27 Apr 2021
Dogs Trust researcher reviews scientific literature on ageing in dogs before warning that using terms like “geriatric” and “senior” could simply be hiding breed-specific welfare issues.
James Westgate
Job Title
The great Dane has an average life expectancy of just six years in the UK.
New Dogs Trust research has found that calculating a dog’s age in human years is not as simple as first thought.
Naomi Harvey – research manager at Dogs Trust, and honorary associate professor of companion animal behaviour and welfare at the University of Nottingham – has reviewed scientific literature on ageing in dogs, the conclusions of which have been published today (27 April) in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Dr Harvey said: “Dogs mature more quickly than we do. Many one-year-old dogs have reached their full height and most will have gone through puberty or be approaching the end of it, so they’re definitely not the equivalent of a seven-year-old child.
“Most typically agree that a dog that has just turned one is equivalent to a human around the age of 15, although these age calculators generally adjust their calculations based on how long certain breeds are expected to live.
“It’s common to read statements that say dog breeds age at different speeds, with some dog breeds ageing much faster or slower than others. But I wanted to look at whether this is really true.”
Dr Harvey searched through scientific publications on signs of behavioural ageing and development in dogs aiming to work out at what age a dog can be considered a puppy, juvenile, adult, senior or geriatric.
In her review, she concluded that evidence exists to suggest a one-year-old dog is indeed still juvenile just coming out from puberty and that dogs don’t become mature adults until they’re two, which marks the end of adolescence (equivalent to when people are aged around 25).
Dr Harvey found that dogs can be considered to be entering their senior years (when an animal is older, but typically still quite healthy) at age 7, and that they can be classified as geriatric (a stage of ageing where poor health or death becomes most likely) at age 12 and older.
In the UK, the average lifespan of a pet dog is 12 years (across all breeds), but some dog breeds live on average far shorter lives than others and it is common to adjust a dog’s age category by their breed life expectancy to decide when they are “senior” or “geriatric”.
Dr Harvey said: “Certain dog breeds are expected to have shorter lifespans, with some, such as the great Dane, having an average life expectancy of just six years in the UK.
“In terms of their health, these dogs do decline quickly, meaning they need additional veterinary care when they’re much younger than other dogs. But while their bodies may be impacted by health problems when they’re still young, there’s no evidence that short-lived breeds are ageing in the true sense of the word, as behaviourally they appear to be following the same trajectory as other dogs.
“In other words, short-lived dog breeds are not ageing faster – they are simply dying younger.”
Dr Harvey added: “The language we use to describe dogs and consider their age matters. By saying that these dogs are ageing faster, and using language such as ‘geriatric’ to describe a dog that is objectively still young, and a dog that should be in the prime of its life, we’re masking the health and welfare issues associated with certain breeds of dog.”
