Most pet parents have probably heard the theory that crossbred dogs live longer and healthier lives than purebred dogs.
Do crossbreed dogs live longer?
While there is some research that supports the theory that some mixed breeds may live longer, it’s not a simple answer.
Dr. Annette Louviere, of Information panel A recent study by the University of California, Davis and Wisdom Panel found that breeds with higher reproductive rates require more veterinary care, says the Pet DNA Testing Service. It also found that after excluding brachycephalic breeds from the analysis, larger breeds in this category tend to require more health care than smaller sized breeds. And often, the varieties with the lowest number of crossbreeds come from either random (mutant) or recently bred (like Australian Labradoodle).
How long do mixed breed dogs live?
Louviere says a dog’s lifespan can vary depending on the dog’s size and breed. But the average dog lifespan for a medium-sized dog is generally thought to be between 10 and 13 years. The dogs with the longest lifespans include smaller breeds, which tend to outlive large and giant breeds.
Although it is difficult to predict, some sources say crossbreed dogs have an average lifespan of 11 years while others are up to 14 years, Dr. Louviere said. She said many factors influence the lifespan of mixed-breed dogs, which is what makes predicting life expectancy difficult. But in breeding and body size tend to play important roles in a dog’s lifespan.
However, that doesn’t mean hybrids will necessarily live longer. For example, a 2013 study by the University of California, Davis found that 13 of the 24 genetic disorders evaluated in the study were common in the same number of crossbreed dogs as purebred dogs.
Why do some dogs have a longer lifespan?
More research is needed to learn more about the aging process and lifespan in dogs.
Here is the idea behind Dog Aging Project, a nationwide longitudinal study of health aging in dogs. It aims to identify biological and environmental factors that influence healthy life expectancy. The Community Science Study collects information about each participating dog from the pet parents and their veterinarian, including information on medical history, activity, diet, cognitive function wake up and more. About 40,000 dogs have been enrolled in the study to date.
Daniel Promislow, principal investigator for the Canine Aging Project, was inspired to study the aging process in dogs through a 2007 article in the journal Science on Canine Size Inheritance. Daniel, who is also a professor in the Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and the Department of Biology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says he realizes that we can learn a lot by doing too much research. aging process in dogs, which is likely to occur in both dogs and humans. .
Over the past year, the Canine Aging Project researchers have analyzed their first-year data, he said.
“We found that among the dogs in our study, older dogs were less active. This is not surprising,” he said. “What surprised us was that older owners had more active dogs. When we think about this finding, we realize it could be because older employers have more free time, or because they are retired, or simply have more flexible work schedules.”
He says they have also found a strong link between feeding frequency and some diseases, but more information is needed before they can draw any conclusions from that. They are also now starting to analyze molecular biology data to begin looking for molecular signals about health and disease in dogs.
“We are also looking at how environmental variables ranging from air pollution to socioeconomic status and nearby parks are related to health,” he said.
He said the project and other studies have shown that for a given size, crossbreed dogs tend to live longer than purebred dogs by more than a year.
“We are very interested in understanding the underlying biology that influences the large differences in lifespan between purebred and mixed-breed dogs,” he said.
Improves average dog life
There are many experts, groups and animal lovers interested in finding ways to improve the lifespan of dogs. In reality, Cooperative functional dog aims to support the breeding and rearing of purebred, mixed and mixed dogs with an emphasis on physical and behavioral health. They have a private group on Facebook with 10.4 thousand members.
Of course, it all starts with information and education. Dr. Louviere says there are many helpful resources in the veterinary community, breeder clubs and reputable online sites where pet parents can find common health problems about purebred dogs. their strains. Information panel hosts an online breed library that includes information on the various genetic health conditions of reported breeds.
With ongoing research into canine longevity, we’ll soon have more insight into improving the lives of our beloved pets.
