Shop
 Explore 

Why do small dogs live longer than large ones? Here's a simple scientific explanation.

Dogs aren't like the rest of the animal kingdom.

via Jairo Alzate/Unsplash and Ben Griffiths/Unsplash

A Chihuahua and a Great Dane

A basic rule throughout nature is that larger animals tend to live longer than smaller ones. Elephants saunter into their sixties and whales can cruise the ocean for centuries, whereas mice live about a year or two and the common house fly won’t make it past a month.

The major reasons for the discrepancy are slower metabolisms and reduced risks from predators. However, there is a disconnect when it comes to man’s best friend. On average, smaller dogs tend to outlive larger ones.

For instance, petite Chihuahuas can live up to 15 years, outliving their significantly larger counterparts, Great Danes, by a solid 8 years. What’s to account for the huge difference in lifespan?

Dogs diverge from the rest of the animal kingdom regarding longevity primarily because of how they mature as puppies.

According to Discover Magazine, larger breeds suffer from more physical ailments when they age because they expend more of their early resources for growth instead of maintaining their bodies. This can lead to more damage on the cellular level that doesn’t manifest until the dog has reached adulthood. This lowers a larger dog's defenses against cancer while also raising the possibility of DNA replication damage that can lead to cancer at a later age.

To put it simply: Larger dogs grow up fast, which leads to a faster decline.

"There's a body of robust theory in evolutionary biology—what we call 'life history theory' – about the way animals allocate their resources to different functions," evolutionary biologist Professor Mark Elgar of the University of Melbourne's School of Biosciences told Phys.org. "The bottom line is, there is no free lunch.”

"We conclude that large dogs die young mainly because they age quickly," Elgar says.

It appears that all that wear and tear on a large breed dog’s body as they rapidly grow can harm its health in the long run. A group of undergraduate students from Colgate University in New York found that as puppies, large breed dogs have significantly more free radicals in their cells, which can lead to damage that has long-lasting effects.

Free radicals steal parts from other molecules, which causes damage and can lead to aging and disease.

Being a dog lover is bittersweet because you know that you and your furry friend will have to say goodbye one day. I guess that’s what makes the time together so special. Your time together is finite, so it’s best to enjoy it together while you can.

The good news is that, as pet owners, if we take good care of our dogs, they can have the best chance of living a long and happy life. The American Kennel Club offers this list of tips to promote your dog’s longevity and quality of life:

Feeding a healthy diet
Helping maintain a healthy weight
Encouraging breed- and age-appropriate physical and mental exercise
Taking our dogs for annual veterinary checkups and vaccinations
Providing preventive dental care
Administering heartworm, flea and tick preventatives
Keeping them safe from accidents
Giving love and affection

From Your Site Articles

dogs

Community

Wonder how volunteering can change your life? Ask a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Those who give back get so much in return.

True

Larissa Gummy was first introduced to the work of the Peace Corps in high school. All it took was seeing a few photos shared by her ninth-grade teacher, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, to know that one day, she would follow in those footsteps.

This inspiration eventually led Larissa away from her home in Minnesota to Rwanda in East Africa, to give back to her family’s country of origin and pursue her passion for international development. Though her decision confused her parents at first, they’re now proud and excited to see what their daughter has accomplished through her volunteer work.

And just what was that work? Well, it changed from day to day, but it all had to do with health.

Mostly, Larissa worked for Rwanda’s First 1,000 Days Health project, which aims to improve the conditions that affect the mortality rate of kids within the first 1,000 days of being born (or almost three years old). These conditions include hygiene, nutrition, and prevention of childhood diseases like malaria and acute respiratory infections (ARI). Addressing malnutrition was a particular focus, as it continues to cause stunted growth in 33% of Rwandan children under the age of five.

In partnership with the local health center, Larissa helped with vaccination education, led nutrition classes, offered prenatal care to expecting mothers, and helped support health education in surrounding communities. Needless to say—she stayed busy with a variety of tasks.

Keep ReadingShow less

community

Identity

13 side-by-side portraits of people over 100 with their younger selves

These powerful before-and-after photos reveal just how beautiful aging can be.

Centenarians — people 100 years or older — are a rarity. Their lives are often scrutinized as holding the key to aging.

Czech photographer Jan Langer's portrait series "Faces of Century" shows them in a different light: as human beings aged by years of experience, but at their deepest level, unchanged by the passing of time.

In the series, Langer juxtaposes his portraits with another portrait of the subject from decades earlier. He recreates the original pose and lighting as closely as he can — he wants us to see them not just as they are now, but how they have and haven't changed over time. That is the key to the series.

Keep ReadingShow less

Joy

An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

KTVB/YouTube

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

Keep ReadingShow less

family

Internet

Someone created a video of what it's like to party in your 30s and it's internet gold

Everybody out by 10.

Malena Tudi|TikTok

A real life look into what it looks like to party in your 30s

Something happens at some unknown point in your 30s where partying no longer looks the same as it did when you were in your early 20s. There's no real warning. In fact, sometimes it happens mid-party. You're having a good time dancing, taking a Jägerbomb, then you slowly feel the youthful excitement drift from your body.

You realize you have a big meeting Monday you have to prepare for and you'd rather hear your cat's best motorcycle impression than spend one more second being bumped into by sweaty people in the club. And just like that, a different partying expectation is formed. One where you know that dropping it low may mean that you can't get back up.

Where sensible shoes take priority and you're not going if there aren't comfortable chairs, a reasonable end time and music at an acceptable decibel level. Malena Tudi, perfectly captured what it's like to party in your 30s, it's instantly clear that bumping and grinding with strangers isn't on the list.

Keep ReadingShow less

tineco mop-vac

Why do small dogs live longer than large ones? Here's a simple scientific explanation.

Dogs aren't like the rest of the animal kingdom.

Those who give back get so much in return.

These powerful before-and-after photos reveal just how beautiful aging can be.

Centenarians — people 100 years or older — are a rarity. Their lives are often scrutinized as holding the key to aging.

1. Prokop Vejdělek, at age 22 and 101

2. Bedřiška Köhlerová, at age 26 and 103

3. Ludvík Chybík, at age 20 and 102

4. Vincenc Jetelina, at age 30 and 105

5. Marie Fejfarová, at age 101

6. Antonín Kovář, at age 25 and 102

7. Anna Vašinová, at age 22 and 102

8. Stanislav Spáčil, at age 17 and 102

9. Anna Pochobradská, at age 30 and 100

10. Antonín Baldrman, at age 17 and 101

11. Marie Burešová, at age 23 and 101

12. Vlasta Čížková, at age 23 and 101

13. Ludmila Vysloužilová, at age 23 and 101

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

It was the largest such event ever filmed.

Photographer James Balog and his crew were hanging out near a glacier when their camera captured something extraordinary.

It was the largest such event ever filmed.

But once upon a time, Balog was openly skeptical about that "global warming" thing.

In fact, it wasn't until 2005 that Balog became a believer.

Watch the video of the event of the glacier calving below:

Talk about playing hard to get.

No more going cross-eyed!

Everybody out by 10.