What are the Healthiest Dog Breeds?
READING TIME: 6 mins, 26 secs.
While there is no way to know how healthy a dog will be, there are healthier dog breeds that carry predisposition genetic make-up enriching their livelihood. Certain canine breeds may experience fewer genetic diseases, skin and coat issues, and bone-related diseases.
- Regular Check-ups: Veterinarian visits help establish a baseline of the dog’s health, especially when it comes to the upkeep of vaccinations and maintaining a healthy pet weight.
- Nutrition: Feeding appropriate nutrition to your dog sustains their heart health, skeletal health, and muscle tone. Proper nutrition helps digestion, keeps a healthy skin and coat, and increases immunity, well-being, and longevity in a dog.
- Exercise: Canines require an ample amount of exercise, and a dog thrives from the benefits of it. From strengthening their heart to increasing the circulation in the lungs to promoting healthy digestion and healthy muscle tone, consistent exercising is beneficial to a dog. Exercise relieves anxiety and stress, which increases the self-esteem and happy hormones in your dog, and decreases their risk of obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
| How to Keep Your Dog Healthy |
| 1. Feed a balanced and nutritious diet catered to the specific life-stage of your dog. |
| 2. Keep your dog at a healthy weight and discuss what that is with your veterinarian. |
| 3. Exercise your dog twice daily with 30-minute walks. |
| 4. Schedule veterinarian visits to detect health issues early. |
| 5. Vaccinate your pet against deadly diseases with your veterinarian’s assistance. |
| 6. Keep your pet parasite-free from fleas, ticks, and heartworm by thorough check-ups. |
| 7. Maintain your dog’s dental hygiene by brushing their teeth regularly with a canine toothpaste. Dental hygiene is crucial to a dog’s health. |
There’s a long-standing assumption that mixed-breed dogs are less disease-prone than purebred dogs. DNA-testing suggests mixed-breed dogs are less likely than purebreds to develop a recessive disorder; however, they may still be carriers. Of the 152 diseases reviewed, two out of a hundred mixed-breed dogs were at risk of becoming affected, while forty out of a hundred were carriers for at least one of the diseases.
| Recommended Health Tests for Mixed-Breeds: |
| – Ocular Evaluations |
| – Nervous and Circulatory Tests |
| – Regular Veterinarian Check-ups |
Note: While the breeds in this collection tend to be healthy, individual pets may vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet.
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Beagle
The Beagle is a curious, happy-go-lucky, friendly dog, which may weigh anywhere from twenty to thirty pounds. This breed makes for a merry and lovable companion dog, as well as an energetic canine and hound. Pet parents of this breed will find that while the Beagle body is strong, the nose of a Beagle is much stronger. Known to be a healthy breed, pet parents should screen their dog for health conditions. Conditions common to this dog breed are hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, luxating patellas, and eye disorders. Check the ears of a Beagle frequently, brush their teeth regularly, and visit the veterinarian for consistent check-ups. Recommended Health Tests for a Beagle: This dog breed may require a hip evaluation, an Ophthalmologist evaluation, a DNA test, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Chihuahua
A Chihuahua is a sassy and charming toy dog breed who boasts a full personality. The Chihuahua is the national symbol of Mexico. Also, this dog breed is one of the oldest canine breeds of America. For the most part, this dog breed is healthy. However, some health conditions and issues still affect this breed. Common conditions this breed may experience include heart problems, eye disease, patellar luxation, and idiopathic epilepsy. Recommended Health Tests for a Chihuahua: This dog breed may require a cardiac exam, an Ophthalmologist evaluation, a patella evaluation, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Dachshund
The Dachshund is a bold dog breed that has two sizes and three different coat types. While a Standard-sized Dachshund may weigh between sixteen to thirty-two pounds, a Miniature Dachshund may weigh under eleven pounds. This canine is an exceptional watchdog, although the body of a Dachshund isn’t necessarily built for running, swimming, or strenuous activities. With proper care, this healthy dog breed may expect to live anywhere between twelve and sixteen years. With a proper diet and enough exercise, a Dachshund won’t become overweight. As a result of the dog's drop ears, a Dachshund may get ear infections. Check the ears of a Dachshund frequently, brush their teeth regularly, and take them for consistent veterinarian visits. Recommended Health Tests for a Dachshund: This dog breed requires regular veterinarian check-ups.
Havanese
A Havanese is a convenient toy dog breed, which may weigh between seven to thirteen pounds. With a silk coat, in a variety of colors, the Havanese is a healthy dog, and with proper care and maintenance, this breed may live anywhere from thirteen to fifteen years. Pet parents should know the Havanese dog breed is prone to deafness, heart murmurs, Legg-Calve-perthes, eye disorders, chondrodysplasia, and patellar luxation. Check the ears of this breed frequently, brush their teeth regularly, and consistently take them to the veterinarian. Recommended Health Checks for a Havanese: This dog breed may require a hip evaluation, an ophthalmologist evaluation, BAER Testing, a patella evaluation, and regular veterinarian visits.
Shetland Sheepdog / Sheltie
The Shetland Sheepdog is a herding dog that may weigh anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five pounds. This breed's coat is straight, with a dense undercoat, which may come in black, blue merle, and sable, along with white markings. The bright, outgoing Sheltie is known for being a world-class competitor. Keep your dog's health balanced by consistently taking your dog to veterinarian visits. Recommended Health Tests for a Shetland Sheepdog: This dog breed may require a hip evaluation, an ophthalmologist evaluation, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Australian Cattle Dog
An Australian Cattle Dog is a herding dog that may weigh anywhere from thirty-five to fifty pounds. This incredibly healthy breed has a lifespan of anywhere from twelve to sixteen years. This muscular canine is also called a Blue Heeler or a Queensland Heeler. In this dog breed, pet parents should look to screen for health conditions. Common conditions this breed experiences are deafness, PRA, which causes a loss of vision, and Hip Dysplasia. Pet parents should anticipate cleaning the Australian Cattle Dog’s ears and teeth regularly as well as take their pet to regular veterinarian appointments. Recommended Health Tests for an Australian Cattle Dog: This dog breed may require a hip evaluation, a PLL DNA test, a PRA Optigen DNA test, a BAER test, an Ophthalmologist screening, an elbow evaluation, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
English Springer Spaniel
An English Springer Spaniel is obedient and friendly, and this breed may weigh between forty to fifty pounds. A Springer is highly trainable, and this breed enjoys long walks, swimming, and playing. This breed is a healthy dog, yet, there are several genetic screenings pet parents should consider for their English Springer Spaniel. For instance, elbow and hip dysplasia, and eye conditions are prone to this dog. Recommended Health Tests for an English Springer Spaniel: This dog breed may require a thyroid evaluation, an ophthalmologist evaluation, a Von Willebrand’s Disease DNA Test, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier is a sleek, spirited dog. This dog breed may weigh anywhere from twelve to twenty-two pounds. Also, the Manchester Terrier comes in two sizes. A standard-sized Manchester Terrier doesn’t exceed twenty-two pounds, and a Toy-sized doesn’t exceed twelve pounds. This dog breed is recognizable from their shiny coat comprising of dark mahogany brown and black. Recommended Health Tests for a Manchester Terrier: This dog breed may require a thyroid evaluation, an Ophthalmologist evaluation, a Von Willebrand’s Disease DNA Test, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Whippet
The playful yet calm Whippet may weigh between twenty-five to forty pounds. This dog breed can anticipate a lifespan between twelve to fifteen years. The Whippet has sleek grace and a gentle soul from the Hound group. Pet parents should screen for health conditions. Common conditions this breed may experience include deafness, cardiac disease, and eye disorders. By visiting the veterinarian consistently, pet parents can ensure check-ups upkeep their pet's health. Recommended Health Tests for a Whippet: This dog breed may require a cardiac exam, a BAER Test, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a large breed that may weigh between thirty-five to sixty pounds, and they may live between twelve and fourteen years. The Siberian Husky has a notable thick coat that requires maintenance. This breed is a sled dog known. As a result of being a sled dog, this breed requires moderate exercise to keep a Siberian Husky fit and happy. Pet parents should examine a Siberian Husky starting at twelve months old annually with consistent check-ups with a veterinarian. Recommended Health Tests for a Siberian Husky: This dog breed may require regular veterinarian check-ups, a hip evaluation, and an ophthalmologist evaluation.