How long will your dog live? This facial feature can tell you

Unless you choose an African grey as a pet, chances are near 100% you’re going to outlive your pet and it’s sad. Our dog Finn is only five years old but my daughter is already thinking about how he won’t be around forever. How do I know? Out of the blue she told me when he dies she’s going to have a taxidermist preserve him. Yikes!

When you’re choosing a pet, maybe longevity isn’t what you’re prioritizing. Maybe you’ll go for a larger dog like a Golden Retriever that don’t tend to live as long as smaller dogs but you’re doing it for their gentle temperament.

However, if you are wanting to know which dog to look for that will be your earthly best friend a bit longer time, look no further than their nose.

A large study done in the UK and just released Thursday shows something surprising. The length of a dog’s snout can play into how long they will live.

The study, which looked at over half a million dogs, found along with body size (it's been long known smaller dogs live longer) and gender (females live longer), the snout of dog can be a good indication of expected longevity.

“A medium-sized, flat-faced male like a bulldog is three times more likely to live a shorter life than a small-sized, long-faced female, like a miniature dachshund or an Italian greyhound,” said Kirsten McMillan, the study’s lead author.

So judging by this schnoz I’m thinking my daughter doesn’t have to call that taxidermist very soon.

The numbers for the most part hold up. A typical border collie with a longer snout has a median life expectancy of about 13 years. Whereas flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs die younger. A large mastiff, 9 years, a French bulldog, 9.8 years, an English bulldog, 9.3 years.

The study isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind if they have their heart set one of those Pugs. If you find the constant snoring and breathing issues adorbs along with the skin and eye infections, well more Pug-power to ya! But if longevity matters, it’s an interesting thing to know.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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