How old is your faithful friend?
Translating Dog Years into Human Years
|Age of dog||Small breed – age in human years||Medium breed – age in human years||Large breed – age in human years|
How to Determine a Dog’s Age
If you’ve adopted a puppy or dog but don’t know the dog’s history, you may wonder how old he is. Even if you don’t know the birth date, it is still possible to estimate your dog’s age.
Teeth can give a rough indication of a dog’s age. The degree of growth helps determine how old a puppy is, and the degree of wear and tartar helps estimate the age of an adult dog. Of course, there are individual differences between dogs. And a dog’s previous dental care will have an impact on the health of teeth.
Here are some general guidelines:
- By 8 weeks: All baby teeth are in.
- By 7 months: All permanent teeth are in and are white and clean.
- By 1-2 years: Teeth are duller and the back teeth may have some yellowing.
- By 3-5 years: All teeth may have tartar build-up and some tooth wear.
- By 5-10 years: Teeth show more wear and signs of disease.
- By 10-15 years: Teeth are worn, and heavy tartar build-up is likely with the possibility of some teeth missing.
Your vet can also estimate a dog’s age based on a complete physical exam or tests looking at bones, joints, muscles, and internal organs. In older dogs, signs of aging may show up in a variety of ways, including:
- A cloudy appearance in the eyes
- Graying hair, especially around the muzzle at first, and spreading to other areas of the face, head, and body
- Less skin elasticity