Generally, in the animal kingdom, size means life. The bigger an animal is, the longer its average lifespan is. Rats in the wild typically live less than a year whereas an elephant outlives darn near everything.<\/p>\n
Within the dog community, however, things are different. Small dog breeds like the Chihuahua regularly live deep into their teens while giant breed dogs like the mastiff are lucky to see their 10th birthday, and medium dog breeds are somewhere in between. But why, on average, do small breed dogs live longer than large breed dogs? We\u2019ll answer that question and more, but first let\u2019s find out how long small breed dogs are generally a part of the family.<\/p>\n
The average dog lifespan is around 10 to 13 years. Smaller dogs generally exceed the average lifespan, getting closer to 15 years. Of course, size isn\u2019t the only influence on how long a dog lives. A dog\u2019s average lifespan also depends on other factors, like their breed, their genetics, how well they\u2019re cared for (including receiving appropriate nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight) and any health problems they may have.<\/p>\n
Everyone wants their dog to live a life as long and as healthy as possible, and a group of researchers at the Dog Aging Project<\/a> are attempting to learn how to make this a reality. By following the lives of tens of thousands of dogs for 10 years, the researchers hope to identify what biological and environmental factors maximize healthy longevity. An important part of their research is not just to help dogs live longer but to make sure those added years are also healthy years.<\/p>\n According to Sir Walter Scott, the reason dogs live such short lives is out of \u201ccompassion for the human race.\u201d Given how much we suffer at the loss of a dog after about a decade, he surmised, the pain of parting would be that much worse if they were to live any longer.<\/p>\n Profound thoughts aside, one theory why dogs don\u2019t live longer is due to their faster metabolism, growth and development compared to humans. Fun fact: if you\u2019re wondering how old your canine companions are in human years, don\u2019t multiply their age by seven. It\u2019s actually a myth that one human year equals seven dogs years<\/a>.<\/p>\n It seems that small dogs may literally \u201clast\u201d longer. In a 2013 research study,1<\/sup> the scientists concluded that big dogs simply age faster than small dogs. The study reports that large dogs age at an accelerated pace, \u201cas though their adult life unwinds in fast motion.\u201d They may stay in \u201cpuppy\u201d mode for a long time \u2014 picture that skinny, goofy Great Dane \u2014 but when they finally become \u201cadults,\u201d their lives fly by.<\/p>\n The study even puts a number to how fast it can happen, showing that \u201can increase of 2 kg (4.4 lbs) in average body mass leads to a loss of about 1 month in life expectancy.\u201d The bigger large breeds are as adults, the shorter that time as adults might be.<\/p>\n Another theory is that smaller dogs are around longer because there\u2019s more wear and tear on a large dog\u2019s body. More weight on their joints. More strain in their heart to get the blood to the ends of those long limbs. And large dogs are bigger for a longer amount of time. A Great Dane, for instance, reaches its full height within a year to 18 months of age, while it can take another year for its body to reach full maturity. Basically, they\u2019re large dogs quickly, without all the muscle they\u2019ll eventually need to support that frame.<\/p>\n Some pet parents mistakenly believe that feeding extra food to their large breed puppy is best for the puppy\u2019s development. While large and giant breed puppies have the potential for rapid growth, it really isn\u2019t healthy for their bones and joints. And extra body weight can stress their immature and developing skeleton. When large breed puppies are overfed, they are prone to developing bone and joint problems such as hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans (inflammation of cartilage and bone) or panosteitis (painful inflammation of the outer surface of the long bones in the legs).<\/p>\n Adding another wrinkle to the shorter lifespans of larger dogs is that larger breeds seem to be more susceptible to life-altering health issues. For example, some large breeds are susceptible to gastric dilatation-volvulus<\/a> which is a life-threatening condition in which the stomach becomes gas-filled, distended and twisted on itself, resulting in an obstruction.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t to say that if dog owners want a dog to be their companion for double-digit years they must stick to smaller breeds like Pomeranians and dachshunds. Medium breed dogs like Labrador retrievers and Australian shepherds regularly reach age 12 and beyond.<\/p>\nWhy Do Dogs Age So Fast?<\/h2>\n
Why Do Small Dogs Live Longer Than Large Dogs?<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t Give Up on Larger Dog Breeds or Giant Breeds Just Yet<\/h2>\n