Differential behavioral aging trajectories according to body size, expected lifespan, and head shape in dogs.

ABSTRACT: The twofold life expectancy difference between dog breeds predicts differential behavioral and cognitive aging patterns between short- and long-lived dogs. To investigate this prediction, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis using survey data from over 15,000 dogs. We examined the effect of expected lifespan and three related factors (body size, head shape, and purebred status) on the age trajectory of various behavioral characteristics and the prevalence of canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). Our findings reveal that, although age-related decline in most behavioral characteristics began around 10.5 years of age, the proportion of dogs considered "old" by their owners began to increase uniformly around 6 years of age. From the investigated factors, only body size had a systematic, altho

SUBMITTER: Turcsan B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10828231 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature