Checking Your Dog's Age By His Teeth... (2024)

FAQs

How accurate is aging a dog by teeth? ›

After a dog's adult teeth have erupted, there isn't an accurate way of aging a dog based on their dentition, says Dr. Heather Loenser, veterinary advisor for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Wear and gum disease are more common when your dog or cat is between the ages of five and 10. Elderly pets may eventually lose teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease, and their teeth may show considerable wear. Determining age by the condition of the teeth isn't an exact science.

As a general guideline, though, the American Veterinary Medical Association breaks it down like this: 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog's life. Year two for a dog equals about nine years for a human. And after that, each human year would be approximately five years for a dog.

The most challenging time of raising a puppy is the adolescent period. Dogs become “teenagers” and seem to forget everything they have ever been taught. This period is individual to each dog, but it may begin when he's about eight months old and continue until he's two years old.

Teething is a months-long process. It starts when puppies are around 2 weeks old and their first baby teeth start to come in and usually ends at around 8 months of age, when all the adult teeth are fully erupted.

Small dogs are considered senior citizens of the canine community when they reach 11-12 years of age. Their medium-sized friends become seniors at 10 years of age. Their larger-sized colleagues are seniors at 8 years of age. And, finally, their giant-breed counterparts are seniors at 7 years old.

From 3-5 years of age there will be yellowing on all teeth, tartar will begin to build up on the molars, and the front incisors will begin to show wear.

The most important thing to remember is that for the vast majority of puppies, mouthing or play biting is a phase that they will typically grow out of once they reach between three and five months of age.

“Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought.” According to several behavioral measures, Coren says dogs' mental abilities are close to a human child age 2 to 2.5 years.

Which dog age is longest? ›

Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, entered the Guinness Book of World Records by living to the ripe old age of 29 years and 5 months, setting the record for oldest dog ever. The record was set in 1939 and still stands, but many Australian Cattle Dogs have tried to beat it by living good long lives of their own.

Australian Cattle Dog

An Australian Cattle Dog called Bluey holds the record for the longest-lived dog - reaching an incredible 29 years of age. The breed normally lives for around 15 years.

If you're adopting or purchasing a young puppy, there's a good chance the puppy is nearing 12 weeks of age (three months old). Between 12 to 16 weeks of age, your puppy may destructively chew on toys or household items and become fearful of its surroundings.

Averaged together for both brain and body development, a two-month-old puppy is probably about the same age as a one-year-old human. At one month, he is probably closer to a six-month-old human. At four months old, he is probably roughly the same age as a two or three-year-old human.

4-month-old puppy

At 4 months, your puppy is growing rapidly. By this time they're likely at least half of their adult weight—and their personality is blossoming. They're more independent, more curious, and more inclined to get into everything that's get-into-able.

It's normal for puppies and dogs to chew on objects as they explore the world. Chewing accomplishes a number of things for a dog. For young dogs, it's a way to relieve pain that might be caused by incoming teeth. For older dogs, it's nature's way of keeping jaws strong and teeth clean.

Teething technically ends when all 42 of your dog's adult teeth have finished coming in, which is usually around 5-8 months of age. By the time your dog is one year old, all of their adult teeth should have come in.

Black spots on your dog's teeth indicate that the pulp or center part of the tooth has died. This is a normal part of your puppy losing their teeth. Over the next few weeks, this tooth will become lost and fall out. If you are noticing black areas on your puppy's adult tooth, it would be best to see your vet.

“Healthy gums should appear shrimp-colored pink,” says Dan Carmichael, DVM, DAVDC and board-certified veterinary dentist at the Animal Medical Center. “Unhealthy gums will appear red and inflamed.” Certain diseases can cause discoloration of the gums. For instance, red, inflamed gums can be a sign of gingivitis.

Over time, the gums can darken, especially when they are not well irrigated. Gum disease can also result in other types of discoloration or symptoms such as bad breath or bleeding. Gingivitis: while gingivitis is a type of periodontal disease, usually in the early stages, we can mention it on its own also.