years Old 15 Years Old  12 Years Old 
2 Years 24 Years Old 24 Years Old 24 Years Old 24 Years Old 
3 Years 28 Years Old 28 Years Old 30 Years Old 32 Years Old 
4 Years 32 Years Old 33 Years Old 35 Years Old 37 Years Old 
5 Years 36 Years Old 37 Years Old 40 Years Old 42 Years Old 
6 Years 40 Years Old 42 Years Old 45 Years Old 49 Years Old 
7 Years 44 Years Old 47 Years Old 50 Years Old 56 Years Old 
8 Years 48 Years Old 51 Years Old 55 Years Old 64 Years Old 
9 Years 52 Years Old 56 Years Old 61 Years Old 71 Years Old 
10 Years 56 Years Old 60 Years Old 66 Years Old 78 Years Old 
11 Years 60 Years old 65 Years Old 72 Years Old 86 Years Old 
12 Years 64 Years Old 69 Years Old 77 Years Old 93 Years Old 
13 Years 68 Years Old 74 Years Old 82 Years Old 101 Years Old 
14 Years 72 Years Old 78 Years Old 88 Years Old 108 Years Old 

How Does The Breed Of A Dog Affect Their Age In The Dog Years To Human Years Calculation?

Majorly, the size influences the dog years to human years calculation.  

However, other factors, such as the breed of the dog, play a pivotal role in determining the dog. 

Moreover, different breeds have breed-specific characteristics that often give rise to issues in dogs.  

The dog enthusiasts can always go through the common traits of a breed to be aware of the potential issues at different stages of their life. 

What Are The Different Stages Of A Dog’s Life?

I hope you have already been able to figure out your dog’s human age using the dog years to human years chart. 

However, each life stage has its specific needs and requirements.  

1st Stage: The Puppyhood  

This is the first life stage of a dog. Moreover, every dog goes through this stage from birth to around 6 months of age.  

The puppies generally learn to interpret the world as a dog. Thus, their conscience gets shaped during these years.  

The puppies should go through socialization and basic obedience training. The dogs learn to interact with the world properly during this time of the year. 

The puppies develop new teeth. Thus, they require chewing toys of good quality.  

2nd Stage: The Adolescence Period Of Your Pooch  

The adolescent stage of a dog starts somewhere between 3 and 9 months of age. Further, it can last up to 1 or 2 years.

Moreover, the larger breeds tend to mature slowly. On the other hand, the smaller and medium-sized breeds mature quite fast. 

Thus, the larger breeds generally stay in the adolescent stage for a much longer period of time. 

The dog may experience a hormonal surge during this time. Moreover, they reach their sexual maturity at this stage of life. Hence, if we convert the dog years to human years, it comes to 15-24 years. 

3rd Stage: The Young Adulthood 

All dogs remain in their young adult stage until they become 4-5 years old.  Their young adulthood begins at age 2. The dog becomes an adult.  

Thus, if you convert dog years to human years, your dog may have had the right to vote.  

The young adult dogs remain very active, but they no longer exhibit the teenage rebellious phase. 

4th Stage: Middle Age

Most dogs reach middle age between 5 and 7 years old. Moreover, it generally lasts until the dog reaches 8-10 years of age.  

However, giant and large dogs reach middle age much earlier than young dogs. The smaller dogs have a loner, young-adult phase. 

The dogs can develop a new medical condition during this stage of their life. But the dogs are generally still active during this stage of their lives. 

5th Stage: The Senior Years 

Most dogs reach their senior years between 8 and 10 years old. Moreover, this marks the last stage of a dog’s life

Thus, your fur ball generally slows down and enjoys a much quieter life during this stage. The dog needs geriatric care during this stage of their life. 

What Should We Consider While Converting Dog Years To Human Years?

Dogs experience different conditions at various stages of their lives.  

However, you should always be aware of these stages and specific conditions to be prepared. Different stages of life require different types of vets

They also have different dietary needs and requirements at different stages. Thus, you should take care of your dogs accordingly. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the conversion from dog years to human years. 

1. How Old Is A 12 Year Old Dog In Dog Life?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides a proper guideline to calculate dog years to human years.  
Moreover, the first 1 years of a mid-sized dog’s age are equivalent to at least 15 years of human age. 
The next year is equivalent to 9 human years. Furthermore, all the following years are equivalent to atleast five human years.  
Thus, a 12-year-old can be around 64 to 69 years old, depending on the size of the dog. 

2. Is 1 Year 7 Years For Dogs?

No, 1 dog year equals 15 human years. Moreover, the 7:1 ratio is one of the most popular methods for determining a dog’s age.
This rule suggests that every seven years of a dog’s age is equivalent to one year of a human’s age. However, it is not accurate.

3. How Old Is A 13 Year Old Dog In Dog Years?

A 13-year-old dog weighing more than 20 lbs. is around 68 years old. A 21-50 lbs. dog is 74 years old. 
Furthermore, a 51-90 lbs. dog is 82 years old; a 90 lbs. dog is 101 years old. 

4. How Do I Calculate My Dog’s Age In Human Years?

The dog’s 1 year of age converts to 15 human years. Hence,1:7 years is not a particularly reliable way to estimate a dog’s age.

5. What Is 1 Year In Dog Life?

1 dog year should be interpreted as 15 years of human years 
Year. Thus, this is the time when your dog learns to interpret things. 
Dog owners should provide them with proper training during this time. 

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Barsha Bhattacharya

Barsha Bhattacharya is a senior content writing executive. As a marketing enthusiast and professional for the past 4 years, writing is new to Barsha. And she is loving every bit of it. Her niches are marketing, lifestyle, wellness, travel and entertainment. Apart from writing, Barsha loves to travel, binge-watch, research conspiracy theories, Instagram and overthink.

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