How long does a toy terrier live and what does it depend on?

Toy Terrier is a popular breed of dog that is distinguished by its miniature size and brittleness. Description of the breed usually begins with an indication of the small size, and the first part of the name - “that” - is translated as “toy”. Although the word "terrier" says that we have a hunting dog. But this does not apply to Russian toy terriers - they were bred solely as decorative, lapdogs, and you should not make the same demands on your pets as their brothers, for example, English toy terriers.

At home, the Russian toy terrier feels great in a city apartment and in a country house. He is quite active, loves to play, and thanks to his small size, he always has enough space to show activity. In this mini-dogs need and walks in the fresh air. Only one should avoid both hypothermia and prolonged exposure to the sun. It is advisable to cover your pet from direct sunlight, and in cold weather you need to take care of clothes and shoes for it.

For longevity of a dog, proper nutrition is very important. Toy terriers are fed with both natural food and dry balanced feed for small breeds.

Small fragile dogs are subject to injury, so you need to protect them from possible hazards., do not leave unattended on high windowsills, tables and even chairs - any unsuccessful dismount can cause a fracture.

A factor such as gender also affects longevity. Toy terriers - girls live longer, especially sterilized. They almost never have diseases of the genitals. But if your pet is a boy and you are not going to breed, his castration will be good for his health.

Among the factors dangerous to health and life should be highlighted:

• poor heredity;
• infections;
• chronic diseases of internal organs;
• propensity to injury;
• overcooling and overheating
• unbalanced nutrition;
• weak immunity;
• combat character.

The latter factor leads to clashes with other dogs, which can backfire.

Dwarf dogs always react strongly to stress. To preserve their health, it is better to save them from various unpleasant situations.

Speaking of life expectancy, you should consider the weight and size of the dog. Toy terriers live on average 10-15 years. However, in mini-class dogs, the average lifespan is much lower - about 7 years, and in supermini dogs (1.5 kg) - usually 3-5 years. But for a small dog it is quite a long life, and it is in the owner’s power to provide his pet with love and care throughout its length.

The breed standard sets the weight of a Russian toy terrier to no more than 3 kg, with a weight of 2.3 kg being most desirable. With less weight increases the risk of injury. In general, deviations from the standard in this fragile breed can lead to health problems in the future. And dogs weighing less than 1.5 kg are not allowed to breed. In addition, the life span of a mini-toy terrier is several times shorter than that of standard counterparts.

When choosing a puppy should take into account the requirements of the standard. According to the description, a Russian toy terrier should have certain proportions - the length of the body should be equal to the height at the withers; ears - large, triangular, erect; the tail for this breed is characterized by a thin and low set.

Dog lifespan will increase positive factors of its content:

• proper nutrition;
• vitamins;
• walks in the open air;
• exclusion of dangerous places for games;
• lack of stressful situations;
• timely deworming and vaccination;
• castration of dogs not intended for breeding.

Let us dwell on the above factors in more detail.

Nutrition - the main factor in maintaining the health and longevity of the dog. The owner who wants a long life to his pet, is obliged to provide a varied and well-balanced diet.

From natural products, toy terrier ration should include dietary meat (turkey, chicken, beef), cereals in the form of porridge and vegetables. Of cereals most useful rice and buckwheat. Vegetables - zucchini, carrots, beets. You should not give the dog sausage and, in general, all smoked, spicy, salty, fatty, fried. Any cheese is also excluded. But the cottage cheese is very useful for bones and teeth.

If you opted for ready-made feeds, then preference should be given to premium and super-premium feeds. For small breeds there are special foods that do not cause difficulties when chewing, containing the optimal combination of the necessary elements of the body. Nutrition ready high-quality feed does not require the inclusion in the diet of additional vitamins - they are already included in the composition of the feed. But this is in the case of a healthy dog. If there is a shortage of some element, the vet will prescribe the appropriate vitamins additionally.

Overfeeding a toy terrier is even more dangerous than undernourishment. Often the owner in an effort to please his beloved animal, offers him treats in large quantities. A small stomach and liver can not cope with a large amount of high-calorie food. So do not overdo it with love - it is better to once again caress the toe than to stick him a snack.

Walking and games should be primarily safe for the dog's fragile bones. Even a bad jump from a sofa can lead a toy terrier to a broken bone. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor your pet when he is at a dangerous height for him and help him to descend. At the entrance and exit of transport, descending the stairs of the toy terrier, you must take it in your hands.

On walks, try to protect the toya from contact with large active dogs, even benevolently-minded. The toy terrier is active and curious, and plays with pleasure, but a larger dog can injure him if it accidentally steps on it or even simply pushes it. For walks, choose places that exclude the sudden appearance of cars - the driver may simply not notice a small dog and not have time to react.

In order not to allow hypothermia of a small organism, you need to walk it in warm clothes and even shoes. If it is very cold and damp outside, it is better to cancel the walk completely. Toy terriers are easily accustomed to the tray.

On a walk, your pet will certainly want to run around without a leash. But this can be resolved only when he will absolutely listen to commands. Otherwise, uncontrolled behavior on the street will lead to an accident.

In addition to street hazards, traumatic factors are present at home. For example, you should carefully monitor the interaction of toy terrier with small children.Children often perceive the dog as a living toy, and can cause injury.

Particular attention should be paid to deworming. Dogs are curious creatures, and it is impossible to keep their pet from the temptation to stick their noses to everything he sees while walking. Helminth eggs from the ground fall on the nose, and then lick, and infection occurs. The organism of toy terriers, like other small dogs, is unable to withstand the attack of worms for a long time, spreads quite quickly, and in advanced cases can lead to various complications. Preparations from worms will be best picked up by a veterinarian who is constantly observing your dog. Toy Terrier is too gentle a creature to risk his health by choosing drugs on his own, at his own peril and risk.

Remedies for worms should be given with caution, carefully following the recommendations of the doctor and instructions on the package. The recommended dose is best given in two doses, combining with activated carbon. Too strong medicine will kill all the worms at once, but the body may not have time to bring them out, which will lead to intoxication and death of the animal.

De-worming should be done once every 3 months, but always before annual vaccination. Which vaccine will work for your dog will definitely tell the observing vet. Nowadays, “Nobivak” is widely practiced - a comprehensive vaccine that guarantees protection against virtually all common and dangerous canine diseases.

Increased longevity contributes to timely castration.

Careful hygiene of your dog - monitor the condition of the coat and, if necessary, comb; regularly examine the doctor's teeth and eyes. And, of course, remember the need for preventive examinations at the veterinarian, preferably permanent, following all the recommendations.

In general, toy terriers are considered to be one of the longest-lived breeds, especially when compared to large dogs. Toy Terrier's old age occurs at different ages, but officially older dogs are considered to be 8 years old. With age, activity decreases, sleep time increases, hearing and vision deteriorate. Many appear gray on the face.

The question of whether tooth decay is associated with aging remains controversial. Many dogs of this breed begin to lose their teeth from 4 years of age. A number of professionals and owners believe that the loss of teeth in teeth is associated with heredity and errors in nutrition. Others are of the opinion that falling teeth are a sign of old age.

The dog's age is short, and no matter how hard we try to prolong the life of our pet, his old age and care come sooner than we would like. But in dogs, as in humans, there are cases of longevity.

Experience shows that longevity is strongly related to the size of the dog. Mini-toy terriers live a maximum of 8 years, supermini and even less - up to 5 years. Larger members of the breed live to be 17 years old; known case of survival to more than 20 years, and even up to 30.

One of the most famous domestic long-livers in Russia is a toy terrier from Stavropol named Funtik. He lived 18 years and 2 months and died in 2016 from oncology. He was listed in the Russian Book of Records.

For more information about the breed, see the following video.