Dogs have been our best friends since the dawn of time. We have evolved together over the millennia and have learned so much about each other. Just like other pets, dogs deserve to have a long, healthy, and happy life.
Sadly, not all dog breeds have the luxury of time. And every pet parent has to face the reality that we have to part with our fur babies at some point in our lives.
This is not to discourage you from having your very own dog companion but to inform all of us about what breeds have short lives to prepare us for the future and also to make us cherish every moment we have with them.
10. Bloodhounds
Bloodhounds have an excellent sense of smell even by dog standards. Originally bred in Belgium, these tracker dogs stand at 25 to 27 inches and can weigh up to 110 pounds. They have been bred to hunt or track game animals or humans. Because of their keen noses, they can detect scents of up to 4 days old.
Their most notable physical characteristics are their big size, wrinkly skin, and long droopy ears. They have a mild temperament and like bonding with their families. But out in the field, they can be very hard to pull away once they get the scent of their chosen target. Mickey Mouse’s dog, Pluto, is a bloodhound and can be seen in multiple movies, cartoons, and live mascot shows.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Mild, gentle, and independent.
- Life Span: 9 to 11 years
- Common Health Problems: Bloat
9. Scottish Deerhound
Here we see another large breed. The Scottish deerhound is one of the most laidback of the canine family. Standing in at 32 inches and weighing in at 110 pounds, these big pooches love to laze around and relax. That’s until something turns up that’s worth chasing. This breed will become a runner, chasing its target with speed and determination. These dogs have slender builds, long legs, and wiry coats.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Relaxed, friendly, determined when chasing a target
- Life Span: 8 to 10 years
- Common Health Problems: Heart problems, liver shunt disease
8. Saint Bernard
One of the most popular dog breeds, the Saint Bernard is also a large breed like the others before it in this list. It has a height of 20 to 30 inches and can weigh as much as 180 pounds or 81 kilograms.
They can have masks around their eyes, short or long hair, and red or brown patches around their white coats. They were originally bred to be rescue dogs. The kids’ show Beethoven and Nana from Peter Pan are popular characters based on this breed.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Social, understanding, tolerant
- Life Span: 8 to 10 years
- Common Health Problems: Epilepsy, cancer, bloat, heart disease
7. Newfoundland
Popularly known as “Newfies” they are named after the place in Canada. They are excellent swimmers and have been bred to be an all-purpose water dog. This breed is commonly deployed as fishing aids, rescue dogs, or ship dogs. They have black or brown mixed with white fur which is oily to repel water while they swim with their webbed paws. Personality-wise, they are smart and docile which makes them an amazing assistant near the water.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Intelligent, docile
- Life Span: 8 to 10 years
- Common Health Problems: Bloat, heart failure, sensitivity to anesthesia, difficulty breathing in warm temperatures
6. Leonberger
The Leonberger breed are known to closely resemble lions. Originally bred from Germany, these dogs have calm and quiet demeanors. This makes them great companions to have during activities such as hiking. They also bond well with the whole family.
They have a signature mane around their chest or neck, droopy ears, and gold or red coats. A Leonberger can reach up to 31 inches in height and weigh up to 150 pounds.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Quiet, observant
- Life Span: 8 to 9 years
- Common Health Problems: Neurological disease, heart disease, bone disease, cancer, bloat
5. Neapolitan Mastiff
Originally from Italy, Neapolitan Mastiffs are large dogs that were bred as a family dog and were a part of the ancient Roman empire. Short smooth coats, droopy ears, wrinkly skin, and black or gray fur characterize these dogs. They also stand at 26 to 31 inches and can weigh a whopping 150 pounds.
They are very loyal and protective of their families and are commonly chosen as guard dogs and companions. On the other hand, they can be aggressive towards strangers and those they see as an intruder. Because of their sheer size and tenacity, they were used by Alexander the Great to fight war elephants and battle tigers.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Loyal, protective
- Life Span: 7 to 9 years
- Common Health Problems: Breathing problems, bone cancer, bloat, heart disease
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4. Irish Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound holds the record for the world’s largest breed. They are known to be deployed as wolf or elk hunters. Though they may act known to be laidback and easy-going when not hunting. This breed has stocky builds with long slender legs, wiry coats, and distinctive eyebrows. Even though the Irish Wolfhounds are hailed as the world’s largest dogs, they have one of the shortest lifespans.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Gentle, laidback, sensitive
- Life Span: 6 to 10 years
- Common Health Problems: Bone cancer, heart disease, blood clotting disorder, bloat, lymphoma, hyperthyroidism
3. Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dogs are popular because of their tri-colored coats. They were originally bred in Switzerland. They can stand up to 25 to 27 inches and can weigh as much as 115 pounds, which gives them power and speed.
They’re often deployed as watchdogs or herding dogs because of their obedience and intelligence. These dogs need space for exercise and frequent brushing to maintain their coats. Buck from the movie Call of the Wild is a Bernese Mountain Dog.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Obedient, watchful, protective
- Life Span: 6 to 8 years
- Common Health Problems: Cancer, heart issues, bloat
2. Great Dane
Great Danes may be the tallest dog breed, they can stand up to 32 inches and can weigh 120 pounds. This gentle giants were originally from Germany, and is admired for their power and elegance, and they also became popular as guard dogs for large estates and hunting wild boars. Great Danes have droopy ears, prominent eyebrows, narrow heads, and sleek coats. Plus, they come in various colors, which includes fawn, blue, black, and harlequin, and some also have white patches. They are an affectionate and playful breed which makes them good for families with kids, but owners caring for this dog type needs a lot of room as their size takes up a lot of space and they need room to roam around.
To help manage their playful behavior, most Great Danes go to obedience school when they are young. Unfortunately, they also come with health problems as they age and are prone to experiencing bloat.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Protective, affectionate, fast learners
- Life Span: 6 to 8 years
- Common Health Problems: Bloat
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1. Dogue De Bordeaux
The Dogue De Bordeaux are born with the biggest heads out of any dog breed out there. These mild-mannered pups originating from France can stand at 27 inches from paw to shoulder and can weigh as much as 110 pounds. They have expressive eyes, deeply furrowed eyebrows, jaws like bulldogs, and red or mahogany smooth coats.
They are known to be one of the most protective, courageous, and affectionate breeds. By having these traits, they are chosen as companions and guardians. But because of their small gene pool and poor breeding practices of owners, they have a lot of health problems and defects they can get at birth and will only get worse as they age. They have the shortest known life span of all breeds, which is only 5 to 8 years.
- Size: Large
- Personality: Affectionate, loyal, protective, brave
- Life Span: 5 to 8 years
- Common Health Problems: High stillborn rates, breathing difficulty, heart issues
From The Club
Being a dog lover myself, I find it sad that dogs don’t have the same life span as humans. But it also helps me to be prepared for the inevitable, and it pushes me to give them the care they need like exercise, a balanced diet, and lots of attention. Don’t hesitate to bring your dog to the vet if you notice something is off with them. All dogs deserve love and care for them to live longer which in turn will give us more happy memories with them.