How old is your Pooch?
It's the ol' "multiply the number of years by 7 rule," isn't it?
Nope! Nobody’s sure where that old formula came from. It probably had something to do with the average person living to be 70 and the average dog living to 10. Regardless, it’s not accurate!
Dog’s mature much faster than people. A puppy can be born today, and within a couple years have a litter of puppies! For this reason, a dog’s first year is really more like 15 human years.
But while most breeds mature to puppy bearing age at the same rate (1 year = 15 dog years), the rate at which they become seniors can vary widely. This is because smaller dogs tend to live much longer lives than larger breed.
According to purina.com, while small breeds become seniors at about age 10, the giant breeds reach senior status at 5! Medium-sized dogs and large breed dog fall somewhere in between.
So how old is your pooch?
The easiest way to calculate your dog’s age is by using a calculator offered by Purina (click here) or by using this chart, offered by AKC (click here).
But keep in mind that dogs of the same breed can differ some as well. Help your companion stay healthy and he’ll live a longer life!
Why is it important to understand your dog's age?
Knowing your dog’s age will help you to know what type of physical exertion he can tolerate. You don’t want to run an elderly dog for too long on a very hot day! It can also help you pick the right nutritional plan for your dog – which brand of food, what stage, how much and also any potential vitamins or supplements you might want him to have.
So what if you’ve adopted a dog and don’t know his age? A veterinarian can help, but here’s a link from WebMD with a few clues that might give you some idea => click here.
What can you do to help your dog live a longer life?
There are a few things you can do to help your dog not only live a longer life, but to help him live a healthier, more enjoyable life:
- Start him off right. Provide good nutrition from day one, and maybe most importantly, DO NOT over feed him! (Especially large breeds.) Click for more information on the dangers of overfeeding.
- Get him plenty of exercise! Doodles LOVE to play fetch with a tennis ball. Expose them to the game early and you'll be in for hours of fun. Click to see them in action!
- See your vet regularly and keep up with vaccinations.
- Keep the stress level low! (This might be good for you, too!)
