As explained above, the average lifespan of the Doberman is 9 to 13 years. Dobermans who move to the earlier end of this range have likely had unforeseen health problems that developed in their later adult years.
Most healthy adult Dobermans fed a high quality diet and leading an active lifestyle will generally reach the end of this age range between 11 and 13 years of age. Which is very reasonable for a large breed.
How long does a Doberman live?
First of all, let’s put aside the most important question: «How long can I expect my Doberman to live?»
Searching online, you can find many answers to this question. However, very few of these answers are given with any scientific research to back up the claim. So it can be hard to trust any of them since you have no idea where they got those numbers from.
Related questions
Are Dobermans prone to cancer? Doberman Pinschers are considered to be among the top 5 breeds most likely to develop cancer in their lifetime. This usually occurs in the form of prostate cancer in Dobermans. If caught early, there are often treatment options available that can significantly prolong life.
Are Dobermans prone to heart problems? Doberman Pinschers have a genetic predisposition to develop heart disease. A genetic mutation present in the Doberman breed makes them susceptible to developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which causes an enlarged heart, erratic heartbeat, and weakness of the heart muscle.
Size Affects Lifespan
Generally, the larger the size of a dog, the shorter the expected lifespan.
Doberman Pinschers are an impressively large breed of dog, and this places the dog at greater risk of health problems that are peculiar to larger dogs.
Wobbler Syndrome
Also known as cervical vertebral instability. The main feature of wobbler syndrome in dogs is a wobbly gait caused by malformations and abnormalities in the vertebrae. Wobbler disease is usually more common in larger dogs. Surgery is an option that works. However, all success depends on the exact state of the dog’s spine.
A blood clotting disease that affects dogs and humans. Von Willebrand disease in dogs is characterized by bleeding from the mouth, nose, or bodily fluids for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, there is no cure, but there are several successful management methods. The main one is to reduce rough play, as it increases the chance of a bleed event.