It is difficult to give a general answer to the question “How old do dogs get?”, because the lifespan of a dog depends on many aspects. It depends on what breed the dog belongs to, how big the dog is, and under what living conditions it lives. In addition, factors such as good nutrition, plenty of exercises, and good care play a decisive role and have a positive effect on the life expectancy of the dog. Genetics also have a big impact on how old dogs get. Many domestic species are severely over-bred, making them more susceptible to disease. This lowers the average life expectancy of the dog breeds.
How old do dogs get?
The average life expectancy of dogs is 10-13 years.
How old do dogs get? – Average life span of dogs
On average, dogs can be expected to live between 10 and 16 years. As already mentioned, however, the size of the dog is mainly related to how old dogs can get. This has to do with the fact that the development phase of a large breed puppy is faster than that of small breeds. Thus, larger dog breeds have a shorter life expectancy because they age faster. The accelerated growth rate is associated with tremendous cell growth.
Small dog breeds include dogs that weigh up to 15 kg. These live longer on average than medium or large dog breeds. This includes, for example, the dachshund. The Dachshund breed can live to be between 18 and 20 years old, but are considered seniors from the age of 10.
The Border Collie, for example, is one of the medium-sized dog breeds, which can reach a weight of between 15 and 40 kg. This is already considered a senior at the age of 8, but in most cases also reaches an age of up to 15 years.
The Great Dane breed is one of the large breeds of dogs. Large dogs usually weigh more than 40 kg. They are seniors from the age of 7, but they only have a life expectancy of about 11 years.
In general, it can be assumed that the smaller the dog breed, the higher the life expectancy of the dog. Miniature poodles and dachshunds are the oldest. They have a maximum dog age of about 14 to 18 years.
When is a dog considered a senior?
Small dog breeds are e.g. B. from the age of 10 as seniors, medium dog breeds from 8 years, and large dogs from 7 years. However, these are only guidelines.
How old do dogs get? – Important factors
In addition to the size of the dog, many other factors play an important role in the life expectancy of a dog.
Nutrition: As with humans, the basis for a healthy life is a balanced diet. The right dog food ensures a sufficient supply of nutrients and thus also contributes to a stable immune system. The one-sided or bad feed can lead to intolerance, gastrointestinal problems as well as overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity, in turn, lead to joint problems and has an impact on internal organs.
When it comes to nutrition, it is important to pay attention to which dog food is best suited for the dog, dry or wet food, BARF, etc.
In most cases, the breeder already instructs the new dog sitter on the correct feeding, otherwise, the veterinarian can also help with questions.
Movement: The movement and exercise of the dog is also a very important aspect of a dog’s life expectancy. Because the same applies here as with people: if you keep fit, you live healthier and often longer. With enough exercise, the dog can build up muscles and most dogs enjoy exercise.
The dog’s exercise should be coordinated with the diet. This also prevents obesity and thus has a positive effect on the internal organs.
However, exercise does not only mean going for a walk but also being able to romp with other dogs, swimming, jogging, or even playing with sticks with the master or mistress.
Dog care: Dog care and loving care strengthen not only the external but also the internal health of the dog. In addition to stroking, this includes patient training and proper grooming of the dog. Regular paw care is also very important for dogs.
With a caring dog attitude, the dog can in some cases be given one or the other year of life.
Living environment: The living environment plays a crucial role within the lifespan. For example, country dogs tend to live a little longer than city dogs.
The environment also means that the dog is not exposed to any harmful substances such as permanent cigarette smoke.
In addition, social contact with other dogs and people is very important for the well-being of the dog. The dog should not be forced to have contact with other dogs or people. But if he likes it, then he should be given the opportunity.
Genetics: The dog’s genetics often determine the life expectancy of a dog, because the approximate maximum age of the dog is already determined in its genes or in the genome.
It is therefore particularly important to pay attention to the type of breeding. Unfortunately, when breeding dogs, inbreeding often occurs. Inbreeding counts as a negative factor affecting a dog’s life expectancy. Dog breeds that result from inbreeding are usually more susceptible to diseases and therefore do not reach the maximum age.
In mixed breed dogs, on the other hand, a completely new composition of genetics is created. It is assumed that mixed breeds have a longer life expectancy than pedigree dogs, as it can be ensured here that no inbreeding has taken place.
Here the life expectancy of the dogs depends on which breeds were involved in the creation of the respective mixed link.
Regular check-ups: Regular dog check-ups are crucial to a dog’s lifespan. This is the only way that any diseases can be detected early and treated in good time. This includes, for example, regular deworming to protect dogs from parasites. In addition, dogs should be vaccinated against diseases that can be caused by ticks.
What is the maximum age a dog can get?
The life expectancy of a dog depends on various factors, such as B. the size.
Small dog breeds can therefore reach a higher age than larger dogs. On average, dogs live 10-16 years.
Signs of senility in dogs
Basically, there is no exact time value that can be used to determine that the dog is old. However, the following symptoms are considered signs of typical signs of aging in dogs:
- The dog’s physical activity decreases.
- The dog runs slower.
- The dog’s stamina decreases.
- The dog’s ability to react decreases.
- The dog sleeps more than before.
- The hair around the muzzle and in the head area turns white.
- The dog’s fur is no longer very shiny.
- The eyes become cloudy.
- The dog is more prone to diseases.
- The dog’s hearing and vision weaken.
- The dog is less adaptable.
- The dog’s immune system degrades, making it more susceptible to disease.
- The endocrine system changes.
If you notice any of these symptoms or any changes over a short period of time, be sure to have your pet checked out by a vet to make sure it is not a serious condition. Aging is not considered a disease, it is a phase of the dog’s life.
Is a dog 10 years old?
Basically, there is no exact time value for when a dog is considered old. However, there are several signs that point to signs of aging.
These dog breeds have a particularly high life expectancy
If you want a four-legged friend that will accompany you through life for as long as possible, the following dog breeds are particularly suitable:
- Miniature Poodles, Dachshunds, Jack Russel Terriers, and Chihuahuas can live anywhere from 14 to 18 years old.
- Border Collies can live between 13 and 16 years.
- The Doberman and the Pug can live between 12-15 years.
- Labradors can live between 12-14 years.
- Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and the Bernese Mountain Dog can live between 11 and 13 years.
- The Great Dane can live 8-10 years.
- How old was the world’s oldest dog?
The Guinness Book of Records lists the Australian Cattle Dog “Blue Eye” as the oldest dog in the world. According to the chronicle, he was 29 years, 6 months, and 12 days old.
How old do dogs get? – Calculation of dog years in human years
The statement that a dog’s year of life corresponds to seven human years has long been obsolete.
Since it is known that the size of the four-legged friend plays an important role in its life expectancy, the values adapt accordingly to the size of the dog: small, medium, and large dog breeds.
Since small dogs grow up faster than large four-legged friends, their first year of life already counts as more human years than for a medium-sized or large dog.
So it comes about that the age of a small dog after the first year of life already corresponds to 15 human years, the age of a medium-sized dog after the first year of life means 10 human years and the age of a large dog after the first year of life only means 8 human years.
The conversion into human years does not correspond to a uniform increase within the various races in the years to come either.
The age of a small dog after 10 years of age corresponds to 60 human years. The age of a medium-sized dog after the age of 10 already corresponds to 75 human years and the age of a large dog already corresponds to 94 human years.
While the small breeds are already older in human years in the beginning, the medium and large dogs age faster in old age than the dogs of the small dog breeds.
To illustrate the rules of thumb for the conversion in a table:
Human ages: 1 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 13 14 15 20
Small breeds: 15 28 32 40 48 56 60 68 72 76 80 100
Medium breeds:10 27 33 45 57 69 75 87 93 99
Large breeds: 8 22 31 49 67 85 94
Why do humans live longer than dogs?
For a long time, the rule of thumb was that one dog year equals seven human years. This rule is now obsolete, but a dog year is already several human years so that dogs can reach the equivalent of a human being.
