One dog year is not equal to seven human years, we’ve been calculating it wrong all this time. Scientists from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine showed proof that seven human years can’t possibly equate to one dog year.
Their research shows that humans and dogs age differently. No parallel connection can be had so we need to let go of the 1:7 rule-of-thumb. From now on, stop yourself from thinking that a three-year-old dog is 21 years old in human years!
To help everyone, the scientists developed a new formula that offers an authentic aging clock per organism. From now on, you should base your dog’s age on its unique epigenetic clock. This has something to do with the changes in their genes.
The study took on 100 Labrador Retrievers as samples with ages ranging from 16-year-old to older. The study revealed how dogs really age, and it will blow your mind! Dogs don’t age on a yearly basis like humans do. They age so quickly upon birth but aging goes ever slow as they get old.
Hence, the 1:7 ratio can never be true. Because according to research, a one-year-old dog is as mature as a 30-year-old human! By the time dogs reach their fourth birthday, their age is equivalent to that of a 52-year-old human. When dogs get seven years old, that is when they begin to slowly age.
This finds proof in the common knowledge that dogs can actually have puppies even when they’re only nine-months-old!
Scientists shared that the aging formula applies to all dog breeds.
This research is special as it brings forth a new perspective towards our beloved pets. Now that we know it, we now know that a six-year-old dog is not as young as we think it is. What truly fascinating creatures dogs are!