One of the first questions people ask when buying a new dog for the family home is, How Long Do Dogs Live?
The life span of dogs depends on how well they are looked after, but obesity in dogs can cost your pet a few years of life, according to research. Obese dogs, for example, tend to have a shorter lifespan, as obesity affects the overall health of the dog.
There are several factors that determine a dog’s longevity, including size, breed and overall health. All these factors can help you to answer the question: How long will my dog live and how long will other dogs live?
Although it is impossible to say anything specific about a dog’s life expectancy, there is a lot of information about the average lifespan that can help you get a better idea of what to expect from your dog.
A quick Google search will tell you that most dogs live to be about 12 years old, on average 10 – 13 years. Although dogs can be assumed to live to an average of 10 to 13 years, not all breeds are the same and not all dogs are the same, as some are from very healthy parents, while others come from less healthy ancestral lines. Some breeds are much more hearty than others, but generally smaller breeds live longer than larger breeds.
Dogs are probably the most common pets in the world and live wherever humans live. Most people know that a dog and a cat year can be counted about ten times a year. A dog’s life depends largely on the size of the dog and its breed, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The unfortunate fact is that large breeds of dogs are known to have more health problems than their smaller counterparts and therefore die younger. In particular Bernese dogs have a short life span of 7 – 10 years, although some breeds are affected by serious health problems. It is generally expected that smaller breeds of dog have a longer lifespan, but not always.
A recent analysis of veterinary records found that dogs under 20 pounds have an average lifespan of 11 years, while dogs over 90 pounds typically survive only 8 years.
The real meaning of “average” is that some dogs have a shorter life span, while others can be expected to live much longer than the norm. Some dogs are said to have lived long enough not to be susceptible to serious illness.
The size of a particular breed is not the only factor in determining the life expectancy of dogs, and there are other factors that come into play. The quality of care a dog receives is one of the most important factors for its lifespan. Simply put, dogs have the potential to live longer regardless of size or breed, as long as they receive high-quality care.
Here are the 10 dog breeds that live the longest and their average life span. There are some cute little ones on this list, but these small dogs live longer than their larger counterparts.
- Dachshund (12-20 years)
- Pomeranian (12-16 years)
- Yorkshire Terrier (15-20 years)
- Chihuahua (15-20 years)
- Toy Poodle (12-18 years)
- Maltese (12-20 years)
- Lhasa Apso (12-15 years)
- Pug (12-15 years)
- Beagle (12-15 years)
- Miniature Schnauzer (12-15 years)
We hope that this article helps, and you can make an informed choice about which dog to bring into your family, a relationship that you will share for hopefully over a decade to come!
