Longevity

Let’s just be honest right from the get go. Our dogs do not live nearly as long as we would like them to. From the tiniest Chihuahua to the Giant Irish Wolfhound; there is a huge difference in lifespan. But the average canine life span is between 10-13 years. That said, size, anatomy and health have a huge impact on it being longer or shorter.

Dr Dan O'Neill: MVB BSc(hons) GPCert(SAP) GPCert(FelP) GPCert(Derm) GPCert(B&PS) PGCertVetEd FHEA MSc(VetEpi) PhD FRCVS - Associate Professor Companion Animal Epidemiology stated in a livescience.com article “One possible explanation is not that small dogs live longer, but that the larger breeds live shorter.”

Anatomy matters

Anatomy does matter, there is a large difference in canine body structure between most breeds and mixes. Many breeds have been bred to physical extremes which has had a huge impact on the length and quality of their lives. Many brachycephalic (flat face) breeds like the French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Pug, American Bulldog, Boston Terrier and Boxers can have health related issues caused by their extreme abnormal facial structure. They can suffer from breathing problems, head size and shape issues; too much extra skin and all sorts of other concerns that often plague the brachycephalic breeds. Something to know if you are leaning towards a breed that has a flat or flatter face.

Size matters

So why do large and giant breeds live a shorter life span than their smaller relatives? Large breed dogs grow drastically and very quickly which can have an impact on longevity. The University of Adelaide published an article last year stating that it wasn’t really that larger breeds age faster; it was the fact that they have a lower level of cancer fighting defences due to their size. Most of the energy in a large or giant breed goes into growth and reproduction causing a lag in their cancer fighting defence. But size is not the be all and end all in longevity. Much has to do with health of the sire, dam and other relatives in the gene pool. Unhealthy dogs bred to other unhealthy dogs raises the risk of early health problems and lower lifespan.

Psychology Today also did a similar article last year stating - “Unfortunately this means that instead of devoting resources to general body maintenance and health, the genetic selection for bigger dogs emphasizes using bodily resources for speedy early growth, rather than using them to strengthen the immune system, repair damaged DNA and improve stress resistance.The data shows that this is reflected by the fact that larger breeds are more susceptible to physical ailments after they reach their adult size which is usually at two years of age.”

Aside from accidental death, dogs live around 10-13 years on average. The very small, structurally sound dogs can live into their late teens or 20s. While the giant breeds can have their life cut short; as early at 5-7 years due to their size alone.

Mix breeds

Many people consider mixed breed dogs to live longer than purebreds. This idea has been around as long as I can remember. So, I looked it up to see if it was actually, scientifically true. It turns out that on average they can live approximately 6 months longer than a purebred. But, just like purebred dogs, you must be breeding healthy dogs together to pass on healthy genes.

Sadly many breeders of the “doodle” of today, and other mixes are not maintaining a “healthy” goal while breeding dogs. A great deal of research should be done when looking for a healthy puppy with both health tested sire (Dad) and dam (Mom). Focus should be on breeders who raise their puppies in their home, care about nutrition, socialization, have one litter at a time and temperament test their puppies. There are breeders out there that are doing it right but it takes a great deal of work to find them.

If you are looking to add a new dog to your life; take the time to research the average longevity of the breeds and mixes of breeds that you are looking at. Commit to finding a “good” and “ethical” breeder or rescue; and support them; someone who cares about their dogs and their puppies. Not all breeders or even rescues are the same.

Knowing that our dogs live short lives compared to us is something we can prepare for. A life cut short by health issues that may have been avoided by care and health testing is devastating. Our dogs live such short lives compared to us; lets try to keep them around as long as we can.

They are what They eat

“You are what you eat.” This statement is true for our dogs as well as us. Before the introduction of “kibble” or dry dog food; most people fed their dogs table scraps. Kibble made it’s appearance in the mid 1950’s with the first extruded dog food being sold by General Mills, Purina. The process of extruding food uses heat to form the dough into kibble. Low quality food is then sterilized by the heat and then artifical preservatives are added for shelf life. Sadly the quality of any nutrients are mostly lost in the intense heat.

Large companies jumped on the band wagon when they realized that cheap low grade grains and by-products could be sold for a lot of money in pet food. So we humans longing for low cost and convenience were sold a stack of lies about what our dogs should be eating by the companies raking in the dough ($$$).

70 years later we are turning things around; slowly but surely we are learning through science what our dogs should be eating. And it’s not a big bowl of nutrient deficient dry dog food; filled with non species appropriate foods that are waste products from foods created for us. Try to stay away from the big box stores when choosing your dog’s food and do your research as far as what your dog should be eating. Look past the dog food companies to get the facts.

By taking a few easy steps and adding some real nutrient dense food to your dog’s kibble; you can add years to their life.

______________________________________

Do your research to find a great breeder or rescue. Check out the different breed and breed mix information so that you can be well informed on what to expect as far as longeivity. I always recommend feeding the best that you can afford for your dog and your lifestyle. If you are interested in your dog’s nutrition, do some looking around, there is lots of it available.

Here’s to having a long lived k9 companion.