The DDB life span?

[Primehns]

Hey everyone i was going through threads hoping to find a thread based on a DDB's Health, i couldn't find one so i decided to ask, pardon me if i asked before. Here it goes, i always loved Dogue's , i love their build and their temperament, they look like really buff dog's. They were probably the first Mastiff breed that i researched, after watching the "Turner and Hooch" movie, i though they were amazing. What always brang me down was the life span, i always told myself i didn't want a dog that had a relatively low life span, i heard it could be pretty low 5-6 i'm hoping i am wrong. I had this stuck in my head for a while, although i'm probably not gonna get a pup. Most of the info online are outliers and all over the place.

 

[dheepakh]

Hi! If you feed them a good diet and take proper care of them, they usually live to about 8-10 years. Also they should come from good lines. Go for a good breeder who is concerned and work for their longevity. But i have never seen one past 10+ years

 

[DennasMom]

There are just soooo many variables on longevity.

Being a bigger dog makes life-span shorter - so if you want a big dog, it's just something you have to be prepared for.

Diet, exercise and a purpose in life help dogs get the most out of life and make them want to stick around longer, too.
Genetics will also play a role.

But somethings things (i.e. cancer) just happen.

I've never heard anyone suggest a DDB lifespan as low as 5-6 years on "average" - Danes, yes, but DDB, no. Danes have been over-bred in the US, but seem to be making a comeback recently. I would go with dheepakh at the 8-10 year range, and even go on the optimistic side of that - with proper genetics, diet and lifestyle...

 

[Iymala]

A good breeder will also be able to give you an idea about the lifespan of their lines. Some lines have better longevity than others, but I agree completely with Tina. There are so many factors to be considered that have to be considered.

 

[DDBsR4Me]

I haven't had one live past 8yrs thus far. My current boy is almost 6 1/2 and I'm hoping he might be the first.

But I believe you were looking for dog to go jogging with? If so, the DDB is not for you.

 

[Primehns]

Yeah DDBs i'm not getting a pup like i said, i always wanted a dogue because they look like tanks. I would love to have one, but the life span holds me back. You guys are right when expecting a mastiff, a bigger dog may have a shorter life span, but i find it amazing how dogo's beat out many medium sized dog's in life span, maybe because they aren't overbred. Anyway i really don't have much experience with mastiff's, and love to get info from you guys.
And thanks for sharing DDB if i ever get a dog similar to a bordeaux, or a bordeaux i wouldn't risk their health, i would keep them on small jogs, or short walks, i often let my dog off in a large open field so he can stretch his legs, is 8 and under the average, how many DDB's buddies have you had if i may ask, just looking at your pic makes me jealous :O

 

[mcarrel]

I remember reading one of the dogs used in Turner and hooch made it to almost 14 years of age and was something like 11 when the movie was made. I have also heard of some others who passed the 10year mark. Sadly though too many don't make it past the 5 year mark

 

[Primehns]

thanks, i may just rescue one some day, i saw a beautiful one on Detroitdogrescue.org a bit ago. Thanks again.

 

[marke]

i had a beefy t son and daughter that lived 11 and 12 yrs , very healthy lives , practically vet free ....... i also had two beefy t granddaughters that both lived to 11 yrs , they had a sister and brother i know that lived 12yrs , the brother is still alive .... ...... the dam's side of the beefy t breeding were black masked imports , pepignon , they were also long lived healthy dogs ...... i had a dutch import lived a very unhealthy 7 yrs .......and i had a pup off an eros son put down at a year . with good care and exercise i think you could expect 9-10yrs

 

[DDBsR4Me]

how many DDB's buddies have you had if i may ask, just looking at your pic makes me jealous :O

My current pup is my 5th DDB. I lost my first at age 3 to DCM, and I lost two 3 months apart a lil over a year ago to cancer (one was 8yrs and the other was 7yrs).

My boy's dam just lost her fight with cancer this past fall at age 8 (or almost 8, I forget).....so statistics aren't good.

Marke - you're very lucky to have had yours make it to 11 and 12. I think unfortunately we won't be seeing such longevity in the breed with all the heavy line breeding that's going on now, but one can hope.

 

[2nd Chance]

Having just got Brian a DDB at 1yr, im horrified at the thought of 6yrs only
5yrs of a dog is not a lot. But still, better to of loved and lossed one of these amazing dogs, rather than to have 24yrs with a sodding Jack Russel Terrier, perish the thought!

Quality of life, over quantity of life is a addage for me and my pets. who wants to live to be 90, and pissing their own knickers eh?
Hence why my nearly 6yr old GSD is still allowed to run chase jump and swim, because he wants to, despite having a luxiating patella.

IF i had young children though, i think i would consider the shortened life span a little too short. The dog would die when the kid is maybe too young to deal with it.

 

[NYDDB]

My current pup is my 5th DDB. I lost my first at age 3 to DCM, and I lost two 3 months apart a lil over a year ago to cancer (one was 8yrs and the other was 7yrs).

My boy's dam just lost her fight with cancer this past fall at age 8 (or almost 8, I forget).....so statistics aren't good.

Marke - you're very lucky to have had yours make it to 11 and 12. I think unfortunately we won't be seeing such longevity in the breed with all the heavy line breeding that's going on now, but one can hope.

I just looked up DCM because I didn't know what that was. Did your first Dogue show any signs/symptoms of this condition or did it come on suddenly? I have heard of there being an issue with heart problems and DDBs... and 3 years is way too young. I cannot imagine how heartbreaking that was...

 

[2nd Chance]

DDBsR4Me: this would of been horrendous for you!

 

[marke]

Marke - you're very lucky to have had yours make it to 11 and 12. I think unfortunately we won't be seeing such longevity in the breed with all the heavy line breeding that's going on now, but one can hope.

that's what i hear , i should have added luck to good care and exercise , i believe exercise is of huge importance ...... i have a 7 yr old and two 2 yr olds right now ..... the 7 yr olds sire was 10yrs old when i used him and her mom lived to 11 , hopefully my luck continues .........

 

[DDBsR4Me]

I just looked up DCM because I didn't know what that was. Did your first Dogue show any signs/symptoms of this condition or did it come on suddenly? I have heard of there being an issue with heart problems and DDBs... and 3 years is way too young. I cannot imagine how heartbreaking that was...

It came on fairly suddenly. At that time I was living with my mom and we noticed he wasn't feeling well and that he seemed to be having a hard time breathing. So we went to the vet and he did an chest x-ray, and diagnosed him with pneumonia. So he was treated with antibotics and we were even giving him the nebulizer breathing treatments at home. But he just wasn't getting any better and seemed to be getting worse. My mom is a retired nurse and was listening to his lungs one day with a stethoscope and she couldn't hear any breath sounds from one of his lungs. So we went back to the vet and he finally referred us to the specialty clinic an hour away.

Of course the minute we got there and the vet looked at his chest x-ray, she knew off the bat it wasn't pneumonia. She said it was either heart failure or cancer (just what we wanted to hear - neither are good options). Of course the cardiac vet wasn't there at the time so we had to wait in the waiting area for several hours until she got there. So once the cardiac vet got there she said that what was on the x-ray was fluid all around the lungs from the heart not working properly and they needed to drain the fluid.

They took him in the back, and wouldn't let me go with them, which to this day I regret not pushing harder to make them let me go back there. I think he would have fought harder if I had been there. But anyway to make a long story short he ended up coding while they were working on draining the fluid, they were able to bring him back, but he coded again and they couldn't get him back.

I was absolutely devastated. I never expected to walk in their with him and not go home with him. I still cry thinking about it. He was my heart dog - the dog that ignited my passion for the breed. And as much bad luck as I've had with them, I can't imagine not having one!

DDBsR4Me: this would of been horrendous for you!

It has definitely not been an easy road with this breed, that's for sure!

that's what i hear , i should have added luck to good care and exercise , i believe exercise is of huge importance ...... i have a 7 yr old and two 2 yr olds right now ..... the 7 yr olds sire was 10yrs old when i used him and her mom lived to 11 , hopefully my luck continues .........View attachment 28311

I hope your luck continues too...and could you pass some of it my way

I'm hoping my boy might finally be the one to make it past the 8 year mark,(knock on wood - I don't want to jinx it), but he's only 6 1/2 right now.

 

[NYDDB]

It came on fairly suddenly. At that time I was living with my mom and we noticed he wasn't feeling well and that he seemed to be having a hard time breathing. So we went to the vet and he did an chest x-ray, and diagnosed him with pneumonia. So he was treated with antibotics and we were even giving him the nebulizer breathing treatments at home. But he just wasn't getting any better and seemed to be getting worse. My mom is a retired nurse and was listening to his lungs one day with a stethoscope and she couldn't hear any breath sounds from one of his lungs. So we went back to the vet and he finally referred us to the specialty clinic an hour away.

Of course the minute we got there and the vet looked at his chest x-ray, she knew off the bat it wasn't pneumonia. She said it was either heart failure or cancer (just what we wanted to hear - neither are good options). Of course the cardiac vet wasn't there at the time so we had to wait in the waiting area for several hours until she got there. So once the cardiac vet got there she said that what was on the x-ray was fluid all around the lungs from the heart not working properly and they needed to drain the fluid.

They took him in the back, and wouldn't let me go with them, which to this day I regret not pushing harder to make them let me go back there. I think he would have fought harder if I had been there. But anyway to make a long story short he ended up coding while they were working on draining the fluid, they were able to bring him back, but he coded again and they couldn't get him back.

I was absolutely devastated. I never expected to walk in their with him and not go home with him. I still cry thinking about it. He was my heart dog - the dog that ignited my passion for the breed. And as much bad luck as I've had with them, I can't imagine not having one!

Thank you for sharing your story. Absolutely heartbreaking...

I agree about the "I can't imagine not having one." Something very uniquely special about these Dogues...difficult to explain.

 

[DDBsR4Me]

Thank you for sharing your story. Absolutely heartbreaking...

I agree about the "I can't imagine not having one." Something very uniquely special about these Dogues...difficult to explain.

No problem. Losing Bentley was probably one of the worst days of my life!

Yes there is something special about them...and it is hard to explain!

 

[dheepakh]

If you are worried about longevity then please consider the boerboel. I guess its the only giant breed which can live upto 15 years. Atleast you can try to see them make it to 10+ years. Others like DDB i don't think so. Expect them to live upto 6, if they pass it be happy or else don't regret.

 

[fizzed]

Hi - my DDB Fizzy is 10 + years old. She does have DM - degenerative myelopathy and the vet gave her just 6 months to walk 'on those legs' in June 2012. she still comes out for 2 walks a day most days but does have severe muscle wastage and balance issues. I got to know a rescue over in the UK who had a soft spot for DDBs and the owner said she struggled to get a DDB to live past 5 - a shocking statistic. There is quite a small gene pool over in the UK which I think is a cause for such short lives. They are a fantastic breed indeed but in all honesty not the healthiest breed around.

 

[musicdeb]

After rescuing Titan, I did a lot of research on DDB's and I was shocked they have such a short life span. My last 3 pups lived to be 13 yrs old each. They all died within one year of each other and they were all one year apart in age.

I hope Titan lives beyond 5 or 6 because he turns 4 this year.