APBT and aging

do american pitbull terriers tend to age well compared to other breeds? i saw a 10 years old apbt today and i thought hes was 4. So energetic and full of life, and hes didnt even look old. Any input on this?

 

they age pretty well. my current house dog is nearly ten and she still looks pretty much the same as she was when she was two or three.

 

I agree. Before my old APBT died he lived until 13 and never realized he was old. ALWAYS full of life.

 

thats pretty good to hear. seems like these dogs go out strong. I like that they stay young for so long.

 

i have a 6 year old male (i know not old ) but you would think by the way he acts he is a year and half... im hoping he stay this way till 10 or 11

 

also dont forget vigas alot goes into how you raise em .... you let a dog get fat/lazy and i can gaurantee he/she will decline pretty quickly

 

There are a couple things that affect your dog and aging. #1 how he is bred, obviously genetics play a huge role. Dogs that are bred for performance probably will outlive dogs bred for show. You'll notice dogs that are bred for looks have to get screened for all types of health problems, a dog bred for performance health is generally better IMO. So this gives a lot of APBT's a great advantage as far as health goes. You can see the difference by lookig at all the problems that an American Stafford has compared to the APBT. Also size plays a role... smaller dogs generally live longer than the larger breeds.

 

While it seems to be generally true that thye age well compared to other dogs, Popper is right - I have seen some that are allowed to get heavy be in pretty rough shape by even age 9. I have seen others kept in shape that were 13 that aside from some gray hair you would never know. It is something to think about when looking at the conformation of a young dog/breeding stock - I think it is much easier to maintain a well conformed dog than an overdone Staf type.

 

i think it depends like most dogs on health and the life its lead!!...

 

I agree with the how you raise them deal. Im way to excited to see my pup grow and start conditioning at around 18 month for me to let him get lazy and overweight. Seeing your dogs are more than enough motivation.

 

agreed just like a human work out and keep in shape you will live longer

 

i dont undertsand how some of these dogs can be in such greatshape and some owners are in lousy shape

 

exactly man....

 

my dogs dont drink nearly as much beer as i do.

 

Depends on the dog, the line, the care and the conditions.
Some lines, whether show or go, have longer life-spans than others.
I've known well cared for game-bred dogs that burned out around eight years old, just like their forebearers, and show-bred AmStaffs that lived to fifteen just like theirs.
As for conditions, it goes without saying. With some of the pics of dogs kept with no bedding in barrels, standing in mud-holes, it isn't surprising that some don't last as long as they should. But then again, there are mimi-methuselas that defy the odds and the care they get.
But generally speaking, they're mostly very young until about a year before they go then they just seem to age quickly and move differently than before. That's the time I feel folks should really step up and do right by their old-ones...but, that's just my opinion and my limited experience.

 

I guarantee my girl will always look and feel in great shape at the rate she is going! it's obvious the more attention your body receives in a physical form, but not overdone you will supplement it with a longer time line and I agree, that applies to us and our bulldogs

 

LOL, I resemble that remark these days!

Of course, I would be in much worse shape if I didn't have the dogs.
Unfortunately, mine get a lot more mill work and indoor pulling than roadwork because it's hard to find time and place to work a DA dog depending on where you live. I still get them out for that kind of work, but maybe only once a week.

 

i know man .... the older ya get it seems, the worse people fall out of shape

 

older than dirt, been to hell and back-to ornery to die, 13 years old and still going strong, coming off a bad death scare, lost a few pounds...






from my experience, once they get over the 10 year mark-when its time to go its very quick. health related issues come up quick and w/ a vengence.

 

man that is awsome.... i hope my dogs live that long and are still going strong .... i have one that is six and still acts 2, hope he stays like that