Although there is a widespread popular belief that one year of a dog’s life is equivalent to seven years of a human’s, it is not true. This is an easy formula that allows us to quickly make a rough guess. Nevertheless, not all races have the same characteristics or the same life expectancy. In order to accurately calculate the age of a dog in human years, you have to follow a few steps that we will explain to you with the help of the experts at SantéVet. In addition, all of them are based on a scientific study of great impact.
The epigenetic clock
the scientific magazine Science published the conclusions of a group of researchers from the University of California who investigated for months the aging of more than 100 dogs from the age of one month to 16 years, analyzing the DNA of the different breeds Y establishing a concept called the “epigenetic clock”. Usually, it is progressing at a very high rate (much faster than human). However, as it progresses, it gradually slows down and approaches the rhythm of the people.
Furthermore, said clock It is structured around the following variables: Weight and size, the most common diseases and their possible impact on the different breeds, lifestyles, the normal habitat of the type of dog and the characteristics of each breed.
How to calculate the human age of a dog scientifically
To calculate the human age of our dog we have to use the scientific calculator and calculate the formula developed by American researchers and which is as follows: 16 x ln [de la Edad perro] + 31). In other words, we must first find out what the natural logarithm (ln) of our dog’s age is. We can do it at this link.
However, if the accounts with logarithms become a ball, we can follow this other slightly less exact formula. The first thing is to include it in one of the following groups based on their body weight: weight less than 15 kilograms (small breeds), weight from 15 to 40 kilograms (medium breeds) and weight greater than 40 kilograms (large breeds).
Taking into account that a puppy ages 15 times faster than a human in its first year of life, at six months a small dog is already 15 years old, a medium one is 10 years old and a large one is 8 years old. Which means that at one year of life they are already 20, 18 and 16 years old, respectively according to their size.
To this we must add six more years in the second and 4 more years for each subsequent birthday if we want to obtain the total age of a dog in human years.
Photos | unsplash