Having a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have, and of course, they inevitably become one of the most prominent members of the family. Because of this, we all want our dogs to live many years since the death of a pet is ultimately inconceivable to those who love and cherish them.
A lab can live to be 20 years old, but they generally live to around 10-12 years. There have been relatively few instances where they have lived until 20 years old. Many factors define the lifespan of labradors, and while it can vary, unfortunately, most don’t live past the age of 15.
In the rest of this article, I will explain the following:
- The science behind the concept of dog years.
- The usual lifespan of a labrador retriever.
- What factors can inhibit or encourage long life.
- Whether the color is a factor.
- How to enable your dog to live a long, healthy life.
Let’s get started so that you can help your Lab live a long and healthy life.
The Average Dog’s Lifespan
Most people would expect that the old adage of 1 dog year to 7 human years would give them an accurate age range of their pet. For a long time now, people have associated this 1:7 ratio with the exact age of their dogs relative to human years.
However, these attitudes are beginning to change, and this age-old ratio is not quite as accurate as you might have previously expected.
The lifespan of dogs is usually calculated relative to human age. Still, new studies have shown that a more accurate approach to a dog’s age should be sought by using sexual maturity and biological age, such as the age of cells and tissues, rather than chronological age.
Dogs usually reach sexual maturity at around 9 months. In the old 1:7 ratio, this would mean that they would be around 10 human years. We can see this isn’t accurate since biological age is subjective to species.
Looking at it from a biological perspective, a 1-year-old dog is actually more likely to be around the age of a 30-year-old human. This makes much more sense when considering the average lifespan, aging tissues and cells over time, and sexual maturity, such as when they can produce offspring.
Therefore, the lifespan of your labrador relative to human life is actually much more complicated than was previously thought. New studies are popping up all the time to support this theory, so the 1:7 ratio is likely very outdated.
How Long Do Labs Generally Live?
While we may want our dogs to live a very long time, labradors tend to have fairly low life expectancies due to their genetic predispositions that prevent them from living a long life. Many factors are associated with this.
Labs generally live to a maximum of 12.5 years. Chocolate labs are slightly worse off in this respect, with an average lifespan of around 10 years, owing to genetic factors that set them apart from other labs.
A few things affect a labrador’s lifespan, including overall health and well-being, genetic information, and illnesses that might occur throughout their lifetime.
In fact, a study conducted in 2018 that looked explicitly at labradors found that the average age of death was 12 years. This number may well be rising due to medical advancements and advancements in the field of genetics, but for now, this is the average lifespan.
Since labs are larger dogs, their size is, perhaps surprisingly, a significant factor in lifespan. Smaller dogs are known for living longer lives, while medium-sized and larger dogs tend to live much shorter lives.
While many things about lifespan in dogs are not entirely understood yet, there are many things that we know will help to extend life:
- A healthy diet
- Regular and consistent exercise
- Lack of illness
- A decent overall lifestyle
What Factors Allow Labs To Live a Long Time?
Lifestyle factors are essential when considering how to extend the life of your lab. If you take into consideration the genetic disposition of your lab, you can help them live a long and healthy life.
The factors that allow labs to live a long time include a healthy diet with plenty of protein and moderate daily exercise. Sometimes even spaying or neutering your lab can positively affect the length of their life.
Taking your lab for a daily walk helps them keep fit and athletic, allowing them to use their muscles and maintain a healthy heart. Additionally, spaying or neutering can help since studies show that it erases the chances of many types of tumors, cancers, and infections that can shorten the life of a lab.
This can also eliminate the possibility of your female labrador having to undergo the process of pregnancy and giving birth, which helps them maintain their ability to live a stress-free life.
Finally, labradors have a marked tendency to struggle with obesity.
Obesity can indeed be a factor when it comes to extending their life expectancy since obese labs are far more likely to develop heart problems and diabetes than their slimmer counterparts.
Feed your Lab well, and give them all the nutrients they need, as well as daily exercise at a moderate pace will definitely help them live a long life. Regular vet visits will also help you keep your Lab healthy.
Does Color Matter?
You may think that all labradors are the same and that the color of their coats is not a factor when it comes to average life expectancy. However, we are now seeing that genetic factors play a significant role in lifespan and that color matters.
Color matters in labs regarding lifespan, especially if your lab has a chocolate coat. Chocolate labs have recessive genes, meaning that both parents would have to be chocolate-colored as well. This creates limitations in the gene pool and very often limits life by around 2 years.
While their average life expectancy is around 12.5 years, yellow and black labs are usually expected to live about 2 years longer than their brown counterparts.
This recessive gene in chocolate labs puts them at greater risk of certain diseases and infections that can necessarily limit their life. Skin diseases are much more prominent in these labs.
This shows that brown skin pigmentations in labradors can ultimately end their life slightly earlier than one might have expected. However, the average-age studies that have been conducted do not necessarily mean that every dog is the same.
Not every dog will have the same experience, and there are a few instances of labradors living much longer than their average life expectancy. As long as you care for your lab in the best way you can, you may well be able to prolong their life by a few years.
Final Thoughts
While the vast majority of labradors do not live to be 20 years old, they can indeed live past their average life expectancy of 12 years. It is essential to look at the genetic factors of your individual dog and make their lives as long and fruitful as possible by looking after them well.