How long do dogs live?

Scampi is sixteen and showing his age now.   But he’s only a youngster compared to Luby, a border terrier from Newcastle-under-Lyme who is 23 years old.Luby’s owner is hoping to have her declared the oldest dog in the world – it’s 160 in dogs years.  Luby is said to still enjoy her walks and has lasted longer than her owner’s three ex-husbands!   Vets think that Luby has already broken the previous record by about six months.

We’ve had dogs live to be 22years – a whippet and 23years – a Jack Russell.   The smaller dogs do seem to have longer lifetimes than the big guys.   We believe that canine longevity is down to care, nutrition and lifestyle.   Healthy food, absence of stress, plenty of exercise – and lots of t.l.c. which is probably the most important factor.