WASHINGTON: A well-known “rule of paw” holds that you can tell how old your pooch is in human terms by multiplying its age in years by seven. But in fact, the real ratio changes over time, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) said Thursday, following a study of
biological changes to dogs´ genomes over the course of their lives. Dogs, humans and in fact all mammals
experience the same developmental timeline: birth, infancy, youth, puberty, adulthood and death. Scientists have identified chemical marks on the DNA that correspond to these different stages, an area of study called epigenetics. The field is well established for humans, and some commercial companies let you send in a DNA sample to determine your biological age by reading your “epigenetic clock.