Many dog owners are sad and unhappy when it's time to say goodbye to their favorite dog pet and wish to be with them for a lifetime. Unfortunately, it is impossible to complete your wish without knowing 'how long do dogs live.' Knowing your dog's age will help you give them the best possible care to enhance their lifespan so that you can spend more time with your best friends.
Average Lifespan Of Dogs
The average life expectancy is 10 to 13 years. But Dog age calculation is variable among different breeds and sizes. Pet dogs are more diverse in size, appearance, and food. Therefore, there is a difference in lifespan between Chihuahuas and Cane Corso.
The smaller dogs have a longer lifespan than the largest dog breed. Medical conditions and genetics also play an important role in the average dog's life expectancy. Moreover, purebred dogs are more vulnerable to hereditary diseases as compared to mixed breeds.
Therefore, mixed breed dogs have a longer lifespan than purebred dogs because of the reduced risk of these diseases. For example, English bulldogs may die early because of heart stroke and respiratory diseases due to short trachea.
How Long Do Small Dogs Live?
The average lifespan of small dogs is 10 to 15 years, with some breeds living long, like 18 years of age. Smaller dogs have the longest lifespan but are also more prone to kidney, heart, adrenal, and liver diseases that affect their average life. Moreover, dental diseases also occur and may worsen the ones mentioned above.
These dogs are a good choice for a person who wants their company for a lifetime. However, there is variability in age from breed to breed, and here we are going to discuss the most prominent shortest-lived and longest-lived small dogs' lifespans.
| Yorkshire terrier | 12 to 15 years |
| Manchester terrier | 12 to 14 years |
| Lakeland terrier | 12 to 14 years |
| Russel terrier | 12 to 14 years |
| Rat terrier | 13 to 15 years |
| Pomeranian | 14 to 16 years |
| English toy spaniel | 13 to 15 years |
| Smooth and Wire fox terrier | 13 to 15 years |
| Chinese crested | 15 to 17 years |
| Chihuahua | 15 to 17 years |
How Long Medium Sized Dogs Live?
Do you want to know 'how old do medium dogs live?' Medium-sized dogs' average lifespan is 10 to 13 years; however, some breeds live even longer. One of the longest-lived medium-sized dogs was a Rafeiro do Alentejo named Bobi, whose lifespan is 30 years, the longest dog lifespan.
Moreover, lifespan and diseases of medium-sized dogs may vary from breed to breed. Some famous medium-sized dog lifespans are:
| French Bulldog | 11 to 13 years |
| Bulldog | 10 to 12 years |
| Curly-coated retriever | 11 to 13 years |
| Boxer | 10 to 12 years |
| Chow Chow | 11 to 13 years |
| Welsh Springer Spaniel | 13 to 15 years |
| Puli | 10 to 15 years |
| Poodle | 12 to 15 years |
| Whippet | 12 to 15 years |
| Cocker Spaniel | 13 to 15 years |
| Chinese Shar-pei | 12 to 14 years |
| Australian Shepherd | 12 to 15 years |
How Long Do Big Dogs Live?
The average lifespan of the largest dog breeds is 8 to 12 years. They have the shortest lifespan in comparison to medium-sized dogs. Generally, different breeds have slight differences in their life span or diseases.
Moreover, as the size increases, arthritis problem occurs, and some breeds, like Bernese Mountain Dog and Golden Retrievers, get attacked by cancer often. Some of the major big dog lifespan charts are below:
| Belgian Malinois | 14 to 16 years |
| Rottweiler | 10 to 12 years |
| Dogue de Bordeaux | 9 to 11 years |
| Irish setter | 12 to 14 years |
| Irish wolfhound | 8 to 10 years |
| Bernese Mountain dog | 7 to 10 years |
| GIant Schnauzer | 10 to 12 years |
| Akita | 11 to 15 years |
| Flat-coated retriever | 10 to 12 years |
| Scottish deerhound | 10 to 12 years |
Which Giant Breed Dog Lives The Longest?
Giant breeds live an average life span of 8 to 10 years. The Alaskan Malamute has a longer average lifespan than other giant dogs and can live slightly over 16 years. The most popular giant dogs' lifespans are as follows:
| St. bernard | 8 to 10 years |
| Dobermann | 10 to 13 years |
| Newfoundland | 8 to 10 years |
| Great Dane | 8 to 10 years |
| Cane Corso | 10 to 12 years |
| Bullmastiff | 7 to 12 years |
| Anatolian shepherd | 11 to 13 years |
| English mastiff | 6 to 12 years |
Why Do Dogs Die Early?
Every dog owner wants his/her companion dog to live a long and healthy life, but that is not the case. Though every dog breed and type has an average lifespan, sadly, not all dogs live to that expected number of years.
Read our vet's findings on why do dogs die so fast.
Early death in dogs is very often at under 2 years of age due to some trauma, infectious diseases, congenital disease, and many other health issues, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). However, some diseases occur at any age of a dog's life and cause death, like
- Cancer
- Fungal infection
- Rabies
- Congenital abnormalities
- Inherited abnormalities
Obesity also affects the lifespan of a dog, as obese dogs have two years shorter lifespans than healthy-weight dogs. One cause is obesity makes them prone to disease and also causes difficulty in movement.
How To Make Your Dog Live Longer
If you want to be with your favorite pet, then here are some factors that have a good effect on the life longevity of your pet, so check them out:
- Maintain weight
- Giving them nutritious and healthy diet
- Regular exercise for a healthy lifestyle, including routine walk
- Regular checkups with their veterinary doctor
- Have a check and be updated about their vaccines and preventatives.
- Keep them safe from toxic and harmful substances.
FAQs:
How long do dogs live in human years?
The average age of a dog is 10 to 13 years, equivalent to 60 to 74 human years.
What are dog years?
Dog year is a calculator that determines a dog's age according to human age, such as 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog's life.
How long do Chihuahuas live?
According to the dog age calculator, Chihuahuas live for 12 to 20 years.
How long do Pugs live?
The average age of pugs is 12 to 15 years.
How long do Shih Tzus live?
Shih Tzus mostly live for 10 to 16 years.
What is the lifespan of German Shepherd dogs?
The lifespan of German Shepherd dogs is 9 to 13 years.
What is the life expectancy of a Pitbull?
The life expectancy of a Pitbull is 12 to 14 years.
What is the average lifespan of a Jack Russell Terrier?
The average lifespan of a Jack Russell Terrier dog is 13 to 16 years.
Which dog breed lives the longest?
Australian cattle dogs hold the record for the longest living dog, an incredible 29 years of age.
How long do Golden Retrievers live?
Golden Retrievers mostly live 10 to 12 years if they have been cared for properly.
Conclusion
I hope this post will help you get along with your favorite dog and choose your companion dog by knowing its average lifespan. It also helps to know 'how long do dogs live,' and ways to increase their age.