Dog Years

Dog Years

If you ever look at your furry little dog friend and wonder how old they are compared to you? Dog years and development aren’t quite the same as us, which is why they don’t live as long as we do. It tends to be the consensus that one human year is the same as seven dog years, but it’s not quite as simple as that. In this article, we’re going to be looking at dog years vs human years, and how long on average dogs live. If you want to know more about this topic, keep reading.

Dog Years Compared To Human Years

Like we mentioned already above, it is generally believed that one human year is the same as seven dog years, but that’s not the case, and it’s quite a bit more complicated. In fact, it even changes every year or so for the first couple of years. It is now believed that your dog’s first human year is about fifteen for them. Now, the thing that you’ve got to remember here is that the type of dog you’ve got is going to play a role here too. By this, we mean whether you have a small, medium or large dog. For the first few years, they are going to age at the same rate, with it being believed to start at 15 before moving to 24 for our second year, 28 for our third, 32 for our fourth, 36 for our fifth before changing.

Larger dogs are going to age faster, which is why, on average they don’t live as long. So, as you can see by this then, it’s not as simple as our years being comparable to theirs. Their development is not the same as humans which is why it is so difficult to convert accurately. The important thing to know is that they age faster, meaning they don’t live for the same amount of time as we do.

How Long Do Dogs Live On Average?

Again, this question is going to be largely dependent on the type of dog you’ve got, as well as the breed. Different breeds and sizes tend to have different life spans, so it’s not entirely possible to know how long your dog is going to live. However, it is possible to work out an average. The breed that is known for typically living the longest is a Chihuahua, followed by a Jack Russell Terrier. Both of these dogs have a life expectancy of between 15-20 years.

The dog with the shortest lifespan at 7 years is the Bernese Mountain Dog. Another dog that has this same short lifespan is the Irish Wolfhound. The average lifespan of a dog is between 10-13 years. Most breeds of dogs live between these kinds of ages in human years, not in dog years.

We hope that you have found this article helpful and now have a better understanding of dog years vs human years, and how long dogs live on average. Don’t waste the time that you’ve got with your best friend, because they grow far quicker than you, but they also love you more than anyone else.

Click here to view our other articles

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.