As a medium sized dog, Australian shepherds, on average, weigh between 40 and 65 pounds and are 18 to 23 inches tall. Their expected life expectancy is 12 to 15 years. The life expectancy of the Australian Shepherd is 12 to 15 years, but why do they live so long? And what health conditions can be expected from this intelligent breed? We all imagine that herding dogs are healthy and long-lived breeds. Exercise a lot and stay mentally sharp well into adolescence.
Therefore, many owners are surprised when they lose their dog even before their tenth birthday. The average life expectancy of the Australian Shepherd is just nine years, which seems really unfair for such an active puppy. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do before and after you bring your puppy home to help him more than make it through that sadly small number of years. As a general rule, Australians live longer than most dog breeds.
The average life expectancy of all dogs is just 10 to 13 years. You can usually wait 12 to 15 years from your Australian. The exact amount of time depends on your quality of life, your genetics and, honestly, on factors that are beyond your control. Here are some of the reasons why some Australian shepherds beat the odds and exceed their life expectancy.
My last dog was a cross between Australian Shepherd and Brittany, which I got around 1 year old and had it for 14 years, which would make it 15 when she died. Here's a look at how the life expectancy of the Australian Shepherd compares with that of other dog breeds, why their life expectancy is so long, what health problems they inherit most often, and what Australian owners can do to keep their Australian dog healthy. Interestingly, while small dogs tend to have a longer life expectancy, Australian mini-shepherds, which the AKC recognizes as the miniature American shepherd, have a life expectancy of just 12 to 13 years.
