Having a Labrador Retriever as a companion in your home is wonderful, especially if you have the opportunity to have raised your dog from a puppy. However, dogs tend to be much more short-lived than humans, and many pet owners are concerned about how to give their dog the highest quality of living possible. There are many factors that influence how many years your Labrador Retriever will spend with you, some of which will depend on your responsibility as a pet owner.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A LABRADOR RETRIEVER?
The official average lifespan of a Labrador Retriever is said to be between 12 and 13 years. This is called the median age. The term “median age” refers to a point when half of a specific breed live past this age, while half are no longer alive. Labrador Retrievers have a relatively high median age compared to some other larger breeds (St. Bernard dogs only have a median age of 4.1 years!). However, it is possible for a Labrador Retriever to live longer than 13 years, with good lifestyle habits and attentive medical care.
GOOD LIFESTYLE HABITS
Many veterinary studies have proven that a fit Labrador lives much longer than an inactive or obese Labrador. In one study, there were two groups of 20 dogs: one group was fed low-quality dog food, and one group was fed high quality dog food in addition to exercise. By the age of 13, eleven of the dogs that had been fed better food were still alive, in contrast to one of the low-quality dog food group. Though some of these dogs died from disease, it is clear that some important lifestyle choices can affect how long your dog will live.
HOW TO HELP YOUR DOG LIVE LONGER
The most important thing to help your dog to live longer is to provide constant attention. Your dog is your companion, and will thrive off of the love that you show them. As a companion, it’s important that you feed your dog the highest quality pet food that you can afford. Lower quality pet foods may contain chemicals, indigestible nutrients, and a high carbohydrate content. Higher quality foods contain nutrients that are easily absorbed, and are much easier for your dog to digest.
Exercise is also very important when helping your dog to become healthy. Labrador Retrievers are very active, and will require at least 20 minutes of moderate exercise on a daily basis.