How to Know a Dog's Age?
How to know a dog's age?
Previously, the editor and a friend picked up a stray dog from the neighborhood entrance, covered in fleas. Since we couldn't distinguish the dog's age, we only judged by body size and used dewormers meant for adult dogs, which caused some hair loss and loss of appetite for a few days. It was only at the veterinary hospital we learned it was a large puppy. To help everyone avoid similar mistakes in the future, the editor has collected some methods for determining a dog's age. Let's take a look together.
How to determine a dog's age?
Actually, determining a dog's age has scientific basis:
Teeth start growing at about 20 days.
At 4~6 weeks, the deciduous incisors are fully grown. By nearly 2 months old, all deciduous teeth have fully grown, white, slender, and sharp.
At 2~4 months, the first deciduous incisors are replaced.
At 5~6 months, the second and third deciduous incisors and deciduous canines are replaced.
After 8 months, all permanent teeth have replaced the baby teeth.
At 1 year old, permanent teeth are fully grown, white and shiny, with sharp points on the upper part of the incisors.
How to determine a dog's age?
How to know a dog's age?
From 1~5 years, the first lower incisor’s large cusp wears down to be level with the small cusp, a phenomenon called cusp obliteration.
At 2~5 years, the second lower incisor cusp obliterates.
At 3~5 years, the first upper incisor cusp obliterates.
At 4~5 years, the second upper incisor cusp obliterates.
At 5 years, the third lower incisor cusp shows slight wear, and the wear surface of the second lower incisor is rectangular.
At 6 years, the third lower incisor cusp is obliterated, the canine teeth are blunt and rounded.
At 7 years, the first lower incisor wears down to the root, and the wear surface is longitudinally oval.
At 8 years, the wear surface of the first lower incisor tilts forward.
At 10 years, the wear surfaces of the second lower incisor and first upper incisor are longitudinally oval.
At 16 years, incisors fall out, and canine teeth are incomplete.
How to know a dog's age? After reading the methods introduced above, I advise everyone to be very careful when buying a dog. Make sure to have experts you know well to help with the selection. Because once your dog enters your home, you are responsible for it for 10~20 years.
