Health

How long do dogs live? Longest Living Dogs

Article-8-Virtuous-Dogs

One of the greatest joys of American urban (or even rural) life is owning a dog. It is like adopting a baby; you know that you are not the biological parents, but you still feel some warmth in a corner of your heart for the little pup that you acquire from the pet store, a friend or a pet shelter. However, just like the greatest joy in a dog person’s life is owning a dog, the greatest sorrow is losing their furry companion, friends and besty. Yet, it is something inevitable. A normal dog lives as longer as roughly 13 years and then comes the time for its departure.

In this article we have piled up all the facts, figures and questions about a dog’s life cycle. Whether you love a Lab or it is a Chihuahua that tickles your fancy, you will get to know how long do Labs live or how long do Chihuahuas live. Use this article to get some insight into the saddest dog detail and prepare yourself and family for it. The good thing is that knowing how long does dog live, you would be able to prepare for his departure and make sure that his innocent heart is filled with joy and happiness when he leaves for other abode.

Dog life span depends on a lot of things. Small-sized dogs have different lifespan than long-sized dogs. However, a dog’s lifespan is roughly from 10 to 17 years, with an average of 13 years.[1]

While we humans simply adore our furry friends and wish them to have a lifespan as longer as ours, it is not possible. We have no other way, but to cope with this emotional shock and live with it. A person who lives the average age of 50 to 60 years, happens to own at least 2 to 4 dogs and all of them die before that person. It is a painful experience, but it prepares us to take care of our dogs when they get old and take much better care of upcoming canine companions.

  • What determines the longevity of a dog?

The longevity of a dog depends on many factors such as breed, size, general health, food and the environment where it is kept. For example, Chihuahua (the smallest dog) lives for roughly 15 to 17 years, while Great Dane (the longest dog) lives for roughly 8 to 10 years.

  • Which one is the longest living dog?

When it comes to longest living dog breed, it is New Guinea Singing dog with average lifespan of 18 years.[2] However, if we talk about longest living dog in the history, it was an Australian Cattle Dog Bluey who lived for 29 years.[3]

  • How long do Chihuahuas live?

Chihuahuas are among the smallest dog breeds. The average lifespan of a Chihuahua is from 15 to 17 years.[4] However, the world’s oldest Chihuahua on record was Megabyte who lived for as long as 20 years.[5]

Yet, while mentioning the longest living dogs, we must make sure to mention that there are the longest living dogs (not breeds) on record. That is, it is possible for a domestic Chihuahua to have lived more than 20 years without making it to the news.

A factor that plays a very important role in the big or small lifespan of a Chihuahua is spaying or neutering them. If a Chihuahua is spayed before coming of age, it is highly likely to live longer than those which are not spayed or neutered.[6]

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How long do dogs live

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  • How long do labs live?

Labradors are among the large or giant breeds; their average lifespan is roughly 10 to 12 years.[7] However, the world’s oldest Labrador ever, was Bella who lived for as much as 29 years.[8]

As per Telegraph article, Bella is not only the oldest Lab on record, but also the world’s oldest dog. However, it is the claim of its owner and it cannot be corroborated by any reliable sources. Thus the world’s oldest dog on record is still Bluey. How long do Labradors live depends on many factors, as discussed in detail in this article.

  • How long do German Shepherds live?

German Shepherds belong to the group of large or giant dogs. Their average lifespan is from 10 to 14 years.[9] However, as per the dog years chart prepared by Pedigree Database, the world’s oldest ever German Shepherd (not on record) has been reported to be of 24 years age.[10]

German Shepherd is considered to be USA’s one of the most popular dog breeds. Not only people love to adopt them as pets, but they are also used by law enforcement agencies. The breed is known for intelligence, courage, devotion and hard-work. It is because of these reasons that now these dogs are also being used as guides of handicapped people.

  • How long do Beagles live?

Beagle belongs to the small-sized dog breeds. The average lifespan of a beagle is roughly 12 to 15 years.[11] The oldest ever Beagle was lived until the age of 27. His name was Butch, he died in 2009 and he was Guinness world record holder.[12]

Beagle is a small-sized breed which resembles a lot to foxhound. The animal is known best for its quality to get the scent and thus help its human owners in hunting. American President Lyndon B. Johnson is known for having and adoring his two beagles that he loved the most. He named them Him and Her.

  • How long do Huskies live?

Siberian Husky belongs to the large sized dog breeds. The average life span of a Husky is from 11 to 13 years.[13] However, this average life does not dictate the life expectancy of Huskies. The dogs may live up to 15 or even more years.[14]

Apart from their average or expected life, Huskies may die prematurely. It is because of their genes. The dog is basically a working dog and unless you give it proper space to play and unless you indulge it in play, it will get duller and bulkier and eventually die because of it. A Husky must be kept busy at work and should never be overfed. The dog reaches adult size at the age of 1 and lives a busy and hardworking life.

  • How long do Pomeranians live?

Pomeranians hail from a small-sized dog group. The average lifespan of a Pomeranian is from 14 to 16 years.[15] Pomeranian descended from a large dog breed and it is now known as “the little dog who thinks he can”. The dog is adored for its 3 to 7 pounds weight, 7 to 12 inches height and all the fur on it.[16]

Pomeranian is the darling dog. There is no wonder if you saw him a lot on the silver screen. The dog is known for being a very domesticated pet: a family pet who shows affection to family, adapts easily to the new environment and who is known for its sensitivity.

  • How long do Yorkshire Terriers live?

Yorkshire Terrier belongs to the small-sized dogs. This dog lifespan is 12 to 15 years.[17] The longest living dog in Yorkshire Terriers (on record) is Jack who is 25 years old, but people still mistake him for a puppy.[18]

This dog has been reported to have arthritis and a bad back, but still because of its energy and overall attitude, it is confused with a juvenile puppy. This terrier type small-sized dog breed is one of the most favorite breeds for pets. Since the dog is very friendly and suitable for apartment living, it is one of the highly sought after pets. However, just like Pomeranian, it is also very sensitive and not okay with living alone or unfavorable weather.

  • How long do Poodles live?

Poodle belong to the medium-sized dog breed. The average lifespan of a Poodle is 12 to 15 years.[19] However, world’s longest living Poodle was a Toy Poodle named Seamus who lived for 20 good years.[20]

Poodle is a very sensitive dog and it can die because of several health issues as well as trauma. The dog may suffer from heart diseases, arthritis, even some types of cancer, bladder stones, epilepsy and stroke.[21]

  • How long do bulldogs live?

Bulldog is a breed that belongs to the group of medium-sized dogs. The average lifespan of a bulldog is 10 to 12 years.[22]

Bulldog is loved for the same reason many smaller breed dogs are loved. They are made for apartment living and they are very friendly with inexperienced owners too. However, this dog is also considerably sensitive and thus not easy with harsh weather conditions.[23]

  • How long do Boxers live?

Boxer dogs is a medium-sized breed. The average lifespan of a Boxer is from 10 to 12 years.[24]

Boxers were bred to be guard dogs of medium size. Because of their medium size they are also good to live in an apartment.[25] Like many other small and medium sized dogs, they are also considered sensitive dogs and thus they do not easily tolerate harsh weather conditions or loneliness. Yet, when it comes to trainability, being a family dog and friendliness, they do not disappoint their new owners.

  • How long do Great Danes live?

Great Dane belongs to the giant-sized dog breeds. The lifespan of this dog is from 8 to 10 years.[26] The world’s oldest Great Dane (on record) lived for 15 years.[27]

Great Dane are warrior dogs. As it has been mentioned in our article on 151 interesting dog facts they wore armor in Roman era and protected the supply caravans. However, this dog is not to be afraid of; it is referred to as a gentle giant or Apollo of Dogs, because of its sweet and compassionate personality traits.[28] Due to its big size, it is not at all an apartment dog and this is why it cannot be easily sighted in US urban lifestyle. However, this dog gets the highest marks on affection with family, friendliness, energy level and trainability.[29]

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  • How long do St. Bernard dogs live?

St. Bernard belongs to the giant-sized dog breeds. The lifespan of this dog is from 10 to 12 years.[30]

St. Bernard is a guardian dog. It was bred to guard the cattle or households. Although people love to adopt this dog as a pet, it is also not an apartment dog, and thus it cannot be easily found in USA’s urban environment.[31] The most amazing thing about St. Bernard is its capacity to tolerate cold weather. It is because this dog basically belong to Switzerland where there were bred to bear the harshness of weather. The minus point on this dog, is minimum trainability; however, on the friendliness meter it equals the Great Dane.[32]

  • How long do Rottweiler dogs live?

Rottweiler is a dog that belongs to the large or giant-sized dog breeds. The average lifespan of this dog is 10 to 12 years.[33]

Rottweiler dogs are of German origin and there they were used to protect and guide cattle. They were also used to pull butchers’ carts and nowadays, they are serving police as well as other law enforcement agencies. They are also the big-sized breed and thus they cannot be acquainted with apartment living. However, this dog still gets full five stars on friendliness and affection. While they are not as trainable as Great Danes, they are still very intelligent, playful and energetic.[34]

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  • How long do Mastiffs live?

Mastiff belongs to the big-sized dog breeds. The average lifespan of a mastiff is around 10 to 12 years.[35] However, the oldest Mastiff (on record) lived for as many as 15 years. It was a female Mastiff known as Kush.[36]

Mastiff is a big dog so it is also not good to keep in an apartment. However, it is a very family friendly dog, with considerably less trainability and energy when compared to Great Dane or St. Bernard.[37]

We hope that you liked this post on dog life span and how long do dogs live. If it is so, please share our dog years chart infographic (give above) with friends and other dog lovers. Also, give us your feedback; it motivates us to write more about our furry, old friends.

References
[1] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[2] https://www.cesarsway.com/about-dogs/breeds/top-10-dog-breeds-that-live-the-longest
[3] http://iheartdogs.com/the-10-longest-living-dog-breeds/
[4] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[5] http://www.chihuahuawardrobe.com/chihuahua-lifespan-average-life-expectancy-of-the-chihuahua/
[6] http://www.chihuahuawardrobe.com/chihuahua-lifespan-average-life-expectancy-of-the-chihuahua/
[7] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[8] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2707307/Oldest-dog-Bella-the-Labrador-dies-aged-29.html
[9] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog#/slide/1
[10] http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/community.read?post=383299-20-year-old-german-shepherd
[11] http://www.petmd.com/dog/wellness/evr_dg_how_long_do_dogs_live
[12] https://www.cesarsway.com/about-dogs/breeds/top-10-dog-breeds-that-live-the-longest
[13] http://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_siberian_husky
[14] http://pets.thenest.com/life-expectancy-husky-5133.html
[15] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[16] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/pomeranian#/slide/1
[17] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[18] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3362686/Meet-Yorkshire-Terrier-117-years-old-dog-years-Jack-believed-Britain-s-oldest-dog-26-gets-mistaken-puppy.html
[19] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[20] Guinness World Records
[21] http://www.allpoodleinfo.com/poodle-life-expectancy
[22] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[23] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/bulldog#/slide/1
[24] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[25] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/boxer#/slide/1
[26] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[27] https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/oldest-living-great-dane-3be4906b38c5a295
[28] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/great-dane#/slide/1
[29] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/great-dane#/slide/1
[30] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[31] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/saint-bernard#/slide/1
[32] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/saint-bernard#/slide/1
[33] http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/how-long-do-dogs-live/
[34] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/rottweiler#/slide/1
[35] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/mastiff#/slide/1
[36] http://www.yurtopic.com/family/pets/mastiff-facts.html
[37] http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/mastiff#/slide/1