Compared to people, dogs reach puberty, adulthood, and old age relatively quickly. The average lifespan for a toy poodle is 14 years. A puppy reaches puberty at about 6 months of age and achieves adulthood at 10 to 12 months of age.
Like people, your dog can be “younger” than his years might imply. It all depends on lifestyle choices that you make for her. These include food and nutrition, medical care, and general safety/care issues such as exposure to second-hand smoke.
Take the free “How Young Is Your Dog?” test at DogAge. It’s fun! And it might reveal some issues that you could modify to promise your toy poodle a long and healthy life.
Until next time,
Mr. Dibs
