Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Life

Be a good dog and you'll live a long, healthy life

21 April 2010

Âé¶¹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Headed for an early grave

(Image: Christian Ã…slund/Folioimages/Plainpicture)

LIVE fast, die young: it’s an adage that applies not just to humans. Disobedient dog breeds tend to die earlier than docile dogs, according to a study that compared the longevity of different breeds.

at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, compared data from previous studies of personality in a number of dog breeds, and mortality data on the same varieties. Some of the data came from insurance companies that sell pet policies. After controlling for size – big dogs tend to die younger than small ones –…

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