How old is your fur kid, really?
Forget the "multiply by 7" myth — it was never science. Veterinarians age pets by life stage: the first two years count much more, and bigger dogs age faster than small ones.
In human years, your pet is about
–
years old
–
First year
–
Second year
–
Each year after
–
Why "× 7" is wrong
The old "multiply by 7" rule came from a 1950s comparison of average lifespans — it's arithmetic, not biology.
The veterinary standard (AVMA / AAHA) counts life stages instead:
- Year 1 ≈ 15 human years (growing from baby to teenager)
- Year 2 ≈ +9 more (into adulthood)
- After that, 4–7 human years per year — larger dogs age faster
For dogs there's also a newer DNA-based method (a 2019 UCSD study mapped dog aging via epigenetic clocks): human_age = 16 × ln(dog_age) + 31 for Labradors. It matches the standard formula surprisingly well after age 2.
What actually matters: senior screening starts around 7–8 human-equivalent years. If your pet is past that mark, mention age to your vet at the next checkup.
Now that you know his age — calculate his daily food →