IF DOGS really aged seven years for every one of our hooman years, then my two-year-old pup
would already be a teenager!
We’ve been using this #quickmaths calculation for ages now and it might be a fun way to cope
with our fur babies getting older, but does the math actually add up?
Do dogs really age 7 years with every year that we do?
VERDICT:
FALSE
For years, we’ve all heard the classic rule of thumb: one human year equals seven dog years.
It’s a simple, catchy formula that’s been passed down for generations, but as it turns out, it’s not
exactly accurate.
In fact, modern science has revealed that the way dogs age is far more complex - and
fascinating - than we once thought.
The myth likely originated as a rough estimate based on the average human lifespan (around 70
years) and the average dog lifespan (roughly 10 years).
However, researchers, including those at the University of California San Diego, have found that dog aging doesn’t follow a linear pattern.
Instead, dogs age rapidly in their early years and then slow down as they get older.
A study published in Science Daily explains that a better way to understand dog aging is through DNA methylation, a process that marks changes in genetic material over time.
According to these findings, a one-year-old dog is actually much closer to a 30-year-old human in terms of biological aging!
After the first few years, however, the rate of aging slows, meaning an eight-year-old dog isn’t really equivalent to a 56-year-old person, as the old rule suggests.
Different breeds and sizes also play a huge role in aging.
WebMD and PetMD highlight that smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger breeds, meaning a Chihuahua and a Great Dane age at very different rates.
In general, larger breeds experience faster early aging and shorter lifespans, while smaller dogs age more gradually.
This variation makes a one-size-fits-all formula nearly impossible.
So, if the seven-year rule is outdated, how should we think about dog years?
Some experts suggest a more refined calculation.
Researchers from the University of California propose a logarithmic formula: human age = 16ln(dog age) + 31 (where "ln" is the natural logarithm function).
While this isn’t as easy to remember as “times seven,” it offers a more scientifically accurate way to compare dog and human aging.
At the end of the day, while it’s fun to imagine our furry friends as little old souls trotting alongside us, the truth is much more nuanced.
Instead of relying on outdated math, it’s better to pay attention to your dog’s breed, health, and lifestyle when thinking about their age.
And no matter how fast or slow they age, one thing’s for sure - we’ll always wish they had more years with us and that the time we had with them was never enough.
REFERENCES
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200702113649.htm
https://www.webmd.com/pets/dogs/how-to-calculate-your-dogs-age
https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/how-old-is-my-dog-in-human-years
https://www.businessinsider.com/is-a-dog-year-equal-to-7-human-years-2014-10
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-human-year-does-not-equal-seven-dog-years-180952929/
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/how-dogs-actually-age-and-what-tells-us-about-how-we-do
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327067
