Dog's Life Expectancy

Have you ever heard of 'Bluey', the Australian cattle dog, which has been claimed to be the longest-living dog (29 years) till date. Another dog, named 'Bramble' lived to the age of 27 years. These claims are not verified or recorded, but the longest lifespan of a dog, according to records, is 24 years. Contrary to these figures, at present, the average life expectancy for dogs, belonging to any breed or of undetermined descent, is assumed to be between 10 to 12 years. But a dog's life expectancy is dependent on various factors, the prominent one being its breed. Other than that, dog care, its size, gender, whether neutered or not, its diet, health, etc. play an active role in the determination of the dogs' lifespan.

Lifespan of Various Dog Breeds

The breed of a dog is the most important factor, which is taken into account for calculating its lifespan. It can range from six to seven years in Irish Wolfhounds to a lifespan of 14 to 15 years, in miniature Dachshunds, miniature Poodles, Pomeranians, Tibetan terriers, etc. The following list can give you the average life expectancy of some of the popular dog breeds.

Name of the Breed	Life Expectancy
Irish Wolfhound, Bulldog	6 to 7 years
Burmese Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff, Great Dane	7 to 9 years
Doberman Pinscher, Rottweillers, Flat-Coated Retriever, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Scottish Deerhound	9 to 10 years
Boxer, Collie (Rough), English Toy Spaniel, German Shepherd, Norfolk Terrier, Weimaraner	10 to 11 years
American Cocker Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Bearded Collie, Bichon Frise, Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Maltese, Pugs, West Highland White Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier	11 to 13 years
Chihuahua, Jack Russell Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Miniature Schnauzer, Beagle, Shetland Sheepdog, Shih Tzu, Poodle (Miniature), Poodle (Toy), Miniature Dachshund, Pomeranian, Tibetan Terrier	13 to 15 years

Even if there is an average life expectancy for every breed of dog, some dogs may exceed the average lifespan for that particular breed and some others may fall short. This can be due to various other factors that can affect the average life expectancy of dogs.

Factors Affecting Dog's Life Expectancy

Apart from the breed, many factors like the size of the dog, its diet, its genetic makeup, health problems if any, breeding, etc can affect the average life expectancy. It has been observed that dogs with large sizes live for a shorter lifespan, as compared to small-sized dogs. It is also believed that female dogs outlive their male counterparts by an average timespan of around one and a half years, especially the spayed ones. In general, spaying or neutering, if done at a very young age, may positively affect the life expectancy of dogs. According to some studies, these procedures can reduce the risk of some types of cancer in dogs, especially those affecting the ovaries, breast and testicles. Another factor which can affect the life expectancy of dogs is inbreeding. Inbred dogs have shorter lifespans when compared to the crossbreeds. Extensive inbreeding may result in dogs that carry genes for illnesses, which are common to that particular breed. Above all, dog care is very important as far as its lifespan is concerned. A proper and nutritious diet and exercise, along with the necessary health care can make your dog a healthy one with a good lifespan.

Whatever may be the dog's life expectancy, all you have to do is to take care of your dog in a proper way. Consult the veterinarian if you have any doubts regarding the physical condition and overall health of your dog. Provide your dog with a nutritious diet and make sure that it gets adequate daily exercise. All these measures can make your dog healthy and increase its lifespan.