Older dogs, like this 10-year-old Neapolitan Mastiff, often grow grey hairs on their muzzles; some dogs go grey all over.

For the Mike Birbiglia comedy album, see Dog Years

The term dog years refers to a popular myth that household pets—specifically dogs and cats—age seven years for each human year. For example, a dog of age 9 would be said to be "63 in dog years". Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2030x1437, 1340 KB) Summary Description: Photo taken by Lisa M. Herndon Source: Digital 4 megapixel file Date: 2005 Author: Lisa M. Herndon Permission: {{{Permission}}} Other versions of this file: {{{other_versions}}} Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2030x1437, 1340 KB) Summary Description: Photo taken by Lisa M. Herndon Source: Digital 4 megapixel file Date: 2005 Author: Lisa M. Herndon Permission: {{{Permission}}} Other versions of this file: {{{other_versions}}} Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into... The Neapolitan Mastiff is a large, ancient breed of dog that can be traced back to about 100 BC. This dog is a massive breed often used as a guard and defender of owner and property. ... Mike Birbiglia Mike Birbiglia (born June 20, 1978) is an American stand-up comic. ... Older dogs, like this 10-year-old Neapolitan Mastiff, often grow grey hairs on their muzzles; some dogs go grey all over. ... // For the Derek Sherinian album, see Mythology (Derek Sherinian album). ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog is a mammal in the order Carnivora. ... Trinomial name Felis silvestris catus (Linnaeus, 1758) The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ...

In technical terms, this is not correct: Most household pets do not age in any linear correspondence with human aging. Dogs and cats age much more quickly in their early life than in their later life relative to humans. For example, the human equivalent of a one-year-old cat or dog is actually between about 10 and 15 years—a one-year-old dog or cat has generally reached its full growth and is sexually mature, although it might still be lanky and need to fill in a more mature musculature, similar to human teenagers. The second year is equivalent to about another 3 to 8 years in terms of physical and mental maturity, and each year thereafter is equivalent to only about 4 or 5 human years.^[1] Ageing or aging is the process of getting older. ...

However, even that rough guideline varies immensely from breed to breed. For example, giant dog breeds might suffer from arthritis and heart disease by the age of 7 or 8, while some small terrier breeds might live 20 years. According to the UC Davis Book of Dogs, small-breed dogs (such as small terriers) become geriatric at about 11 years; medium-breed dogs (such as larger spaniels) at 10 years; large-breed dogs (such as German Shepherd Dogs) at 8 years; and giant-breed dogs (such as Great Danes) at 7 years.^[2] Conversely, giant breeds mature mentally and physically more slowly than small breeds. A Scottish Terrier and a West Highland White Terrier The terrier is a group of dog breeds initially bred for hunting and killing vermin. ... Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life. ... Most spaniels, like this English Cocker Spaniel, are small-to-medium dogs with drop ears and a longer coat. ... The German Shepherd Dog or Alsatian (see History), is a breed of dog. ... The Great Dane is a breed of dog known for its large size and gentle personality. ...

With the advent of computerized data collection for breeds and for veterinarians, it has become possible to establish reliable records for average and typical life expectancies of animals. British life expectancy data show that mixed-breed dogs have a life expectancy of 13.2 years; some breeds, including the Bernese Mountain Dog, Bulldog, and Irish Wolfhound, have median life expectancies of only around 7 years, while the median is over 14 years for some small dogs, including Whippets, Miniature Poodles, Miniature Dachshunds, Bedlington Terriers, and Jack Russell Terriers.^[3] This small dog of unknown parentage may be part Chihuahua or Miniature Pinscher. ... World map of life expectancy Life expectancy is a statistical measure defined as the expected (mean) survival of human beings based upon a number of criteria such as gender and geographic location. ... The Bernese Mountain Dog (also called Berner Sennenhund or Bouvier Bernois) is a versatile farm dog originating in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of dog (a sighthound), bred to hunt. ... For other uses, see Whippet (disambiguation). ... The Poodle is a breed of dog; specifically, it is a gundog noted for its ability in the water. ... Miniature (or Zwergteckel) dachshunds have a typical chest measurement of 12-14 inches (31-35 cm) and weight of 11 to 13 lb (4-5 kg). ... The Bedlington Terrier is a breed of dog. ... The Jack Russell Terrier is a type of small, principly white-bodied, terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. ...

Increasing life expectancy

The life expectancy of dogs has increased almost as dramatically as that of humans over the last century. This is attributed to better diets, better health care, and better living and working environments for dogs.

The oldest dog on record was Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog, who died at 29 in 1939. In the 2000s, at least two dogs were vying for the record at 27 or 28 years old, one fed a vegetarian diet^[4] and one fed primarily on kangaroo and emu meat^[5]. dogs The Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), also known as the Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler, and Red Heeler, is a herding dog developed in Australia for controlling cattle. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... This is the current Australian Collaboration of the Fortnight! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... Binomial name Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) Synonyms Dromiceius novaehollandiae The Emu (IPA pronunciation: ), Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. ...

References

1. ^ Spadafori, Gina (1996). Dogs for Dummies. IDG Books. ISBN 1-56884-861-7
2. ^ Siegal, Mordecai (Ed.; 1995). UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Book of the Dogs; Chapter 5, "Geriatrics", by Aldrich, Janet. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-270136-3.
3. ^ Fogle, Bruce, DVM (2000). The New Encyclopedia of the Dog. Dorling Kindersley (DK). ISBN 0-7894-6130-7.
4. ^ http://dogsinthenews.com/issues/0209/articles/020918a.htm
5. ^ http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-11-2004-56493.asp

External links

• Dog Years Calculator
• Dog/Human Age Calculator
• Dog/Human Age Calculator and Guidance (courtesy FPSI French Property)