It is not very unlikely to find at least one dog in most homes around the U.S. One can find breeds of all different sizes, shapes and colors ranging in these family households. Almost 50 million households in the U.S. own at least one dog, according to avma.org.

 Dogs can be the best emotional support pillows, reducing stress, anxiety and depression. They can be used in family homes as a child’s best friend and as the family guard dog. However, the most devastating fact is that dogs, the most innocent and loyal living creatures, do not live that long. But why is that?

Most dogs live, on average, anywhere from eight to 15 years. Granted that they are one of the most loved and loyal living creatures in the world today, why is it that they live such short lives? According to sunsetvetclinic.com, there are a variety of overall reasons why a dog’s life can be so short. Many reasons such as their size, living environment, daily diet, frequency of exercise, weight or dental health. The main reason, that can almost predict their life span as a puppy however, is their genetics. 

Smaller dogs often have a lifespan closer to around 15 years of age. However, most larger dogs have a lifespan of around 10 years of age. Why is this? It is said that even if you have the most healthy and disease free dog, their genetics will still play a larger role than their overall health. Dogs grow at a faster rate than humans do. In just six months a dog can gain two thirds of his adult weight, while a baby only gains, on average, about eight pounds. However, smaller dogs do not weigh or grow as much as larger dogs do, hence why they occasionally live five years longer. One theory on why larger dogs have shorter life spans is because their organs grow at a faster rate and need to work a lot harder to keep up with the rest of the dogs’ body maintenance and health. 

Although us humans want to do everything we can to help our dogs live their longest and healthiest lives, there are some things that are out of our control. As a dog owner, it is important to keep your dog up with their vet appointments, make sure that they get plenty of exercise to stay healthy and to feed them the appropriate amount and kind of food. The lifespan of a dog is determined precisely on the breed of the dog. With the expected size and weight of the dog, it is usually easy to predict how long your furry friend will have on earth. Your life may consist of having many different dogs. However, to your dog you are his/her whole life, so it is important to focus solely on the dog you have now and not the kind of dog you want in the future.