As soon as we adopt an adorable little puppy, you wish that he would live forever.  As time goes on we bond with them and they really become our family members.  Normally, when we pick a puppy, we usually do not think of it’s life span. The experts do agree that the small breeds outlive the larger breeds. The general rule of thumb regarding lifespan is the larger the dog, the shorter its life span. A medium – large dog can be expected to live 10 years. As with humans, if they are in good health, they can live longer.  Smaller breeds tend to live longer, ten to fifteen years. I had a Chihuahua, he lived to twelve but he was born with a heart defect and developed heart failure.  Occasionally, you will run into a small dog who is 19 or 20! This is rare but it does happen. The fastest way to shorten a dogs life span is to keep it indoors all the time. Dogs need regular exercise to keep their bones and lungs healthy. Good health and quality care are key in prolonging a dogs life. Genetics also play a very important rule in lonegevity but it’s one that we can’t control. The Irish Wolfhound usually has about seven good years. So if your dog is vaccinated, gets regular checkups, eats good food and gets lots of exercise, you will have him around a long time.  Large dogs often get arthritis. Your Vet can prescribe pet medication that may help with the pain but this will not normally prolong his life.