How Old is This Dog?
How Can You Tell How Old a Dog Is?
You adopt an adult dog from the local shelter or a stray steals your heart. Either way, you have a new family member but how old is she? Determining the age of an adult dog is not an exact science, even among veterinarians. But there are some physical clues that will help you determine your new dog’s age.
Aging a Dog by the Teeth
- The teeth. As with people, puppies lose their baby teeth and develop adult teeth at a predetermined point in life. By the time the puppy is 6 months of age, all the baby teeth have been replaced with adult teeth. After this, the accumulation of tartar and wear of the teeth help narrow down the age range.
Aging a Dog by the Eye Changes
- The eyes. Another method is the presence of lenticular sclerosis. As dogs age, the lens of the eye begins to develop signs of aging. Thin lines can begin to show up on the lens of the eye at around age 6. The lines do not affect vision and are not the same as cataracts, though they can be confused with cataracts.
Aging a Dog by the Hair Color Changes
- Gray hair. Graying of the hair on the face varies from dog to dog. As with people, premature graying can occur. For this reason, this is not a reliable method of aging your dog.