A Dog's Age In Human Years

[CG6468]

Dog Years

By Jon Bastian

Ask most people how to determine a dog’s age in human years, and they’ll probably say, “Multiply by seven.” However, this method is inaccurate, and more so the older a dog gets. 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.

A Dog's Age

[Eupher]

Our golden just turned five.

She acts like 105, except when she wants to play in the snow. Then she acts like a crazed moonbat. 

[marv]

Our Golden Retriever, Max, is turning twelve this year.

[CG6468]

Our Golden Retriever, Max, is turning twelve this year.

Our chocolate lab puppy will turn 12 on 10/31/2013. (Labs never calm down except to sleep.)

[thundley4]

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me.  I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.  He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

[marv]

...out of the mouths of six year olds...

Excuse me, I must have something in my eye...

[Conservative Libertarian]

Our German Shepherd mut live to be 20 years old. According to the equation on the article, He was 93 in dog years.

[JLO]

...out of the mouths of six year olds...

Excuse me, I must have something in my eye...

Me too.