There are many different reasons you can look on the internet how to tell how old a dog is. If you have adopted a puppy, you don’t need special efforts to know about the pup’s age. But getting an older dog will require you to inquire about the age because of various health and physical issues. No matter what you have in mind, this piece of writing will let you know about all the indicators that will help you find out about your dog’s age.
Older dogs have different requirements than young ones. For example, you need to provide them other food, unique exercise, and personalized bedding to prevent hip slippage and fractures. However, you can only help your canine buddy when you can tell how old the dog is and what actions can improve the health and increase your best buddy’s life. Knowing about these indicators will help you calculate the age of your furry friend and take appropriate measures to provide ease and comfort to your dog in old age.
How Old is Your Dog?
Teeth
You can not tell about the dog’s birthday by simply looking at the teeth, but still, they help you estimate the year of the older dogs and months of her puppies. In the first four weeks of their lives, the puppies will have no teeth at all. The humane society of the US elaborates that the chompers are the best indicators to know about the age of the puppies.
After the first month, you will witness the growth of small pointers. These small teeth are the signs that the dog has crossed the age of one month. And the second month of the puppy will reveal temporary sharp teeth. After that, permanent teeth will grow from four months that will stay pearly white until one year. Finally, the second year will show you the plaque and a little bit of wear at the back of the mouth.
The third year of the dog’s life will take a toll, and you will see yellow teeth with visible plaque. The fifth-year comes with a lot of tartar with worn-down and less pointy teeth. But, on the other hand, the senior dogs will have tiny cracks and missing teeth to let you know that it is an old friend with special needs in diet and exercise.
Fur
The fur of the dog is also a good indicator of age. Just like humans, dogs also get grey hair as they grow old. Usually, the grey hair come in dogs at the age of 5 to 7 year (depending on their life expectancy). The grey hair will be visible on the muzzle, at the hunches, or the chest, and you won’t have any difficulty finding them in senior dogs.
But there is a catch with the grey hair, which you must also keep in mind that, like humans, when dogs are under stress and anxiety, they will also get grey hair before the age of 5 or so. So compare the grey hair with teeth and other indicators to know about the exact age of your canine buddy.
Eyes
Eyes help the dogs see, and they will also help you see the dog’s age. The cloudy shade and discharge at the eyes is the sign that your dog has started getting older. Change in shine and the creation of clouds will start after or seven years in most dogs. But you must consult your vet regarding the discharge as it also could be a disease that could be taken care of by medication and care.
When dogs grow older, there are various cases that they lose their sight and ability to see because of the development of cataracts. You need to provide them special care in such a situation.
Hearing
If your dog is getting aggressive and tries to attack people approaching them without any reason, this could be why the dog is losing hearing ability. When your dog is not following your commands and gets startled by approaching people, it means that the hearing ability is affected, and your dog has turned into the senior category. You must consult your vet and get them examined to know about the issue.
When dogs reach 8 to 10 years of age, all the abilities and senses start to diminish, and hearing is also one of them. Therefore, these senior dogs must be taken care of with caution and love to make them feel comfortable and relaxed.
