How long is my dog going to live? Is it true that large dogs do not live as long? Questions that every dog owner wants to know and questions that I have clients ask on a regular basis. There are several studies to discuss, but in general if you want to have a dog that is predicted to live a long life you want a small, mixed breed dog that has a long snout.
Small dogs live longer than big dogs... YES! There are two studies that look at this hypothesis. How size and genetic diversity shape lifespan across breeds of purebred dogs and Comparative longevity of pet dogs and humans: implications for gerontology research. Essentially both the studies concluded that small dogs do live longer than larger dogs. The first study "showed that small size and genetic diversity are both linked to a significant increase in mean lifespan across breeds." The second study showed "body size in the dog was inversely related to longevity. Within each body weight category, the median age at death was lower for pure breed dogs compared with mixed breed dogs."
This means small dogs that are not pure breeds tend to live the longest. The increased life expectancy of mixed breed dogs is due to survival of the fittest and hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor means that when two genetically different parents mate, the offspring have a mixture of genes which make them have enhanced genetic traits.
If you are wondering about purebred dogs, the miniature poodle was the longest-lived purebred dog studied between the years of 1980 and 1990. I can agree with this study based of anecdotal evidence from my hospital. I often will see mini poodles live to be 18 years old.
With the French Bulldog becoming the most popular breed in the United States, I must mention another study that suggest short snouted dogs (brachycephalic) do not live as long longer snouted dogs (dolichocephalic). A study just published looked at over a half million dogs in the United Kingdom. Despite size and gender, dogs that had a longer snout lived longer. Is this true of dogs from the United States as well? I would presume that data could be replicated, but I am sure it is only a matter of time before that study gets published.
Does this change your plans on your next dog? Comment to let me know if you used this data to get a specific type of dog or if you plan on using it for your next dog.
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