Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/tiktok-dog-years-to-human-years/
Dogs are affectionately known as man’s best friend. If you’ve ever welcomed a dog into your life, you know just how quickly they become a meaningful member of the family. The only downside to owning a dog is that you’re most likely destined to outlive your pup, with their lifespans ranging from 10 to 18 years, depending on the breed and health of the dog.
In fact, you’ve probably heard that one dog year equals seven human years! So a one-year-old dog is like a seven-year-old in human years, and a three year-old-dog is like a 21-year-old in human years. However, the reality isn’t that simple!
One veterinarian is going viral on TikTok for debunking this common myth. In a video she shared, he reveals how dogs and humans actually compare – and it’s definitely not a one-to-seven ratio.
In the video, he explains that one dog year is actually equal to 31 human years! However, two dog years doesn’t equal 62 human years. As he explains in the video, dog years actually slow down. So two dog years equals 49 human years, and a seven-year-old equals 62 human years.
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While 62 years is older than the previously thought 49 years (for a seven year old dog), it’s nothing to be concerned about. The dog-to-human years formula doesn’t actually impact the lifespan of your pooch, but it is fun to think about!
@dr.hunterfinn
In case you’re wondering where Dr. Hunter Finn got his numbers from, they’re actually based on a new scientific study done by UC San Diego. According to an article from UC San Diego, researchers created a formula to determine the age of a cell, tissue, or organism.
The formula is transferrable from dogs to humans and reveals that dogs mature quickly during their first few years, but that growth slows down. They said, “Since the two species don’t age at the same rate over their lifespans, it turns out it’s not a perfectly linear comparison, as the 1:7 years rule-of-thumb would suggest.”
While their formula is one of the latest, it’s not the only way to determine how dog years compare to human years.
In 2013, an article appeared in the American Journalist and it was determined that even dogs as a species age at different paces. They found that large breed dogs matured quicker than small breed dogs, which is why larger breed dogs have shorter life spans. However, it wasn’t deteremiend why larger dogs mature quicker than their smaller counterparts. The American Kennel Club also has their own formula and it concludes that one human years is equal to about 12-15 dog years.
What do you think of the new dog years? We might just stick with the old 7:1, since it’s easier to calcuate.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
