The New Old Dog

I haven’t updated this blog in quite some time.  Sadly, we lost our dear little Tootsie Roll at the ripe old age of 18 ½ years.  All I can say is that we were so fortunate that the “sweetest dog in the world” is the one that was able to stay with us the longest.  We miss her very much.

In thinking about whether or not to continue the Old Dog Blog, my initial thought was that I really didn’t have an old dog anymore, and who would I write about.  Then, I looked into the graying face of my 11 year old terrier mutt, Sosa, and realized that wasn’t quite true.  It was so hard to have lost two elderly canine family members over the last two years, and I was not ready to admit that Sosa is getting up there.  Actually, given Sosa’s size, he’s probably the equivalent of 60-62 of our human years.  But, using an analogy I like to use for myself, 11 is the new 8 in dog years.  I’m hoping that his small size and all the good care that he has received will translate to Sosa being with us for a very long time.

Trying to equate a dog’s age with a human’s age is not an exact science.  The old adage that one dog year is equal to seven human years is not accurate.  In fact, a number of factors determine how long a dog will live.

Size – Generally small dogs live an average of 1.5 times longer than large dogs.

Breed – As indicated above, small breed dogs generally have longer lifespans than large breed dogs.  However, even within the same weight category, some breeds tend to have longer lives than other breeds. 

Gender – Female dogs tend to live one or two years longer than males.

Neutering – As a rule, neutered dogs live longer than intact dogs, mainly due to a decrease in the risk of developing cancer of the sex organs.

Living Conditions – A healthy diet, plenty of exercise, comfortable home and good medical attention also serve to prolong a dog’s life.

Individual Characteristics – As with us, some dogs just have healthier constitutions than others.

Size being probably the biggest factor in determining how old a dog is in people years, the following table is often used to approximate that number for dogs in various size ranges.

A Dog's Age in Human Years
Age	Up to 20 lbs	21-50 lbs	51-90 lbs	Over 90 lbs
5	36	37	40	42
6	40	42	45	49
7	44	47	50	56
8	48	51	55	64
9	52	56	61	71
10	56	60	66	78
11	60	65	72	86
12	64	69	77	93
13	68	74	82	101
14	72	78	88	108
15	76	83	93	115
16	80	87	99	123
17	84	92	104	Purple numbers = Senior Red numbers = Geriatric
18	88	96	109
19	92	101	115
20	96	105	120
Chart developed by Dr. Fred L. Metzger, DVM, State College, PA. Courtesy of Pfizer Animal Health.