Dogs Age Chart

The old wives tale that one year of a dogs life is equal to seven years has been proven to be false. For example, dogs are capable of reproducing at around one year of age, but a seven year old child is far from sexually mature.

For a twelve year-old dog, the result could be off by over twenty years.

Multiplying by seven only comes close while a dog is four and a half years old.

Dogs mature faster than humans, reaching the equivalent of twenty-one years in only two, but then aging slows to an average of four human years every year after.

Veterinarians have now come up with a much more realistic comparison between human and dog years.

When Dogs are Considered Seniors

Giant breeds like Great Danes have a shorter life span, 8 to 10 years, and are considered senior dogs at 6 to 8 years. 

A medium-sized dog is considered senior at 7 to 10 years. 

Toy breeds often live 16 years or more, and reach 9 to 13 years old before showing signs of aging.

• Small Dogs (less than 20 pounds)  
• Medium sized Dogs (21-50 pounds) 
• Large Dogs (51-90 pounds)  
• Giant Dogs (more than 90 pounds) 

• Smaller dogs can live over 16 years 
• Medium sized dogs 10 to 14 years  
• Large dogs like Great Dane size typically live 7 to 8 years. 

Large breed dogs stay “puppylike” for 24 months or more, compared to the usual 12 to 15 months for medium and small dogs.

HUMAN AGE COMPARED TO DOGS AGE