How old is your pet, really?
Dog years aren’t times seven. Get a size-adjusted human age and life stage.
How old is your pet in human years?
Not “times seven.” Dogs age at different speeds depending on size, and cats follow their own curve.
Why “7 dog years” is wrong
The old rule assumes dogs age at a steady pace. They don’t. Most dogs reach the equivalent of a mid-teen human in their first year and a young adult by two. After that, size takes over: a Chihuahua ages about 4 human years per birthday, while a Great Dane ages 7 or more. That’s why a 7-year-old Great Dane is a senior and a 7-year-old Yorkie is still middle-aged.
When does senior care start?
We start senior-focused care at roughly half of the average lifespan for the breed, earlier than many vets, because problems like kidney disease, arthritis, and dental disease are easier and less expensive to treat when they’re caught early. For small dogs that’s around 7, medium dogs around 6, large dogs 5 to 6, giant breeds 4 to 5, and cats 7 to 8. Read our full Senior Pet Care guide.
Common questions
How old is a 10-year-old dog in human years?
It depends on size. A small dog at 10 is about 56 in human years, a medium dog about 60, a large dog about 66, and a giant breed about 79.
How old is my cat in human years?
A 1-year-old cat is about 15 in human years and a 2-year-old about 24. After that, add roughly 4 human years per year, so a 10-year-old cat is about 56.
At what age is a dog considered a senior?
Bigger dogs age faster. We begin senior-focused care at around 7 for small dogs, 6 for medium dogs, 5 to 6 for large dogs, and 4 to 5 for giant breeds.
What changes when my pet becomes a senior?
We recommend exams every 6 months instead of yearly, with bloodwork, urine testing, and blood pressure. See our Senior Pet Care guide; our VIPP+ membership bundles senior diagnostics.
Every stage deserves a good vet.
Wellness exams $100, senior screening, and every price posted. Paw Priority, 8020 Melrose Ave.
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