University of California researchers develop new formula for dog aging

Researchers from the University of California have developed a new mathematical formula to calculate a dog's age in human years, debunking the common ‘seven-year rule’. The study, published in the journal ‘Cell Systems’, utilized DNA methylation pattern sequencing from blood samples of 104 dogs ranging from puppies to 16-year-olds.

The findings indicate that canine aging is a complex process that does not occur at a constant rate. While dogs may age much faster than humans during certain early life stages, the process gradually slows down over time.

The newly developed formula is: Human Age = 16 x ln(dog age) + 31. According to this model, a 3-year-old dog is approximately equivalent to a 48-year-old human, while a 16-year-old dog is roughly equivalent to a 75-year-old human.