That’s why it’s important to know how old your dog is in human years: we show you in a table

Most people already know that multiplying by 7 does not work when calculating the age of their dog in human years. The actual result will help you to give your pet the best care at any age.

Being aware of how old your pet is in human terms is good not only because you can call him “daddy” or even “mature lady” – examples from life – but also because the needs of the animal change over time. Of course, this process involves a number of internal and external changes, but it is easier to capture by ‘changing’ the age. The final result is also influenced by body size, so this should also be taken into account in the calculation. The table below shows how old the dog is, taking this into account.

There are marked physical and behavioural changes that alert us to the passage of time. And these signs are also a good guide for vets when they need to estimate age for some reason, for example in a found dog.

Physical signs of ageing

1.) Dentition

The dentition of a dog is one of the starting points for finding out its age. The rate at which the milk teeth change is a good guide to how old the dog is. Later on, it’s not so easy, but the discolouration of the teeth, tartar build-up and the condition of the gums in older dogs is also a tell-tale sign.

2.) Fur

As people, dogs get grey over time. The process starts first on the muzzle, especially around the eyes and mouth, and on the paws, but grey or white hairs may appear all over the body.
However, it is important to note that grey hairs often appear around scars and surgical scars, so this can be misleading.

3.) Eyes

Older dogs often have a variety of eye diseases and cataracts are common, with a typical opalescent-blue lesion. In contrast, the eyes of younger animals are much clearer both at a glance and on microscopic examination. It should also be noted that cataracts can be the result of trauma, inflammation or diabetes, in which case they are obviously not a good guide to age.

4.) The condition of the paws

While puppies’ feet are soft and flexible, older dogs have thicker, crustier paws from the many miles they’ve walked in their lives. Just like humans; think of those fluffy-soft baby paws.

5.) The amount of muscle

While a young dog’s body is firm and muscular, an older dog’s muscle volume and structure is reduced. As a result, the animal becomes weaker, less mobile and more fragile.
It is important to be aware that muscle loss is often seen in the thighs and shoulders of the dog, in conjunction with inflammation of the knee or elbow joint.

The pain caused by this condition affects the mobility of the dog, the loss of which results in muscle loss. In addition, older dogs may have a protruding spinal column, as the amount of muscle running along it decreases over time.

Behavioural changes

1) Weakening senses

As a result of hearing or vision loss, the dog may become more unsteady, lose orientation, bump into furniture, and become more shy, withdrawn and fearful of the world.
It is common for an elderly pet not to hear its owner approaching. Then to jump up in surprise when the owner speaks louder when he or she comes up to it.

They may also be more likely to get into accidents because of sensory deficits, so you need to be more careful than usual with your ageing companion, especially in high places such as stairs and along busy roads.

2.) Sleepiness

The rhythm of life also depends on how old the dog is. As the body ages, it needs more and more rest. Dogs also tend to sleep more and more as time goes on. At the same time, their sleep cycle may change: while they may rest a lot during the day, they may be more active at night.

3.) Incontinence

Both urinary and faecal incontinence are common in older dogs.

4.) Anxiety

As a result of the physical changes listed above frequent anxiety in older dogs.

Adaptation is needed

It is clear that as your pet gets older, you need to pay more attention to both the maintenance of his physical condition – based on regular veterinary check-ups and proper, age-appropriate nutrition – and the transformation of your dog’s mental state.