How long do dogs live?

By Charlotte Francesca Stiles, DVM

Even though the subject is a sad one, knowing and being prepared for how long your four-legged friend will be around can help you facilitate them living a long, happy, and healthy life.

In this article we’ll go through:

Factors

In this section, we’ll go through some factors which can affect how long your dog lives. Don’t forget that these are general factors and it's best to talk to your veterinarian if you want to know how they might affect your pet specifically.

Breed Sizes

You might have heard that smaller dog breeds often live longer than large dog breeds. It might seem strange but actually, this is pretty accurate (even if no one is exactly sure why). There are a few theories as to why this happens but sadly it’s not known for certain.

It’s difficult to say the exact lifespan for a specific breed, as it is also affected by many factors (we’ll talk about those later). However, in general, according to a professor at the University of Melbourne, larger dogs have an average lifespan of around 7 years, and smaller dogs have a lifespan of around 14 (source).

Additionally, medium size dogs live between 10 to 13 years on average and giant breeds, live between 8 and 10 years on average. You can read more about this topic in our article ‘How to determine my dog’s age in human years’. Don’t forget to consider age-related behavioral and physical changes when thinking about your pet’s lifespan.

Health conditions

No matter how well you care for your pet, they can become unwell due to factors beyond our control. Some infectious diseases can have longer-term implications for your pet even if or after they’re treated. Some of these diseases can be less serious if your pet has been vaccinated.

However, something that is easily preventable by pet parents and has a huge impact on your dog’s quality and length of life is their body condition. Feeding your pet a suitable diet in appropriate quantities and helping them exercise regularly helps decrease the chances of them becoming overweight (we’ll talk more about this later).

No matter how well you look after your dog, unfortunately, some conditions are out of your control. An example of this is some types of tumors, which can also be associated with specific breeds.

Another thing to consider when thinking about your pet’s lifespan is the possibility of them suffering from inherited conditions, for example in their bones or heart. It’s a good idea to read up about any conditions your dog might be predisposed to, to help improve the chances of you recognizing the signs and getting them treated by a vet.

If you think that your pet might be unwell or is acting abnormally, it’s best to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.

With our Lifetime Protection Membership, you can access veterinary professionals anytime by phone, email, or live chat. So, if you’re worried about your dog’s health or behavior, you can quickly get the help you need.

General dog health tips

Although it may be very sad, it’s not possible for your dog to live forever or for you to extend their life.

However, there are some things you can do in terms of their health and routine, which can help decrease the chances of them getting sick and help them to live as healthily and long as possible.

We’ve given a few tips about how you can do this below:

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article about what can affect your dog’s lifespan and how you can help your dog live as long and as comfortably as possible.

Writer Bio:

Charlotte graduated as a veterinarian from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Zagreb. She is a dog mum to a 15-year-old mixed breed called Chiki who she adopted from a shelter 2 years ago and enjoys traveling with.