Joseph Roetheli, PhD
Highlights:
Dogs have shorter lifespans than ours, but being proactive about their care can help increase their longevity.
Taking care of your dog’s teeth may seem like an unexpected way to increase your dog’s healthspan, but it can pay dividends in their overall health.
Giving your dog Yummy Combs supports their oral care as well as their overall wellness.
Just how many years do we get with our dogs? The answer varies, and there are many factors that will determine how long a dog will live.
The experts at Yummy Combs want to see you and your dog enjoy many years together. We’ll talk about the average life expectancy of dogs and what you can do to support their long, healthy lives. We’ll also talk about how dental care plays a major role in keeping your dog healthy for years to come.
When discussing how long a dog may live, breed matters. If you’ve adopted your dog and aren’t sure what their breed is, you can guesstimate their lifespan based on their overall size. Dog breeds are classified into small breeds, medium breeds, large breeds, and giant breeds.
Worth noting is that mixed breeds typically have a longer lifespan than purebred dogs. This is likely because they have fewer occurrences of genetic illnesses and diseases because they aren’t being bred with other dogs that have similar genes.
Mixed breeds also experience fewer diseases that can be breed-specific. For instance, they tend to experience fewer breathing-related health problems than brachycephalic dogs (like French bulldogs).
Your dog ages faster than you age in human years, with an average of five “human years” for each year of a dog’s life after age three. The first year of a dog’s life will equate to approximately 15 human years and the second year approximately nine. That means that a dog that lives to be 10 years of age will actually live about 64 human years.
Taking into consideration that life span is also very breed-specific, let’s look at how long your own furry friend may be able to live.
Small breeds range from about 12 to 24 pounds and include breeds like Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Jack Russell Terrier, Pugs, Miniature Dachshunds, and Pomeranians. These dogs average a lifespan between 10 and 15 years, with some breeds (like Shih Tzu) reaching 18 years of age. Small dog breeds may live longer because their age-related illnesses are easier to manage than they are in large dog breeds.
Smaller dogs may have longer lifespans but are also very susceptible to dental disease, which is directly related to systemic illness and even organ failure. It’s very important to make sure these smaller dogs have proper dental care at home and professional cleanings every six months to one year.
Medium breed dogs can range from 20 to 60 pounds and include French Bulldogs, Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Australian Cattle Dogs, English Bulldogs, and Corgis. Medium-sized dogs have a life expectancy that ranges from 10 to 13 years, but plenty of medium breed dogs who are well-cared for can live longer.
Large breed dogs weigh at least 50 pounds and are at least 24 inches tall. This group of dogs includes Border Collies, Labrador Retrievers, Poodles, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Rottweilers. These larger breeds can live, on average, 10 to 12 years.
A larger dog’s health may begin to falter with age as they experience health issues like arthritis and back problems. They may also be prone to certain types of cancers more than other breeds of dogs.
Giant dog breeds are usually classified as dogs that weigh over 100 pounds and stand over 24 inches tall. These breeds include Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Mastiffs, and St. Bernards.
These dogs will have the shortest lifespans of all dog breeds, with an average life expectancy of eight to 10 years. This shortened lifespan may be due to joint problems and the difficulty in helping these dogs maintain a healthy weight. Most giant breeds are considered senior dogs at age six.
Whether you have a mixed-breed dog or a purebred, you can do your part to help support a long life expectancy for your pet.
Helping your dog live their longest life possible means being as proactive with their health as you are with their own. There are several ways to ensure your dog reaches their full potential and stays healthy and happy as they age.
Seeking regular veterinary care is important for your dog’s health. It keeps them updated on vaccinations and allows the vet to screen for illness. Checkups are also a great opportunity to discuss your dog’s weight and exercise levels. You’ll also want to have your dog’s teeth and gums checked at each visit.
Dogs can gain weight quickly. Their caloric needs are much smaller than ours. Preventing obesity in dogs means following the suggested serving sizes on their dog food, ensuring they get regular exercise, and accounting for treats by reducing their kibble.
If your dog is underweight, that may also affect their lifespan. This can be problematic for shelter dogs or dogs that have survived trauma. Discuss your dog’s weight at each veterinary visit so you can ensure your dog is within a healthy weight range.
Unless you plan to breed your dog, it is best to get them spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering can have benefits for your dog that include increasing their longevity. Spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, and also help manage unwanted behavioral issues with some breeds.
Your dog’s teeth, like your teeth, need daily attention. As humans, we brush and floss after each meal (or at least we try to) to ensure our teeth and gums remain healthy. Dogs don’t have the ability to brush or floss, so it’s our responsibility as their allies to do it for them.
Oral health is incredibly important because bacteria enter a dog’s body through the mouth. If a dog has gum disease, this bacteria can enter the gums and pass into the bloodstream, where it can create illness system-wide and even lead to organ failure.
Research shows that by age three, 80% of dogs have some form of periodontal disease, but only about 20% of their owners are aware of it. Regular dental screenings are a must to help reduce the risk of gum disease and help manage it if your dog has it, but at-home activities like tooth brushing and dental treats are essential to keeping your dog’s mouth healthy.
It might seem challenging to take care of your dog’s teeth, but with a little patience and practice, you and your dog will enjoy this bonding time together. It all starts with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a dog-safe toothpaste.
Many dogs don’t like to have their teeth touched. Begin your tooth brushing practice by encouraging your dog to allow you to touch their teeth. Lift their upper and lower lips and touch the teeth with your fingers, praising your dog when they allow it.
Give your dog an opportunity to sniff and lick the toothbrush before you attempt to brush. When brushing, start with the front teeth and work your way to the back as tolerated. Give plenty of breaks and praise.
When you are done, give your dog a dental treat, like Yummy CombsⓇ, to help floss and scrub their teeth and to reward them for a job well done.
Yummy Combs are designed to help fill in the oral care gaps most dogs experience due to a lack of consistent oral care. The unique honeycomb design gives your dog’s teeth a 360-degree scrubbing action and flosses between teeth to keep them clean.
Only Yummy Combs can remove up to 25% of hardened tartar from teeth, something that was previously thought only possible during professional cleanings. Yummy Combs are safe for your dog, with a design that hinders gulping and a proprietary ingredient that helps them dissolve quickly once they are swallowed.
Dogs will love their great taste, and dog owners will love the combination of dental care and 12 longevity-based ingredients (powered by the longevity experts at fatty15).
Your dog is your best friend and companion, and they deserve the longest, healthiest life possible. Taking good care of your pet means regular checkups, exercise and diet, and tackling dental care to help prevent gum disease and other negative health impacts.
Yummy Combs makes dental care easy and delicious.
Sources:
How Long Do Dogs Live? | PetMD.com
How to Calculate Dog Years to Human Years|American Kennel Club.org
Relation between periodontal disease and systemic diseases in dogs – ScienceDirect
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Always feed the right treat size for your dog’s weight category. Always supervise your dog when feeding treats. This product is an adult only dog treat. Always provide ample fresh water for your dog.
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