How Long Do Dogs Live, In Terms Of Human Years?

[isanbirder]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22458083

1 dog year = 7 human years? It's much more complex than that. In general large breeds die younger than small breeds.

My 3kg 4-month-old toy poodle has a long life ahead of her. I wonder which whether I'll go before she does!.

[Mosha]

One of our friends has a small dog, she's 14 year old or 98

[Thaddeus]

Our local resort had a big Rottie, lovely dog, more likely to lick your arm off than anything else, he died last month aged nine.

A small bar/resto close by has a min poodle who is aged 13, she can't see as well as she used to but still quite sprightly, and she should be the size of a house with all the food she nicks from me.

[Songhua]

We have a corgi cross. He's 15. He can only see out of one eye, has lost his sense of smell, is half bald and walks head-on into things. A couple of weeks ago he fell over sideways while eating! Poor old fella, sadly we'll probably lose him this year.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Songhua

[isanbirder]

In Hong Kong I had a terrier type who was 14, and very crochety. One day, my other two dogs, a big female German Shepherd and a Labrador cross, decided her time had come, and went for her, together. I managed to rescue her before she actually got hurt.... but there was no keeping her after that, and we had to have her put down. I'd never heard of this happening, but I seriously wonder if dogs do practice a form of euthanasia on old dogs who can't keep up with the pack.

[Cuban]

The lifespan equation is more complicated than that offered by the BBC.

Often with ALL animals average lifespan is a function of number of heartbeats, called the Heartbeat hypothesis.

But any life will be affected by nutrition and disease exposure during a life time.

With humans, the most long lived seem to have low BMI and good exercise/activity, no reason to assume that the same factors apply to dogs.

[lazeeboy]

My cocker spanial was 14 and fit as a fiddle until cancer got her last year had a rockweiler and a dalmation both died at 9 years ..

[JusMe]

At one time, there was a common belief that one dog year equalled seven human years. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Some of the calculation depends on the size of the dog. And then there’s a variation related to the actual years of the dog.

A one-year-old small or medium sized dog is about 15 human years old.

When the dog reaches two, he is the equivalent of a 24-year-old person.

After that, each year is about four human years. This means that a nineyear- old dog is about the same as a 52-year-old person.

Large and giant breed dogs initially age slower but then age quickly. At one year of age, he is about the same physiologically as a 12-year-old

child. After that, each year follows the standard seven human years.

The average canine life span is around 12 years but differs from breed to breed. By the time most dogs reach seven years of age, they are entering their senior years. For giant breed dogs, five years old is considered the beginning of old age. The record for the longest canine life span is 29 years.

[taotoo]

In Hong Kong I had a terrier type who was 14, and very crochety. One day, my other two dogs, a big female German Shepherd and a Labrador cross, decided her time had come, and went for her, together. I managed to rescue her before she actually got hurt.... but there was no keeping her after that, and we had to have her put down. I'd never heard of this happening, but I seriously wonder if dogs do practice a form of euthanasia on old dogs who can't keep up with the pack.

So you rescued her then killed her?

[anon210]

Currently, I have an old mix of husky and fox who is aged 18 years. Does not see well anymore, is deaf, but still strong for his age.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[isanbirder]

In Hong Kong I had a terrier type who was 14, and very crochety. One day, my other two dogs, a big female German Shepherd and a Labrador cross, decided her time had come, and went for her, together. I managed to rescue her before she actually got hurt.... but there was no keeping her after that, and we had to have her put down. I'd never heard of this happening, but I seriously wonder if dogs do practice a form of euthanasia on old dogs who can't keep up with the pack.

So you rescued her then killed her?

Sad, wasn't it? What would you have done? Nowhere to keep her apart from the other two; the same scenario would have happened again, and she would have suffered a much nastier death.

[asdecas]

We have a corgi cross. He's 15. He can only see out of one eye, has lost his sense of smell, is half bald and walks head-on into things. A couple of weeks ago he fell over sideways while eating! Poor old fella, sadly we'll probably lose him this year.

A miracle - someone who can spell "lose"!

[taotoo]

In Hong Kong I had a terrier type who was 14, and very crochety. One day, my other two dogs, a big female German Shepherd and a Labrador cross, decided her time had come, and went for her, together. I managed to rescue her before she actually got hurt.... but there was no keeping her after that, and we had to have her put down. I'd never heard of this happening, but I seriously wonder if dogs do practice a form of euthanasia on old dogs who can't keep up with the pack.

So you rescued her then killed her?

Sad, wasn't it? What would you have done? Nowhere to keep her apart from the other two; the same scenario would have happened again, and she would have suffered a much nastier death.

I suppose in a worst case scenario I might have done the same. I'd like to think I would exhaust all other options first though.

[Sheryl]

At one time, there was a common belief that one dog year equalled seven human years. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Some of the calculation depends on the size of the dog. And then there’s a variation related to the actual years of the dog.

A one-year-old small or medium sized dog is about 15 human years old.

When the dog reaches two, he is the equivalent of a 24-year-old person.

After that, each year is about four human years. This means that a nineyear- old dog is about the same as a 52-year-old person.

Large and giant breed dogs initially age slower but then age quickly. At one year of age, he is about the same physiologically as a 12-year-old

child. After that, each year follows the standard seven human years.

The average canine life span is around 12 years but differs from breed to breed. By the time most dogs reach seven years of age, they are entering their senior years. For giant breed dogs, five years old is considered the beginning of old age. The record for the longest canine life span is 29 years.

Thanks for that, very interesting.

My Chihuahua is I think about 10 (he was a rescue so not certain), which puts him at 56. A very healthy, fit 56 I might add, who still runs like the wind and has never been cik. He's a standard size Chi, which I think helps, the miniatures seem to me much less healthy, perhaps from inbreeding.

[meatboy]

i have looked after my neighbours little minuture who is 10 this year what would that make him,he's like a teenager when there's a bitch on heat around

[overherebc]

GSD's seem to live around 7 to 9 years out here, in the uk maybe a few years longer. I think it has a lot to do with the tick and heartworm problem. You can control it with the usual medication but I still believe it has a strong effect on the dogs lifespan.

We haven't had a tick problem for about three years now. We get the garden sprayed once a year and never have any strays actually in the garden and try to minimise contact with any other dogs when out and a good shampoo, dog that is, with anti-tick, 'Bearing' when we get back.