Want Your Dog to Live a Long, Healthy Life?

Is this a silly question? I imagine most dog lovers want that kind of life for their dogs. Canines live shorter lives than humans. If there is anything we can do to help them be healthier or live active and longer, I know I’d do it.

If Exercise Helps People Live Healthier and Longer,Why Not Dogs?I met Elise in a park while walking with her mom, Kate. Photo Credit: Deborah Taylor-French

Elise is Kate’s dog, which she raised from a puppy. Kate told me how this wonderful dog helped her recover from the loss of her husband. Elise was only six months old when he died. As a puppy, she needed to play. Kate promised she would play with Elise. Dropping her grief to play vigorously with this German shepherd puppy taught Kate to put her dog first. Sometimes, our dogs need that from us, right?

It was such a pleasure to meet a great dog mom like Kate! Kate walked Elise in a secure harness. She also wanted to get her dog out of the sun after I had taken about five photographs.

Elise sits close to Kate.

German Shepherds are natural guard dogs. When tasked with herding, tracking, and carrying messages in wartime, they were good-natured goobers who loved to chill out and join in cuddle time.

“I was like, man, I would love it if I couldslow aging in my dog.”

Matt Kaeberlein, co-director of the Dog Aging Project

“Kaeberlein is co-director of the Dog Aging Project, an ambitious research effort to track the aging process of tens of thousands of companion dogs across the US. He is one of a handful of scientists on a mission to improve, delay, and possibly reverse that process to help them live longer healthier lives. The Dog Aging Project is just one of several groups seeking to understand and improve dog aging. Biotech company Loyal plans to offer life extensions for dogs. A third group, Vaika, is running a project to lengthen life spans by studying retired sled dogs.”

These Scientists are Working to Extend the Lifespan of Pet Dogs–and Their Owners by Jessica Hamzelou, August 15, 2022, MIT Technology Review.

K9 Working Dog demonstrating finding behaviors. Photo Credit: Deborah Taylor-French

 

This post starts a deeper look at how to keep our dogs healthy and raises the lifelong question: How can I help my dogs live longer?

Stay tuned for more information and discussion on longevity in dogs.

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