Dogs long and short life spans

Owners of large dogs are aware…generally the life span of the small dog well exceeds that of a large dog. There have been several theories about why this is the case but researchers haven’t yet been able to pin point the reason/s.  Big dogs age faster and some believe that the way humans have intervened with creating breeds is to blame.  Others consider energy output and food intake deciding factors.

A researcher in Missouri has used a numerical model to determine the relationship between a dogs adult size and its lifespan.  At birth, for e.g. a smaller breed may weigh around 10 percent of the bodyweight it will achieve on reaching adulthood.  Larger breeds may only weigh a few, or as little as one percent of their eventual body weight.  This, along with other factors, means that more energy will be spent reaching their potential size.  The proposed deduction is that this will leave lesser energy to be spent on maintaining health.

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)