Aging in dogs

As with humans, advanced years often bring changes in a dog's ability to hear, see, and move about easily.

The accelerated rate of growth required by the drastic change in size exhibited in giant breeds is speculated by scientists at the American Kennel Club to lead to a higher risk of abnormal cell growth and cancer.

Researchers suggest that dog age depends on DNA methylation which is an epigenetic process.

[8] A random-bred dog (also known as a mongrel or a mutt) has an average life expectancy of 13.2[citation needed] years in the Western world.

The total sample size for his study was about 584,734 unique dogs located in the UK, of which 284,734 were deceased.

[11] Apart from breed, several factors influence life expectancy: For more information, see Health effects of neutering.

A major study of dog longevity, which considered both natural and other factors affecting life expectancy, concluded that: In 2024, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports involving 584,734 British dogs across over 150 breeds revealed that larger breeds and those with flattened faces tended to have shorter average lifespans compared to smaller dogs and breeds with elongated snouts.

Their bodies begin to develop problems that are less common at younger ages, they are more prone to serious or fatal conditions such as cancer, stroke, etc.

They also become less able to handle change, including wide climatic or temperature variation, and may develop dietary or skin problems or go deaf.