According to the National Pet Food Association, the number of pet dogs in Spain soared seven million as of 2019. The Guinness Book of Records has confirmed that the 21-year-old dog lives in Greenacres, Florida (USA) and is the “oldest dog in the world.” It is curious that this is not just a dog, but a purebred, more precisely, chihuahua. This is one of the longest-living dog breeds and is distinguished by its small size, as well as its pronounced character, desire to play, intelligence and long lifespan. Here we will tell you more about why they are the longest living breed.
What is the longest living dog breed?
The Chihuahua is the longest-lived dog because small dogs tend to live longer than large ones. This is primarily due to the growth of these animals. One explanation is that big dogs grow faster than small ones because they reach a larger size in a short time. Therefore, rapid growth may be associated with accelerated aging and the likelihood of disease.
Research shows that some large breeds weighing about 40-50 kg live an average of 12-13 years, while some other breeds of the same size live only 8-9 years. It’s connected with genetic manipulations to which purebred dogs were subjected. This means that for a long time the focus was only on the appearance of purebred dogs, and not on the health consequences that inbreeding can have.
You should also see metabolism. Study published in the journal American naturalis shows that aging begins at about the same age in small and large breeds, however, metabolism of large breeds is faster. In any case, the genetic components that explain this aging are still unknown.
In conclusion, a giant dog will be considered old at six, a large dog at eight, and a medium-sized dog at ten… Some small dogs begin to age at twelve or thirteen. And of all the small dogs, Chihuahuas live the longest. In any case, this is not an exact rule and depends not only on this, but also on the care that the animal itself receives.
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