How we work

Editorial Policy

Every number on PawCalc comes from a published source, is given as a range, and is labelled an estimate. This page explains how we work — and how to hold us to it.

1. Where our numbers come from

Our calculators and guides are built on published veterinary and breed sources, not on other calculator websites. The main sources are:

• American Kennel Club (AKC) — breed standards, typical weight ranges, and breed lifespan data.
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) — size-based dog age guidelines and general pet health guidance.
• University of California, Davis (2019) — the epigenetic study of dog ageing that showed dogs age fastest in their first years and that size changes the rate; the basis for modern dog-age charts.
• Resting energy requirement (RER) — the standard veterinary nutrition formula (70 × body weight in kg^0.75) multiplied by activity and life-stage factors, used for food and calorie calculations.
• World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) — body condition scoring and nutrition guidance.
• Breed clubs and veterinary schools — for breed-specific health issues and lifespan ranges.

Where sources disagree, we say so, and we use the range rather than picking the most dramatic figure. Where a number is genuinely uncertain — lifespan for a rare breed, for example — we say it is uncertain rather than inventing precision.

2. Estimates, always labelled

Every calculator result and every breed figure on this site is an estimate, and it is labelled as one — on the tool page, in the article, and in the Disclaimer. We do not present estimates as facts, and we do not round a range down to a single “answer” to look more certain than we are. A dog's true age in human years, ideal weight, or lifespan depends on the individual animal, and no formula can see your pet.

3. What we never do

• We never copy content from other websites. Every guide is written from the sources above.
• We never invent data. If a figure is not published anywhere reliable, we say it is unknown.
• We never let advertisers or affiliate income influence a result, a range, or a recommendation. See the Affiliate Disclosure.
• We never give medical advice about an individual pet. We are not veterinarians, and every page says to consult one.
• We never publish AI-generated filler. Tools are code; guides are written and checked by a human editor against the sources.

4. How guides are written

Each breed guide is 1,200+ words and follows the same structure: the direct answer first, then the detail — age chart, feeding amounts, lifespan range, common health issues, and practical care notes — with a FAQ section answering the questions owners actually ask. Internal links connect related breeds, tools, and guides. A guide is not published until its figures have been checked against at least two published sources.

5. Corrections

We will get things wrong sometimes, and we would rather fix a page than defend it. If you spot an error, tell us on the Contact page with the page URL and, if you have one, a source. We check every correction against published references and update the page. Significant corrections are noted on the page itself.

6. Updates

Breed data and veterinary guidance change slowly, but they do change. We review the most-visited guides at least once a year and update figures when the underlying sources are revised. This policy itself is reviewed whenever our sources or our practices change.