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Determining a dog's age in human years is a tricky task, as we can't measure two different dogs in the same way. Other factors such as diseases, crossing of nearby blood lines also end up defining this variable.
In this article by Animal Expert we will try to explain how to calculate the age of our dog depending on the different factors that exist. Keep reading and find out how old does a dog live.
A dog's age and life expectancy
It was always believed that a human year corresponded to 7 dog years but this belief has become obsolete and today there are other more reliable formulas to calculate the age of a dog.
But what is certain is that the age of a dog is not the only factor that determines the stage of age of a dog, besides the years, it will depend on the size of a dog and its breed. The life expectancy of a giant dog such as the São Bernardo is approximately 8 years, although they can live up to 10. In small dogs, which are also mutts, the life expectancy can reach up to 20 years , although as we will see below there are dogs that have lived much longer.
In medium-sized dogs, such as the Chow Chow, the average longevity is around 14 years. We can name two cases of longevity: the record is for Bluey, an Australian shepherd dog who lived 29 years between 1910 and 1939. But it is also of special mention the case of Pusuke, a Japanese dog, crossbred with shiba-inu, who lived 26 years and 9 months.
In short, you will find a lot of information on the Internet about the life expectancy of some breeds, but actually a dog. will live more or less depending on your diet, from your physical activity, the absence of disease and very important, the affection you receive from your human family.
Why do stray dogs last longer?
Purebred or pedigree dogs were often crossed uncontrollably, crossing in numerous cases related individuals, this translates into a high inbreeding, which brings associated genetic diseases, such as hip dysplasia.
On the other hand, in stray dogs the genetic variety it is greatly increased, which reduces hereditary diseases. While this influences a dog's life expectancy as well as its size, it is also very important to remember that proper care can significantly extend its life.
