Thank you for your kind comment, I don't think so, but I have been asked that question before I usually go but a vet I used to work for once told a client......'she has exercise and feeding down to a fine art, if you look at her old dogs, they are never fat'. Whether that is the reason, who knows, but my sister has had three dogs, the first went at 4 years with cancer(a mongrel) the second (another mongrel) went at 7 years (grossly over-weight) and the West Highland Terrier that she has now suffers with huge weight problems......I tell her about it....but she doesn't listen. I just think I've been lucky (fingers xxxx) mine are all very active dogs and lean.
Reah is also doing well, due to the severity of her accident the specialist predicted an age of 10yrs she's made 12 and going strong.....although I do really watch her weight and once I see she is putting it on, I stop it. But thats only because of her legs. But as I say I think I have just been very lucky.

Noobie's Grandma (Alaskan Malamute) lived to 16

"northern inuits are close with 16!!"

Can't see where this comes from - they haven't been around long enough to have a decent test sample and from where they have come (Breed wise) there is either a magical ingredient or the mix works unbelievably well ...

The lurcher statement is a tad random too - I've also spotted them in Dogs Today and thought some of the ages stated looked rather optimistic/ silly ... since lurchers come in vast varieties I think giving one of the ldest possible ages was wrong - should have been midway - but then again - who do they consider as experts for getting the info anyway?

According to the KC/BVA health screen thing they did a couple of years back Mini Poodles average was 13 years and 11 mths (albeit based on a small sample) The overall average for all pedigree dogs in this survey was 11 years and 3 mths, the oldest recorded on the sample was 18 years and 6 mths. There are health results like that for all of the pedigree dogs that took part in the survey on the KC site if people are interested.
Becky

Thanks everyone

Its great to see so many outliving the average, although mine may never reach any where near those ages, i do hope they make it to old age, my first pei was only 4 when we lost him, although he was very ill, just making it to 8 would be wonderful!

Thankfully my 2 are very healthy, so they at least have a better chance than my last one did, heres hoping they all live to a ripe old age!!

Thank you for all the replies, made interesting reading

jrt's 12/15yrs my mums last jrt was 18 when he went to sleep and never woke up.

st bernards 8/10yrs
parson russell 13yrs approx

We have greyhounds and the breeds section on this site says 10-12yrs. We've only just got ours and they are already 3 and 4 so here's to hoping we've got them for a long time yet.

Podengo - Life span of approx 14 years.

i know thats what i thought! maybe you should email dogs today and let them know!!!

Bernese mountain 10 years approx. Ollies breeder has them into their teens so heres hoping.
They can also go the opposite way and go very young as they can have many health problems when hitting maturity at 3.