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Why do small dogs live longer than large dogs? Does anyone have an explanation for this? Regards from Samc and Bailey |
hmmmmmmmmmm........ i have heard it is because of their small size, they dont have as much blood to pump through the body, they dont have that much weight to carry around all the time, :confused: |
Good question... With our ddb, their average life span is around 8-9 years. With Bailey, we could be looking at 12-15 years. I would be curious to find out what the difference is |
Maybe the heart and organs have to work harder so they give up faster?? |
i dont know my chow chow lived up to 13 yrs old when he died :cool: :( so i dont know i think it depends on the dog itself a healthy big dog can live longer than a smalll dog |
My research over the years is that as a rule small dogs live longer than large. I found out that Boxers don't live as long. Scotties for a small dog doesn't live as long as a maltese. There are books that list them with the other stats on the breed. |
I could stand corrected but dont great danes only have a life span of 7 years? :) dianne :) |
We should all dig deeper. I was thinking it was genetic in nature for starters but don't know for sure. I know that wolves, especially the alphas tend to live 12 years or longer barring any accidents or diseases. They are large dogs, but are also very social. As our Yorkies (and other breeds) were downsized and or bred for special purposes like retrieving, guarding, pointing, herding, etc. something was compromised. Maybe their stress levels went up. Smaller dogs are more pampered so their stress levels are down. (I am reaching here, folks). All this as they got away from the "wolf". Whadya think? Love to all, Samc and Bailey |
This is a VERY interesting thread....I would love to know why too! |
i always though larger dogs lived longer since smaller dogs normally have more problems... i guess you learn something new every day :) |
Look at ourselves. Generally, really tall individuals live a shorter life span than those who are normal size (not sure about individuals shorter than 5 feet though). But people like Shaq tend to live to their 60s and possibly into their early 70s, while people w/ "average" heights stand a better chance of living to their 100th b-day. |
what is "average" height?? |
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While I'm no expert, I would assume that our organs would have to work harder (in taller individuals). Definitely a possibility. Larger individuals tend to be slower moving, not just because of sheer mass, but because their metabolism functions at a slower rate. Smaller individuals burn calories much quicker, in that they expend energy much quicker. In the gym, a smaller individual will put on more muscle mass quicker than a taller individual. Why? Well...the sheer physical size of the muscle is smaller in a shorter individual. It requires less nutrition, water, blood, glucose, etc. In colder climates, a larger individual will require more clothing to control the amount of body heat that is given off...compared to a smaller individual (because there is more surface area obviously). Look at Great Danes when you are at the dog park. They tend to have a small galloping step whereas Labs will outrun them. Great Danes also eat less food, which also means they have less energy to use. |
OK, so why do elephants, whales, etc. live to be so old? I have heard elephants live to be as old or older than people on average. Keep up the good work, turn your thinking caps on backwards, do your research. Take care, have a great weekend, Samc and Bailey :good job: |
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