German Shepherd Lifespan. german shepherd how long do german dogs live

Every dog ​​owner sooner or later asks the question: “how long do dogs live?” Different breeds of dogs have different average life expectancy, below we will talk about German Shepherds. All dogs are descended from the same wild dogs that look like wolves. In principle, wolves and dogs have common ancestors. In nature, animals do not live to old age, so the average life span of wolves and wild dogs is only 5-6 years, no more. The same applies to feral, stray dogs. Dogs that live close to humans live longer. Different breeds of dogs have different life spans. The larger the dog, the shorter its life.

The life expectancy of a German Shepherd is, on average, ten to fourteen years.

How to prolong a dog's age

There are long-livers and among dogs. What needs to be done to make your dog live longer than usual? First, you need to carefully monitor her health.

This means giving her vaccinations on time, not missing preventive visits to the veterinarian - some canine diseases are recognized only by a doctor in the early stages, and timely assistance significantly prolongs the life of your four-legged friend. Your dog's diet should be balanced - contain the right amount of proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and trace elements.

You can not overfeed the dog - excess weight shortens the life of everyone, both people and dogs. And, of course, the dog should be outdoors for a sufficiently long time and receive physical activity.

Shepherds-record holders

How long do long-lived German Shepherds live? Many shepherd dogs have lived for more than 14 years. Cases have been recorded when shepherd dogs lived to be 18-20 years old, but this is rather an exception. Knowing that your shepherd will live only 10-14 years, do not be upset. After all, it depends on you how happy her life will be.

The world is duller without a dog

If you have a German Shepherd, you are in luck! Only this breed of dog can do everything that each breed can do individually - from the search for criminals to babysitting. If you decide to get a dog, but don't know which breed to choose, choose a German Shepherd! And no matter how many years you live under the same roof - every day of communication with this dog will be filled with deep meaning and happiness, both for you and for your dog!

Before getting a puppy, you should ask how many years a German Shepherd lives. Some owners do not think about how old these dogs can live, and it comes as a surprise to them that, on average, at 10-11 years old, such a pet is already moving into the category of “elderly”.

How many years do German Shepherds live

Dogs of the German Shepherd breed are not long-livers. It is known that large dogs live less decorative pets.

The average lifespan of a German Shepherd is 10 to 15 years.

This period is influenced by many factors, such as health, lifestyle, complexion, size.

There is a table by which you can determine the approximate correspondence between the age of a German shepherd and a person:

Up to 1.5 years old, a shepherd dog is considered a teenager, and the animal is fully formed only by 2-3 years.

From 3 to 6-7 years old, the German is most active. At this age, diseases of the musculoskeletal system rarely appear, so an adult dog can move a lot and lead a full life.

Health problems begin when the shepherd turns 8-9 years old. During this period, genetic diseases can manifest themselves, joints begin to break down and hurt. By the age of 10-11, many heavy Germans experience discomfort when walking, move less, prefer to rest more.

At 13-15 years old, large dogs are considered centenarians. At this age, they need rest, full and easily digestible food, a warm and dry room.

What affects life expectancy

Many factors affect the life expectancy of Germans:

Animal size and build

Not all German Shepherds are the same weight and height. Larger dogs are known to live 1-3 years less. For example, a dog weighing 50-60 kg and 65-70 cm tall will live less than an animal of the same breed with a body weight of up to 40 kg and a height at the withers of up to 60 cm.

Lifestyle

Many German Shepherds are kept on a chain or in an outdoor enclosure all their lives. But even here the conditions may be different. A dog deprived of walks and constantly fastened to a short chain (up to 2-3 meters) will live less than an animal that regularly goes for a walk and is kept on a long leash or block (from 4-5 meters). The same applies to pets living at home. A German leading an active lifestyle (long walks, training) will live longer than an animal that is taken out for a walk for 1 hour a day.

gender

There is an opinion that males live less than females by 1.5-2 years, but this depends not only on gender, but also on size (males are always larger and more massive than females).

Diet

A permanent deficiency of minerals and vitamins leads to metabolic disorders and the development of diseases that can shorten life. Therefore, it is important to correctly compose the diet of the animal.

Psychological environment and communication with the owner

The Germans need constant human contact. Animals deprived of this are under constant stress, and this affects their life span. Shepherd dogs that live in constant isolation die earlier than pets that have constant contact with the owner.

Presence of genetic diseases

Many Germans suffer from diseases of the musculoskeletal system (dysplasia, inflammation of the joints, arthritis, osteochondrosis, etc.). Representatives of the breed are also prone to dermatitis, allergies and other skin ailments. Animals with such diseases live less than healthy shepherd dogs.

The weight

Some owners constantly feed their pets, and as a result, they get very fat. Excess weight is a big load on all organ systems, so obese dogs die earlier than lean and lean ones.

How to increase the life span of a German Shepherd

Many owners seek to extend the life of their beloved four-legged friend.

Here are a few rules to follow:

Watch your dog's weight

Obesity is harmful even to a young organism, and for an elderly animal it is deadly. Excess weight is an increased load on the joint tissues, which leads to arthrosis, arthritis and other diseases. The internal organs are covered with a thick layer of fat and can no longer function normally. Be sure to control the rate of foods that the dog eats. It is better to keep an elderly shepherd in a condition in which the ribs are well felt.

Having daily exercise

Many animals, whose age has “passed over” for 10-11 years, prefer to lie down more and refuse to take long walks. But movement is vital for shepherd dogs. Make your pet go out at least for a short walk, if necessary, stop to rest.

Eliminate stress

Please your four-legged friend more often. It is not known how long an elderly animal will live, so communicate with him every day, stroke the dog, offer him his favorite treats. Do not bring new pets into the house, as this may adversely affect the health of an elderly animal.

Regular check-ups at the veterinarian

Take your dog to the doctor more often. Every six months, you need to take urine and blood for analysis, this will allow you to detect the development of the disease in time and begin treatment.

Keep giving the animal a mental challenge

Sheepdogs are in dire need of regular exercise. Even if your pet has become elderly, do not stop learning new commands and repeating old ones.

Conclusion

If the quality of life of an old shepherd has deteriorated significantly, she is in severe pain, and no auxiliary measures help to alleviate her condition, it is worth considering humane euthanasia. For this procedure, it is better to invite an experienced veterinarian to your home so that the dog leaves calmly in his usual home environment.

German Shepherds do not live as long as many would like. However, if you choose a puppy in a good kennel from strong and healthy parents, there is a chance that the pet will live up to 15-16 years. Follow all the rules of keeping: proper diet, regular active walks, periodic examination by a doctor.

If you have settled a German Shepherd puppy in your house, he will soon become a full member of the family, a faithful, devoted friend. This breed deservedly enjoys the love and popularity of dog breeders. German Shepherds perfectly cope with the duties of guards, bloodhounds, rescuers, shepherds, guides. They are smart, loyal, trainable, disciplined, hardy, have a cheerful disposition and good health.

Sooner or later, the owner of the dog wonders how long the four-legged friend will be around, how many years German shepherds live, whether it is possible to extend the life of the pet.

How long do German Shepherds live

Unfortunately, dogs don't live long. Wild and stray dogs, their distant relatives wolves live in the wild for only 5-6 years. Next to a caring owner, the life expectancy of a four-legged friend increases by more than 2 times. The bigger the dog the less years he has been given. For example, the fox terrier lives an average of 15 years, while the life expectancy of a German shepherd is only 10-14. Among them there are centenarians who have exchanged the 18-year milestone, but this is the exception, not the rule.

How to extend the life of a pet

The lifespan of a German Shepherd depends to a large extent on its owner. If factors such as heredity and health given to a puppy at birth cannot be changed in your power, then you can influence others. The conditions that determine the lifespan of dogs are as follows:

• complete nutrition;
• active lifestyle, physical activity;
• taking care of the health of the pet, including the psychological climate;
• complete rest.

Food

How many years will your pet live how full and active life depends largely on nutrition. Excess weight for a dog is the same problem as for a person. It creates an additional load on all body systems. Provide your pet with a proper balanced diet, systematically control weight, especially older animals.

Tempting composition of dry food(meat, vegetables, vitamins and minerals) and the lack of hassle of preparation tempt dog owners to use "drying" for feeding. But responsible breeders do not use industrial feeds, including those belonging to the elite class.

An adult German Shepherd is fed twice a day. A balanced diet includes raw and thermally processed foods:

• beef, lean pork, poultry (chickens, turkey, geese) without bones, fat and skin;
• offal, excluding kidneys;
• boiled fillet of any sea fish;
• oatmeal, buckwheat, rice porridge, with excess weight - barley, with insufficient - wheat, barley;
• chicken eggs in any form;
• dairy products, including cottage cheese; milk, if the animal tolerates it well;
• any vegetables raw, boiled or stewed, potatoes and corn - exclusively raw, cabbage - boiled or stewed;
• fruits can be given everything except those that provoke diarrhea and allergies.

Vegetable oil, a little salt, tricalcium phosphate, vitamin and mineral complexes, brewer's yeast, bone meal are added to food.

Physical activity

The German Shepherd needs to move a lot, as physical activity is genetically inherent in it. The inability to expend energy negatively affects the character of the dog, it becomes nervous and overly excitable.

It has been observed that dogs living in rural areas and actively moving live much longer than urban relatives. So for a city pet it is important to ensure the possibility of long, at least two hours a day, walks, training at training grounds, hiking in the forest or mountains. Take your four-legged friend on a mile-long run or bike ride. An active life will benefit not only the dog, but also the owner.

With age, when the animal becomes more difficult to move, physical activity is reduced.

Health

German Shepherds are healthy, nevertheless, you should monitor the well-being of your ward. Get vaccinated regularly, consult a doctor for any seemingly minor health problems with your four-legged friend.

Most often, German Shepherds are prone to diseases:

The psychological situation affects the physical health of the German Shepherd. Don't leave her alone for too long. Loneliness is stressful for a dog.

If the animal lives in a family, where relationships are being sorted out all the time, scandals are not uncommon, this negatively affects his well-being, leads to cardiovascular diseases and even to the occurrence of tumors.

Try not to confront the dog. If the scandal could not be avoided, calm the dog, take it for a walk, play with it.

With proper care and maintenance, your four-legged friend can live 16-17 years. Fill every day of communication with him with love and joy.

Dogs have accompanied humans for hundreds of years. They differ from each other not only in their exterior, but also in their abilities, having the most diverse purpose. The most popular and versatile breed, whose representatives can carry out border and search work, save people, and also be just pets, are German shepherds.

How long do dogs live

Every owner sooner or later asks this question. dogs is small compared to other animals - for example, canaries live up to twenty years. The most devoted and intelligent animal, which has been in the service of man all his life, rarely lives as long. On average, dogs leave us at the age of 12-15 years.

Time flies pretty quickly when a small and funny puppy turns into a sedate, respectable dog. A few more years pass, and by about the age of eight, the animal enters a stage called old age. At this age, the dog tends to spend most of the time in peace and quiet. Her eyesight, hearing are weakening, various sores appear. The owner should show maximum attention and care to the aging pet.

What affects life expectancy

In many ways, how long a dog can live is influenced by its breed and size. Small dogs tend to live longer. For example, the life expectancy of the Fox Terrier often exceeds the 15-year milestone. The German Shepherd breed is a fairly large dog, so usually its maximum age is 12-13 years. But despite the statistics, there are many cases when representatives of this breed have lived much longer. With good content, this is quite possible. To do this, it is only necessary to comply with a number of conditions.

Nutrition is of paramount importance. The diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Therefore, be sure to need meat, vegetables, cereals. But at the same time try not to overfeed the animal.

The next condition for longevity is providing the dog with physical activity. Movement in the life of these animals plays a very important role. The German Shepherd breed was created for service, so these dogs especially need training and long walks.

And the last factor that affects life expectancy is the health of the pet. It is necessary to periodically visit the veterinary clinic for examination, since a timely detected disease is treated much faster. Preventive vaccinations are mandatory, which are given to dogs annually.

Feeding

Like all other pets, German shepherds also need good nutrition. How long these dogs live depends largely on their diet. Show animals are fed mainly with super premium dry food. They contain a lot of protein, as well as chondoprotectors necessary for ligaments and joints.

If the dog is on natural feeding, the owner should ensure that up to 70% of the diet is raw meat and offal. The menu must include boiled vegetables, cereals (oatmeal and rice), cottage cheese and yogurt. Many shepherds enjoy eating apples. Before the dog reaches the age of two, vitamin preparations must be added to the food.

Lifestyle

Regardless of where the German Shepherd lives - in an apartment or in the courtyard of a country house, she needs daily long walks in the fresh air. By nature, it contains the need for physical activity and an active lifestyle. In the absence of the opportunity to spend energy, the dog's character begins to deteriorate, excessive excitability and nervousness appear. Therefore, outdoor activities are simply necessary for her.

Most dogs, thanks to their ingenuity, are happy to learn various commands, but German shepherds are especially successful in this. How long they live next to a person - they have always been distinguished by the ability to memorize words and whole phrases uttered by the owner. These dogs are very happy to work out on the training ground or just kick the ball.

It has been established that shepherd dogs living in rural areas, where there are all opportunities for active pastime, live much longer than their counterparts who are forced to live in comfortable apartments. Therefore, in order for the city pet to live as long as possible, he needs to provide physical activity. Long walks, training on the training ground, cycling - these are the activities that German Shepherds prefer. How long these dogs live in the house - so much time and you have to do this. Loads decrease only in the mature age of the pet, when it becomes difficult for him to move a lot.

health care

German Shepherds are among the breeds whose health is rarely a concern for owners. However, there are some inherent diseases. These are primarily various skin problems - allergies and dermatitis. Nutritional control and timely vaccination helps to cope with them. Adult dogs on a natural diet sometimes suffer. In these cases, urgent surgical intervention is required.

In the house of an attentive and caring owner, the life expectancy of a German shepherd will be much more than accepted norms.