A classic myth about dogs is that 12 months of our time equates to 7 years of life for dogs. If this were true most small breeds of dogs would live to more than 100!

What we tend to talk about for dogs now is the different life stages. Most dogs are maturing in the first 12 of months. Larger breeds of dogs will not be fully grown until 12 or even 18 months of age. We know this because we can x-ray their bones and see when the growth plates are closed.

As a dog gets older, they then move from being an adult to a senior dog. This is when we expect to see arthritis and other old age issues. In small breeds under 5 - 6 kilograms this senior period may not start until 10 -12 years of age while for giant breeds these senior years can be as early as 5 years old.