Happy . . . 53rd?!!

It’s Sam’s birthday today. She’s 4. Happy day, Sam. But, you are much older than I thought.

New studies show that we have been calculating dog-years all wrong all this time. That one-year-equals-seven is not correct. Far too simple, it seems. A new study from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine published in the Cell Systems journal says that one dog-year is about 30 years in human terms. Dogs grow older faster than we do. A 9-month old dog, according to the study, can have puppies. So, dogs move toward puberty quickly. (Don’t their barks get deeper?)

All of this puts Sam in her early 50s. But, from now on, as she ages, she will not age so quickly. The process slows, which is nice to know. So when a dog lives to be 10 or 11, the dog is actually about 75 or 80. So, a pretty good life span. You have many years ahead of you, Sam.

So, happy birthday, ya old dog! My wife, Leslie and I will throw a little party. And you will get a treat.

And by the way, you are looking quite spry, Sam. You must be doing yoga.

Or at least you’re getting in some healthy walks!

Walks with Sam: A Man, a Dog, and a Season of Awakening.

Pre-order now. Release: 9/1/20