I know this is going to sound a little strange but im trying to find out the typical life expectancy of a GSD.The only reason for this is my old boy is going a bit gray round the muzzle now though hes still full of life.Hes a bit slower in the mornings now but its to be expected really.He will be 6 years old on the 27th of April.I will be totally devastated when his time comes and i really dont know how i will cope with it.I know that we do have another dog but nothing will ever replace my special boy.This has been playing on my mind for a while now and i dont want to even think about him not being here with me.Though my OH has owned the breed before its the first GSD i have ever had so i dont know much about health probs in old age.I have done alot of research and i am doing everything i can to give him a longer life.We have agreed that if he does go off his back legs then we will have to do the kind thing but even the thought scares me to death.It will be like loosing a child.We have also disscussed getting him cremated and bringing him home.The only way for me to be able to deal with loosing him is to make sure im prepared for it when the time comes.I have heard of GSD passing away at 7 years old and im soooooooo worried. :(

This site gives a life expectency of around 13 years. Others say 12 - so you should have your dog a good few years yet! :)

My GSD lived to nearly 13, when his arthiritis started to get the better of him and he had gone fairly deaf and his eyesight wasn't great.
He was a fantastic dog.  I'm sure yours has many years ahead of him yet.

Bev

From what I've heard the life expectancy of a GSD is about 12 years, so you should have a good few years yet.  Dogs do die earlier we had a Springer that died from heart problems at 8 years but it would be the exception rather than the norm.  It is a good thing to make sure you know what old age could bring in the way of health issues, but try not to worry about it to much.  Enjoy the time you have with him, you could have another 6 - 10 years :D

Steve

Im so glad to hear that he will be here a long time yet.It does get worrying.I had a BC a few years ago now when i left home and got my first house.She was wonderful.When i lost her i was that deverstated that i left her buerrial etc up to a friend.My friend even took her to the vets when she was sent to eternal sleep.I just didnt have the heart to do it.I was physically sick for over a week and mentally ill for a long time.It took me many years to get over loosing her.I said never again would i own a dog,now look,i have two. :)

In my breed I would think 5 - 6 was an animal in it's prime.  I don't think Old dog until 10 plus (geriatric above 13) and about 8 for middle age, and the GSds I have met seem to fit in about the same.

Hi Guiness,

Your post is very sad and I can empathise with you :(  but please try not to look on the downside of things - you will not fully enjoy and appreciate your special soul mate dog if you constantly worry of what life may be like without him or any future health problems and that may be a heavy added burden on you when the time does come.

The good news is that GSD are a relatively long lived and robust breed and I've known several well into their teens and the greying on his muzzle is more likely to be an inherited trait as a sign of ageing.  I have a 6 year old bitch who has had "frosting" since she was 2 ;) and a 14 year old who had no obvious frosting at all!

If you continually look for things to be wrong you may well start imagining that they are going wrong - for your own peace of mind it's a path best not followed.   In any breed a small number may have a shorter life span than average and simply because you have learned of others being unfortunate to lose a dog as young as 7 years does not mean that you should begin to contemplate the same occurrence.

Positive attitudes bring forth positive results - and our canine friends pick up on our feelings :)

Chin up, and enjoy every day as it comes looking forward to the next.  There's time enough for regrets.
Best wishes,

Teri x   

I suppose we all do it when we look at our kids growing up too.When i look back at photos of my kids now i see a sweet little baby in nappies that has grown to a mauture pretty woman who attends university.Thats just the eldest of the seven kids.I was looking back at our photo album and reminissing when i came upon Guiness's puppy pics.:) What once was a cute bundle of fluff is now a refined and handsome dog.Strange really how some people think.:)

Time flies doesn't it - I think we get to a certain age when we think more often about losing those dear to us (both humans and pets) more so than in our teens, 20's and 30's.  Enjoy your boy - I'm sure he's got many years with your love and attention to look forward to.

Teri :)

Hi guiness,
Our previous GSD lived a happy, healthy 12 years and 1 not so happy or healthy with dysplasia-induced arthritis before he was PTS at home.   
It's a different kettle of fish with our current, rescue boy. Zak was thrice rehomed and very thin. For the first months with us his co-ordination was poor and his stamina low.  Good nutrition and keeping up with Miss Thing has changed him out of all recognition but I will be surprised if he makes old bones.  I try to make sure that every day we have together is a good one so that I can face the inevitable - however premature - with the knowledge that, while he may not have had long, what he did have was the best.
Having read many of your contributions to these boards, I know you feel the same.  That's all any of us can do.

I agree.  Having very recently lost two of my dogs, the first at a average age of 13 1/2 for the breed (though had hoped for longer given her general wellbeing) and one in early old age (few days short of 11), with no sign at all of slowing down.

the first was sad, but found it reasonably acceptable, especially as she went downhill fast, so no long term illhealth, the second was a real shock, though thinking about it she died still living life to the fullest at full strenght. 

It is the quality of their lives with us that is all, not the length of time, and I would never choose to prolong their lives at the cost of it's quality.

My GSD died at 10 years old.It was quite a shock as he was bouncing about 2 days before,we didnt know anything was wrong.He had a stroke apparently his heart was enlarged,in a way i was pleased he went like this as he lived a very active life right up until then (no arthritis).It is upsetting to lose your dog but enjoy every minute,it took us 4 years before we could bring ourselves to get aother one.

I had a GSD that I had since I was an infant. She lived untill 14, when we had her PTS due to a large benign tumor   on her leg that ruptured which resulted in massive blood loss. The vet said that if it hadnt have been for the tumor she could have easily had a few years left in her.

We buried her in the yard and even got a little headstone for her.

So even though the usual is 12 years, some live much longer. Ive heard of a 17 year old GSD before.

Ditto with all the other posts guiness, no need to worry. My first went at 12, and my second at 13, so you have many happy years together yet. :-D

Hi there dont dwell on life expectancy. I lost my Akita to cancer aged 8. Little Tyson was receently traggicly killed like many others.
Take each day as it comes and if your dog does grow old with you thats great.
Take care.

Hi Just try to take every day as it comes, love your dog and enjoy him . I lost my old girl Aysha at nearly twelve nearly three years ago and not a day goes by without me wishing I still had her.
I do have her daughter here who,s just had her ninth birthday and a three year old who is ten times naughtier than all the other dogs rolled into one but she is so full of the joys of life you can,t help but love her even though at times she is infuriating.
I,d say gsds usually do well until ten or eleven many live a good few years after that my freinds bitch celebrated her fourteenth birthday this week ( with an egg custard  ).
People used to say to me pedigree dogs are not as healthy as mongrels , the only experience I have of mongrels is one of my own who died aged sixteen  of old age and another who died at six from cancer so I,d say enjoy your dogs whatever the age and try not to worry yourself.
Sharon

We lost Ruggs at the grand old age of 17 and Bob at nine and a half. So although I now have a breed with a theoretically long life expectancy who is only a pup anyway, I'm still working on the "enjoy each day as it comes" and will tackle the inevitable sad day when it comes. Otherwise there's real a danger that dwelling on the future will overshadow the happy times you have now.

Gosh to me at 5 going on 6, your dogs still young.  I remember taking Spender when he was 7 to the vet for a check-up and he was telling me that as an old GSD, he needed a check-up every 6 months.  Well mine do get regular checkups when they reach 7, 8 anyhow but poor Spender, I told him to cover his ears an old dog? Cheeky vet, lol.  Spender thinks he's a pup, ball mad and he's 11 now.