The Schnauzer Forum

As the title suggests, for each breed what age would you class your dog as being in its senior years?

(Just Curious) (read)

I'd class 8 as 50 human years and 16 as 95+ human years. Just because I know of quite a few (mini) schnauzers who live to 16 and over personally so I kinda class it that way!

What about you?

Is it true then that a dog is 7 years for every one of ours?

Course that would make the 23 YO in the other thread 161 lol, so maybe not.

Hmm, well dog shows have dog that are vetran (sp!) over 7 years old. A Great Dane or Irish Wolfhound are both doing very well if they make it to 7 years of age. So I guess it depends on the average age the breed lasts to. I hope my girls will make it to 12 - 14, so anything over 11 is 'old' in my mind.

I have heard one theory about dog aging that works well for most of the medium/small dogs. At one year they are equivalent to 15 human years, at 2 it is 23 and then aging continues at about five years per every 1 year so at 3 the dog is equivalent to 28 human years. Obviously this doesn't quite work for the larger breeds including giant schnauzers.

Most small breeds can be considered oap's from 12, 10 for medium dogs, 8 for the biggies and then 6-7 for the giant breeds.

well has a rule large breeds dont make old bone avage age is 7-9 years one of the longest liveing breeds are the toys yorkies but schipperkes tend to live over 14 years my mum lost her old schipperke I bred he was 18 years his mother lived only too 15 year and his brother has cancer and had to be put down at 10 years

Saddest thing I ever saw was a twelve year old Borzoi I was photographing at a breeder's who kept slipping over on the flooring and couldn't get up again. You'd think that a spread eagle Borzoi would be funny across the floor, very What A Mess, but it was completely heart-breaking to see her helpless and low, one of the most distinguished breeds resorting to being hauled up when her hips could no longer work.

I just googled Borzoi - I have NEVER seen this breed, EVER. Stunning.

They're in Lady and the Tramp, too. Which means, you know, that they're awesome!


Seriously, though, I went along to photograph them and thought they'd be aloof and skittish...I could not have been more wrong. One of them, Peaches, was so friendly that half my frames were filled with a big haze that turned out to be her ear where she'd stuck her huge snout out to kiss me! I thought they were kind of unattractive before meeting them and observing - now I'd REALLY like one!

I think it depends on the individual dog rather than breed. Some dogs seem forever young whereas others are old in their manner at 2 years old. Same can be said of humans. Some 18 year olds act like 2 year old and throw their toys out of their prams at the slightest provocation.

That's Freddy all over - he's the pipe and slippers dog at nearly two years old. Suits his look, then! The beard, the eyebrows - maybe he's like that boy in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!

As for your latter comment - I really thought we were over sniping comments. If you'd like to have a go, feel free to PM me, but please don't ruin another thread.

Maisyfreds wrote:That's Freddy all over - he's the pipe and slippers dog at nearly two years old. Suits his look, then! The beard, the eyebrows - maybe he's like that boy in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!

As for your latter comment - I really thought we were over sniping comments. If you'd like to have a go, feel free to PM me, but please don't ruin another thread.

I thought it had been discussed and agreed that everyone on this forum was entitled to their own opinions and views. Not every comment made relates specifically to you or your dogs. If you feel that it does then you have my sympathy but that is all you have. As for my ruining another thread, I was not aware that I had ruined any. Why don't you enlighten me and do it on forum where everyone can see.


Maisyfreds, do not take that tone with me again, it is offensive and not in the spirit of this forum.

Once again, if you'd like to discuss an issue you have with me, then please do so by PM. I don't want this thread locked, I thought it was very informative.


As for a tone, technically the internet portrays no tone as it's in relativity to your perception of type. So whether you think I'm using a tone and whether I'm using one is a completely different. If you'd like to discuss this also, then please feel free to PM me.

My mistake, it would appear the rattle just followed the toys.

As for your PM invitation, I decline. Better things to do and better people to do them with. Just my opinion you understand.

As you wish.

Back on topic we go!

I have a friend who runs a rescue centre in the USA whom just took on a lovely old Chow mix that has fatal kidney disease, and since the dog is refusing fluids and meals, she's letting the old girl live her last few months out in peace. No more fluids, no more forced meals - they eat people food together and the dog is getting by okay. I thought this would be perhaps the hardest decision for an older dog owner when the dog can no longer look after itself. Does one fight to the last breath or accept and let the days be done?