Last Updated on September 20, 2023
4 in dog years roughly equals 32 in human years.
This calculation was made for a medium-sized dog (21 to 50 pounds) using the recommendations from the AKC (American Kennel Club).
There are 2 ways of calculating the conversion from human years to dog years. The above result was calculated using the more correct way, we’ll explain what makes the other way incorrect later in this article.
The table below shows dog years and their equivalent to human years, with different columns for different sizes.
| Dog's Age in Years | Human Years (Small Dog) | Human Years (Medium Dog) | Human Years (Large Dog) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| 3 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| 4 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| 5 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| 6 | 40 | 42 | 45 |
| 7 | 44 | 47 | 50 |
| 8 | 48 | 51 | 55 |
| 9 | 52 | 56 | 61 |
| 10 | 56 | 60 | 66 |
| 11 | 60 | 65 | 72 |
| 12 | 64 | 69 | 77 |
| 13 | 68 | 74 | 82 |
| 14 | 72 | 78 | 88 |
| 15 | 76 | 83 | 93 |
| 16 | 80 | 87 | 99 |
Calculating how many human years is 4 in dog years
As mentioned above, there are 2 main ways of calculating dog years to human years and vice versa. There’s a correct way and an incorrect way.
The incorrect way
Most people still assume that 1 dog year equals 7 dog years. This assumption probably started in the 1950s. However, this isn’t the best way to calculate it.
While there has been plenty of research since then that disproves the 7:1 ratio, it seems that people still believe in it. This formula might have been based on the belief that dogs live for 10-ish years and humans reach 70 years old, but honestly, we’re not quite sure the date it was first introduced.
So while the 7-1 rule is simple to understand and keep in mind but it’s not the best idea.
The new formula
The best method of converting human years into dog years is more complex.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has the following to be said about it:
- The beginning year of a medium-sized dog’s lifespan is approximately 15 years human.
- The second year in a dog’s lifespan is equivalent to 9 human years.
- From that point forward each human year is equal to the equivalent of four to five dog years.
Keep in mind that smaller dogs tend to live longer than bigger dogs. Scientists concluded that every 4.4 pounds of body mass reduced a dog’s life expectancy by about a month.
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