Size Matters: 8 Breeds that Prove Small Dogs Outlive Big Ones

If you look at mammals as a whole, typically the larger the animal, the longer they live. Dogs, on the other hand, seem to have the opposite be true: the larger the dog, the shorter their life. Larger dog breeds (like the Great Dane) tend to live a lot less than their smaller counterparts (like a toy poodle). The Great Dane can grow to a size of about 155 pounds, but only has an average life span of 7 years. The toy poodle grows to be about 9 pounds but can live to see 14 years old. That's quite a difference. Among dog breeds, every extra increase of 4.4 pounds meant, on average, a loss of 1 month in life expectancy (source: Cornelia Kraus). I have always wanted a larger dog, but now I don't know if that's a good trade off for his or her shorter life. Either way, large dogs and small dogs are all equally as cute - Check out these 8 breeds, and their life expectancies! - By Devan McGuinness

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