We want all of our dogs to live long, healthy lives for their benefit as well as ours. With the growing rates of cancer and other ailments in our beloved canines, the median lifespans seem to be getting shorter and shorter. With that said, there are many breeds that still, on average, live a very long time.
Larger dogs typically don’t live as long as smaller ones, but you may be surprised at some of the breeds that made the list!
#1 – Chihuahua
One of the smallest dog breeds, the Chihuahua is a toy breed from Mexico that was primarily kept as a family companion. They are one of the more popular dog breeds in the United States and have a median life expectancy of 12-20 years.
#2 – Rat Terrier
The Rat Terrier was developed as a general purpose farm and hunting dog. It was used to eliminate vermin around the property and still excels at this task today. Rat Terriers have an average life expectancy of 15-18 years.
#3 – Lagotto Romagnolo
The Lagotto Romagnolo is a medium-sized Italian breed originally bred as a water retrieving dog. Today, however, it is mostly used for truffle hunting. This breed lives an average of 15-17 years.
