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Is it true smaller dog breeds live longer than larger ones? Why?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Male | neutered | 6 years and 9 months old | 16 lbs

Why do small dogs live longer than big dogs?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Catherine Stecyk

Veterinarian

Published on April 1st, 2019

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is a good question, and we do not definitively have the answer. The reason why is still unknown, though some suggest that there are several possibilities, including that larger dogs may succumb to age-related illnesses sooner. Also, larger breeds grow from puppies to adults at an accelerated rate, and this may lead to a higher likelihood of abnormal cell growth and death from cancer. I hope this is helpful!

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