Furthermore, most breed surveys of health that have led to longevity estimates don't analyze the data correctly. ones that died very young have been forgotten. For example, a Swedish study (Bonnett et al., 1997) based on insurance claims ignores all past age 10 as they are no longer insurable, while an American study (Patronek et al, 1997) is based on deaths at veterinary teaching hospitals and will likely not include many that die of old age.īreed health surveys avoid these biases, but may be biased by either under-reporting of dogs that lived relatively problem-free lives or, particularly when it comes to looking at longevity earlier in the century, "selective memory" - i.e.
Where such data exists, it has been collected by surveys, and the results depend on how representative the sample is of the population. This is not information readily available, as neither owners nor veterinarians are obliged to report deaths, and the kennel clubs keep no records. JA: First, we need to establish what the reasonable life expectancy for a domestic dog is. Is this what prompted your research and how do you go about proving if this assumption is true and if it is, what may be causing it? Armstrong, many breeders, not just of Boxers but of a number of purebreds, are concerned by an apparent decrease in their breeds average life span. I had an opportunity to speak with him recently about his research.
Armstrong is head of the Canine Diversity Project and the list owner of the Cangen list (Canine Genetics list). of Biology, a geneticist and a dog fancier, is currently engaged in a research project on canine longevity and its genetic components. But has the average life span of the Boxer really decreased and if so, what can breeders do to reverse this trend? John Armstrong, Ph.D., of the University of Ottawa dept. Many Boxer breeders are concerned about the apparent decrease in the average life span of our breed. Research on Canine Longevity & Dog Breeding
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