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Larger animals tend to live longer than smaller ones… most of the time. Think about it. A human lives longer than a cat, which lives longer than a rat, which lives longer than a fly. But why isn’t this true when it comes to animals within their species? A person who weighs 150 pounds will most likely live longer than a person who weighs 300 pounds. This is because of increased health risks for the person who weighs 300 pounds. When it comes to the life expectancy of dogs though, how can you compare a Great Dane to a Chihuahua? Their anatomic builds are completely different and their lifespans reflect this. But, beyond size, is there an average age of a dog based on breed or other factors? Yes. Let us explore this subject further.
What Determines A Dog’s Lifespan?
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Dog Care
As the owner, you can affect the care you provide for your dog. A dog with a proper, nutritious diet and exercise can live longer than one without. In addition, taking your furry friend to annual wellness exams at the veterinarian and getting its booster shots can result in a healthy dog with a longer lifespan.
Dog Size
Research shows that larger dogs live for a shorter period of time when compared to smaller ones. For example, an Irish Wolfhound (average 115 lbs) has an average lifespan of 7 years, while a Jack Russell Terrier (average 15 lbs) can live up to 13-16 years.
Inbreeding vs Cross Breeding
Inbreeding can reduce the lifespan of canines. Cross breed dogs have a longer lifespan in comparison. Inbred dogs have a risk of carrying genes for illnesses that are common to that specific breed. Further, “mutts” who have at least two breeds and commonly more, tend to have the least health problems and live longer than their purebred counterparts.
Spayed/Neutered
Spaying and neutering a puppy at a young age can positively affect a dog’s lifespan. Studies suggest that these surgeries can help reduce the risk of some types of cancer in dogs. Especially cancers affecting the ovaries, breast and testicles. Recent studies show that these benefits may or may not completely accurate but there is no question that your life will be easier without a litter of puppies in your life and this will also be less stress on your pup, which could mean a longer life.
Dog Breed Life Expectancy Chart
Below is a dog life expectancy chart sorted by the most popular registered breeds from the past decade1. The top 25 are included from the AKC list from 2017.
2017 Popularity Rank | Dog Breed | Average Lifespan |
|---|---|---|
1 | Labrador Retriever | 11 Years |
2 | German Shepherd | 11 Years |
3 | Golden Retriever | 11 Years |
4 | French Bulldog | 8-10 Years |
5 | Bulldog | 8-12 Years |
6 | Beagle | 12-15 Years |
7 | Poodle | 12 Years |
8 | Rottweiler | 9 Years |
9 | Yorkshire Terrier | 13 Years (possibly up to 20 years) |
10 | German Shorthaired Pointer | 12-14 Years |
11 | Boxer | 9-10 Years |
12 | Siberian Huskie | 12-15 Years |
13 | Dachshund | 13-15 Years |
14 | Great Dane | 6-8 Years |
15 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 12-15 Years |
16 | Doberman Pinscher | 10-13 Years |
17 | Australian Shepherd | 12-18 Years |
18 | Miniature Schnauzer | 12-14 Years |
19 | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 9-14 Years |
20 | Shih Tzu | 12-16 Years |
21 | Boston Terrier | 11-15 Years |
22 | Pomeranian | 14 Years |
23 | Havanese | 14-16 Years |
24 | Shetland Sheepdog | 12-13 Years |
25 | Bernese Mountain Dogs | 6-8 Years |
Source: CanineJournal.com
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10 Dogs With Short Life Expectancies
You’ll notice that most dogs in this chart are larger breeds. As mentioned above, larger dogs tend to have shorter lifespans than smaller ones. Some believe this is because large breeds age quicker. For example, a Great Dane can gain 100 pounds from its day of birth to its first birthday, whereas a Shih Tzu can weight up to 15 pounds in its entire lifespan. Below is a table of ten dogs with short lifespans.
Dog Breed | Average Lifespan |
|---|---|
French Mastiff | 5-8 Years |
Great Dane | 6-8 Years |
Bernese Mountain Dog | 6-8 Years |
Irish Wolfhound | 6-10 Years |
Neapolitan Mastiff | 7-9 Years |
Leonberger | 8-9 Years |
Newfoundland | 8-10 Years |
Saint Bernard | 8-10 Years |
Scottish Deerhound | 8-10 Years |
Bloodhound | 9-11 Years |
What Is The Longest Living Dog Breed?
Chihuahuas are normally referred to as the breed with the longest lifespan. They average 15-20 years and are one of the smallest dog breeds. The oldest Chihuahua on record2, Megabyte, died at the age of 20 years and 265 days.
The Australian Cattle Dog is known for having one of the longest life expectancies. There are records of Australian Cattle Dogs living past 20 years old. In fact, the longest living dog recorded is an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey who lived 29 years and 5 months3.
How old is your dog and what breed is it?
Sources: [1] www.akc.org, [2] ChihuahuaWardrobe.com, [3] mnn.com
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and full of fatty cysts, but still really pretty , sharp as ever, walks slow still has all her functions, eats well, truly amazing we cherrish everyday with our “girl” SCOUT.
Any comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Amy
His mother had 2 Australian Cattle breeds and Corgi. Father is unknown, a scruffy terrier cross.
I suspect there may have been some Chihuahua because his sister was half his size and looked a lot like one.
She and their mother lived to 16 and died from bowel complications which I now make sure my boy doesn’t.
Best combo of food I have found is kangaroo mince & rice with vegetable scraps. Perfect poos every day.
He can’t see but is still very sparky with quick reflexes. And lots of love and the security of being there for them really helps when they are older.
I now own my brother’s dog who is half chihuahua, he weighs about 30 lbs I think (half chihuahua half larger dog) he’s 5 or 6 now
We added patty my sons dog, to the bunch. a super energy 1 year old choco lab jack Russel mix . She can leap onto a 4 ft tall deck.
Unreal having 3 pups.. love every day god gives us to share our love.
Hugs
She lived only 7.5yrs
Due to a heart valve issue.(a common problem in this breed).
It’s been about 2.5yrs. now since She passed…I miss her a lot and am starting to look for another little girl(dog), I live in a 5th…of 6 floors 1Bd apt.(450 sq.ft.)
with a “slow†elevator. Any thoughts on a good easy to house train for me?
This person doesn’t seem to care. My dog passed 14 months ago and I’m still overwhelmed. That’s how I ended up here.
He was rescued at 6mo to 1yr old. Had him for 10 yrs now. He’s slowing down and gets moody like an old man but I hope to still have a few more yrs with him.
I also have a 4yr old moose (chocolate lab) I’ve seen in groups for lab lovers that their lives are really unpredictable some die young some live the average life expectancy. I know it will hurt to loose either one of them but I am truly blessed to have them with me every day of their beautiful lives
Someone had thrown her out in my neighborhood when she was about 3 weeks old, not weaned, skin and bones and full of worms.
My wife found her when she saw my neighbors dog picking her up and throwing her around.
I took her to the vet, got rid of her worms and got all of her shots.
She’s now a 45lb spoiled rotten little brat lol!
She has separation anxiety and won’t let me or my wife out of her sight.
She’s our baby.
I was just wondering if anyone knows what the average lifespan of an Australian Shepherd pit bull mix.
If anything happens to her it’s going to kill me and my wife.
He’s slow and grumpy and hard of hearing but still pulls the leash like a 2 year old!
He would be about 65lbs, arthritic, has an enlarged lymphoma, benign little tumors on his body (can’t do anything, too old) but other then that healthy and happy and not in pain.
So I’m sure you’ll have many years together with her.
Rocky looked rough when I got him several months ago and I thought I’d give him a few good months of getting pampered (he lived outside before on a chain) and so I walked him, fed him good food and good people food, he plays with my two little dogs and I think he could go for 16 years easily now! Just taking care of your dog can add years 🙂
Her name is Beebee and with us since she was 8 weeks old. Never boarded, she had in home sitters, a large fenced yard, hiked in the mountains and lived in the house.
He was coping with diease very well but no cure
My romeo died of aspiration pneumonia. And it was hardest thing to put him done to end his suffer. Romeo was happy and strong pug and not sure where this diease came from. We miss him dearly
She is very spoilt though I keep her on a low fat diet to keep the weight off her legs. Lol
Studies show it can help but other studies show that it may not help? What is the conclusion after all?
You can find all kinds of papers showing all kinds of result, but you’ll find a tendency towards a goal.
You see, with a purebred, you educate yourself as to the possible health issues of that breed and prepare accordingly. With a “mix,” you have NO idea what you are getting. Considering many of these dogs are imported from other countries, the chances of getting a dog that will not live long increase.
I have a nephew who has had nothing but mixed breed dogs, and only ONE ever lived to an old age, meaning 13. All of the other dogs have died young. The two purebred dogs I have had lived to be around 14 or older. So no thanks to “mixed breeds.” I will get a purebred.
You can’t argue with the fact that the breeding of purebred dogs leads to a smaller gene-pool, and the fact that this leads to health problems and shorter life-spans is just basic genetics unfortunately.
This is why you NEVER see inbreeding and ‘purebred’ animals in the wild – they have evolved to out-breed to broaden the gene-pool. In the rare instances where you see inbreeding in the wild it always has a direct effect on the health and life-expectancy of the individuals of that population, and is never done through choice but rather because they are forced to do so.
For example, lions in Africa are now unable to broaden their gene-pools by mixing with other sub-species of lion as humans have inhabited so many various areas in Africa that different groups of lions are now unable to get to one another to breed as they won’t cross into the humans’ land. This has led to their gene-pool becoming smaller and to them becoming weaker and weaker with shorter lives.
I understand that your nephew’s dogs may have lived shorter lives than your own, but you can’t base a scientific theory on such a small sample size, you would have to look at the lives of hundreds and hundreds of cross-breeds compared to mixed-breeds, which fortunately a lot of people have, and the findings have shown that mixed-breeds are far more likely to live long and healthy lives.
I realize I didn’t personally know Dudley, but it sounds like the two of you shared an amazing bond and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to go any other way than he did. I’m sure he found comfort being held by you and hearing your voice.
Thank you for sharing your story with us and please feel free to share any of your favorite stories about Dudley with us. It can help to talk to others about the loss of our pets and our favorite moments we shared with them. My thoughts are with you during this time, Trisha.
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it
go.
Also, I grew up watching Lassie and had my own dog whom I went on adventures with into the forest behind my house. She was a beautiful yellow labrador retriever and she came to my rescue whenever I needed her. We explored everything with one another. In fact, once we found an old rusty tool box and it became our treasure chest. 🙂
I spent 6 years without any fur baby after my first dog passed when I was 18. I could not face getting another dog. I thought it was betraying his love. Finally, after those years, I adopted a cat from a friend who was moving and could not take him overseas to the military base. When this rescued cat that I spent 14 years loving, passed of cancer at 19 years old, a mere four months before I lost my beloved husband unexpectedly, I thought I was done forever with loving those who could pass before me Five years later, I found one of my current babies after he was dumped in my work parking lot. He is my 3 1/2 legged, cross-eyed Myrddin kitty. He needed a home and my three young sons and I had one to share. He has been with us for over 14 years now, his wife, Morrigan, joined us barely a year later. Their son, Herne, we lost to disease two months ago, we had him for barely 12 years. My dad’s dog, Flo’go, whom I inherited in 2010, is now nearing her end. Our last baby is a dog who found our home one night at almost 2 a.m. while I was outside with Flo’go enjoying the stars. After weeks of lost and found posters and online postings at the city website, no one ever claimed him, so we named him Stolichnaya, Stoli for short as he is a hard licker. He joined the family in 2012.
Each time we add a beloved furry family member, as a rescue, we bond as we love on them and share stories with them, of the ones who came before them. It does not lessen the impact of the love we had for the others. I will always remember and cherish my first ever love Brownie, I got as a young child, and my Siamese Snowshoe, Sinatra whom the boys crawled after but rarely caught as babies and toddlers during his last three years with us. However, we know how many animals never find a home from the shelters, so we bring another home. We grieve and we move on.
Over the years, we lost a beloved black lab mix, Irish, and a beautiful fluffy brown mutt-girl Cookie to heart disease, but we keep opening up and taking fur babies in because if we do not rescue them, give them homes and love them, who will?
Abby is 11 1/2 , 43.5 pounds border collie lab mix with Doberman (A total guess at her bread). Please advise. I need all the help I can get to make this horrible decision.
No one can make that heart felt decision for you and nothing can make it easy. Sit still with Abby, look her in the eyes and talk to her as you would. Tell her what is going on and listen in your heart and in her eyes. You will know what you will need to do.
My dog is 18yrs old too! He’s about 14lbs and is a lahasa apso. I say as long as your dog walks around the house every now and then (not a lot but just enough so they’re not sleeping in one spot all day) and as long as they still have an appetite and can go on walks- I would guess another 1-2yrs. I’m no expert, just an idea.
Thank you
Penny and trixel
A pure bred dog that has been bred well, with patents that have been health tested to avoid genetic decease can live longer than mutts.
There is a money making industry of so called animal right foundation that spread a lot of lies and their administration make a lot of money with good peoples donations.not everybody involved in those organizations j ave the best interest of the dogs at heart
That was 2 years ago, he’s now 12 years old. The cancer has gotten worse, he has limited jaw movement. Just enough to drink and eat. The cancer has started to grow behind his eye, bulging it out. The thing is, he’s acting fine, like nothing is wrong. He gets excited and jumps around when it’s time for his walks, and still plays with my young daughter. The thing is, is this cruelty for not euthanizing him or should I let him live out the rest of his life. How do I know if he’s in pain? Would he actually cry out? And who am I to say “well I guess it’s time you get euthanized” Any suggestions?
I suggest asking your vet about how your dog may feel at the stage he is in. It sounds like the cancer has spread and if he is having jaw issues he may be experiencing quite a bit of pain. Discuss with your vet about euthanasia options and if you have a spouse, discuss with them as well. Your dog may not cry out specifically but you may be able to tell in how he moves and how his attitude is.
We know this is not an easy decision to make. I’m sure your dog loves you endlessly and whichever decision you make he will always be your best friend. Thank you for sharing your story with us and please let me know if you have any other questions. I wish you weren’t faced with this decision, but hope you find peace with the route you choose. My thoughts are with you.
She got a recent pad injury ( I think from the vet clipping her nails) and then she was a daycare while I went away for the holidays. I think the pad got infected with dog feces etc.. as the daycare is carefless. I checked her in to the vet and they found the injury …put her on Clavamox and now an injectable antiobiotic as they said she wasnt healing to their expectation after 1 week. She wont eat ..lost 20% of her body weight in the last couple months. Im afraid this vet may be clueless and may lose her to their incompetence. They are doing more bloodwork but Im very concerned. Please pray for Gilly.
For example most French bulldogs and English bulldogs and Boxers and Swiss Bernese Mountain dogs are dead by six or eight, some live to 10 or 12 which is the very outer limit but very rare. So THAT is what they claim is the average life span.
Do yourself a favor, three million dogs are put down in the U.S. each year and most of them are mixed breeds that live much longer, save a life and save some money and adopt!
We got her spayed, switched to an all-natural grain-free food, got her bad teeth fixed/removed, got the skin infection taken care of and now just deal with her ears every once and awhile. Besides her greying fur you would never guess she is 12 and we hope that we can have her as long as possible! 🙂
We say the secret is fresh water everyday and no over feeding.
My second dog was a sheltie/dalmatian who died pretty suddenly shortly after turning 10. He was fine running around the house all excited at the beginning of the week, then Wednesday he was fine in the morning, looked a little down in the afternoon. Threw up a couple times over night. I took him to the vet that Thursday and they said he had pneumonia. They gave him fluids and antibiotics. The next day he was really weak and I took him to the emergency vet. They gave him oxygen and IV antibiotics, but he went downhill a few hours later and his blood oxygen level was dropping even with being on oxygen. He passed away that night. It’s hard thinking he went from being fine to passing away in such a short amount of time.
My second dog was my baby. I was his person. He had some separation anxiety so he would follow me everywhere. Even if I was just going into another room for a second. When he was younger I would ride my bike and he would run along beside me. I also liked to play hide and seek. I would put him outside and then my parents would let him in and ask him where I was. He would search the house and when he found me he would get as excited as could be and run around the house and make me chase him. His favorite toy ended up being a squeaky mouse on a string that we originally bought for our cats. He would go nuts for the mouse. If you so much as bumped it he would want to play and could play with it for hours if you let him.
Sorry for your loss but yes, I would say 17 years for any dog is quite exceptional! You are lucky to have had so many years with your pup.