Dog adoption age guide

Applicants must be aged 25 or over. Find your birth year, then read the women’s or men’s columns. Entries show the minimum dog age suggested by this planning guide. Any age refers to the dog’s age; suitability is assessed separately.

Suggested minimum age of dog
Year of birthWomenMen
Small dogsLarge dogsSmall dogsLarge dogs
193615+ years11+ yearsDiscussDiscuss
193714+ years10+ years15+ years11+ years
193814+ years10+ years15+ years11+ years
193914+ years10+ years14+ years10+ years
194013+ years9+ years14+ years10+ years
194113+ years9+ years14+ years10+ years
194212+ years8+ years13+ years9+ years
194312+ years8+ years13+ years9+ years
194411+ years7+ years12+ years8+ years
194510+ years6+ years12+ years8+ years
194610+ years6+ years11+ years7+ years
19479+ years5+ years10+ years6+ years
19488+ years4+ years10+ years6+ years
19498+ years4+ years9+ years5+ years
19507+ years3+ years9+ years5+ years
19516+ years2+ years8+ years4+ years
19525+ years1+ years7+ years3+ years
19535+ years1+ years7+ years3+ years
19544+ yearsAny age6+ years2+ years
19553+ yearsAny age5+ years1+ years
19562+ yearsAny age5+ years1+ years
19572+ yearsAny age4+ yearsAny age
19581+ yearsAny age3+ yearsAny age
1959Any ageAny age2+ yearsAny age
1960Any ageAny age2+ yearsAny age
1961Any ageAny age1+ yearsAny age
1962Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1963Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1964Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1965Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1966Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1967Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1968Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1969Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1970Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1971Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1972Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1973Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1974Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1975Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1976Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1977Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1978Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1979Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1980Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1981Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1982Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1983Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1984Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1985Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1986Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1987Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1988Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1989Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1990Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1991Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1992Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1993Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1994Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1995Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1996Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1997Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1998Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
1999Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
2000Any ageAny ageAny ageAny age
2001Any age*Any age*Any age*Any age*
2002Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2003Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2004Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2005Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2006Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2007Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2008Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2009Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2010Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2011Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2012Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2013Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2014Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2015Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2016Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2017Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2018Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2019Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2020Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25
2021Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25Minimum applicant age: 25

2026 edition. Uses the age you turn in 2026 (2026 minus birth year), which can be one year above your current age before your birthday. Update the table annually.

Small dogs: assumed lifespan 16 years. Large dogs: assumed lifespan 12 years. These are the upper ends of the supplied ranges; they are planning assumptions, not maximum possible lifespans.

Calculation: years of care = max(0, ONS remaining life expectancy − 3). Minimum dog age = max(0, dog lifespan − years of care), rounded upwards to a whole year.

Discuss means the rounded result reaches or exceeds the assumed dog lifespan. Please contact us to discuss the individual dog and future care arrangements.

Minimum applicant age: 25. *Born in 2001: you must already have had your 25th birthday. People born in 2002–2021 are below the minimum applicant age in 2026.

This is a guide for discussion, not an automatic adoption decision. Population averages cannot predict an individual’s lifespan or ability to care. The three-year allowance is an organisational assumption, not an ONS finding. Consider the dog’s health, the applicant’s practical ability and backup care arrangements.

Source: ONS National life tables: UK, 2022–2024, released 10 December 2025; worksheet 2022-2024, remaining life expectancy (ex) by age and sex. Calculations use the published two-decimal values.

ONS source data