It turns out that figuring out your pet's age isn't as easy as you think. Multiplying a dog's age in human years by seven is actually a myth—but that hasn't stopped people from estimating the human equivalent of their beloved pooches.
To calculate your dog's age, you need a special type of calculator called a "natural logarithm calculator", which can be found online. First, type in your dog's age, press enter, and then multiply the number by 16.
![](https://images.americanupbeat.com/posts/5723/VYlE2kYHkRgTKTTcBl0FBnM80ilY6Bb2M1BbKOwf.jpeg)
Next, add 31, and the number you see is supposedly accurate to your dog's age in human years. The method is based on a bodily process called methylation: methyl groups are added to DNA molecules, which can change the activity of a DNA segment without altering the DNA itself.
![](https://images.americanupbeat.com/posts/5723/aR5fZdjkZ8nx1dA1a0TJPkRKMX5lijfDc7xcF6Am.jpeg)
The equation implies that nine months for a human is around seven weeks for a dog. Still, certain bodily milestones like puberty and sexual maturation didn't really align, since dogs reach these occasions much faster than their human counterparts.
![](https://images.americanupbeat.com/posts/5723/yIeKaO4Fsfbt2sxM41yZudcFt1OVTBiuQ2NrzsWT.jpeg)
It also doesn't take into account the fact that different dog breeds age at different rates. Regardless, scientists still consider this equation more accurate than the previous "multiply by 7" method.