A dog's body has its own characteristics at different stages of development, and any dog trainer needs to know the criteria for determining a dog's age. This is especially important for shelter workers or in cases where a stray animal has been adopted.
How your pet's teeth can help determine its age
When determining age, specialists most often assess the condition of the teeth. To determine an animal's age, you need to pay attention to:
- degree of tooth wear;
- their condition;
- color;
- quantity.
Determining a puppy's age by its teeth:
- The newborn has no teeth.
- At 3 weeks, the baby's fangs begin to appear.
- By 1 month the puppy already has milk incisors.
- By 2 months, all of his baby teeth are present.
- Between 3 and 4 months, a dog's teeth begin to change. The incisors are the first to change.
- At 3-5 months, the lateral teeth change.
- At 6 months the canines change.
- By 8 months, a dog will have a full set of teeth, which will be white and completely unworn. This is the main indicator that you have a young animal in front of you.
In animals over 12 months old, age is determined by the wear of the cusps on the lower toes. In two-year-old pets, slight wear of the cusps on the lower toes can be observed. In a four-month-old dog, the cusps also begin to wear down, but on the upper toes. By age 5, the cusps of all incisors will be completely worn down. Also during this period, the canines begin to dull. By age 6, the pet's incisors become concave and the enamel begins to yellow.
By the age of 7-9 years, a dog's teeth are significantly worn down, the enamel has a distinct yellowish tint, and tartar or plaque may also be present. In dogs over 10 years of age, teeth begin to become loose and fall out.
Pay attention to the dog's musculature
A dog's age can easily be determined by its musculature. During its youth (up to 2 years), a healthy dog will always have a toned core and well-developed muscles. It will also be active, cheerful, and agile.
Over time, around 3-4 years, the animal becomes less active and muscle tone begins to gradually weaken.
Older dogs tend to have rather flabby muscles, become lazy, and sleep most of the time. Furthermore, some breeds gain excess weight as they age.
Look into the eyes
Looking into a dog's eyes can also tell you how old it is. Young pets always have clear, bright eyes, without any film or discharge.
Over time, eyes begin to dull and cloud over. This happens gradually. Around 4-5 years old, they are no longer as lively, their zest fades, and a certain tiredness begins to set in. They also begin to cloud over and become dull during this period.
In animals over 8 years old, a film may form over their eyes, making them less transparent and appearing tired and dull. Eye diseases are more common in dogs as they age.
To determine a dog's age as accurately as possible, you need to consider all the criteria and compare them. However, the best option is to have the animal examined by a specialist.
