Q. I have a question about Doberman Pinschers. What is their life span? I am curious because I have been told a lot of different age ranges from 8 years to 12 years.
A. Although there are no statistics formally maintained regarding life span as related to breeds, the average life expectancy of certain breeds is well-known to breeders and veterinarians.
In general, large-breed dogs have a shorter life span than smaller dogs. This seems intuitively incorrect, since larger dogs have slower heart rates, and so it might be reasonable to expect a larger dog’s slower beating heart to result in a longer lifespan.
Most Doberman Pinschers will live a life span of 12 to13 years if they remain healthy. They are prone to certain genetic diseases, especially an enlarged heart (cardiomyopathy), which can reduce that average. Of course there are exceptions.