hockey_gal9 *Biggest Stars fan!* repliedIf 4 is old, then what would I call my 15 year old Lab mix, ancient? Old as dirt?

4 isn't old. Your Chi would be considered an adult at 4.

CC(Happy Holidays) repliedNo, 4 years old is not old, old is like 10 years old

raregoldtx66 repliedI had a chihuahua he lived to be 16 years old . You have plenty of years left as long as you take care of you dog and keep it vetted and healthy .
Your dog is not old .young adult

gabby repliedi don't think he is old. my dog died because she got cancer at the age of 10 i have another that is 6 and is just fine.....i think 4 is young..so i'd say young to young adult. just try to keep him healthy

feldco repliedthis may reassure you...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua_(...

"Although figures often vary, as with any breed, the average lifespan for a Chihuahua is approximately 8 to 22 years of age."

Alex C repliedDogs are in their prime from 4-8 yrs depending on their breed. Oldies are about 10+yrs and can live up to 22yrs sometimes!
Though Chihuahua's are prone to some genetic dis-orders due to breeding, but these are most likely to happen to puppies, so there doesnt seem to be anything to worry about. :)

~ repliedHe is definitely not old! Chihuahuas can live up to 16 years! If he is taken care of well and has frequent vet visits then you will have his for a LOT longer! He is still young. About 20 in people years.

K repliedhe's a young adult, not old at all :)

Ocimom repliedIf he's from a good breeder, then he can live a long time. Four yrs old is not old for the breed. However if its from a backyard breeder, puppy mill or a "teacup" dog, then yes your dog may not live much longer.

Smaller breeds live to late teens if healthy and well bred.
Medium dogs live to mid teens
Large breed dogs (like Danes) only live about 10 yrs.

the_dog_lady repliedDog trainer 30 yrs. & going.
My dear sweet love. I am so impressed with your love and dedication to you 4 year old baby. He is 28 in people years and can live anywhere from 10-18 years, from experience I know this from animals I have worked with and have had myself. A dogs life is much like ours though because know-one knows the day or the hour of their death...unless they see it coming. (car/truck/fatality in motion) Keep your dog updated on all shots, keep exercise and training a priority and I don't think this one will be an issue...love him deeply. You know you seem to think that dogs love more deeply than humans, it's because they hand out trust unless we give them reason to do otherwise. We as humans make people earn our trust, and for good reason in this world today.
I would venture to say that your dog in it's young life has taught you to love deeply, to think about "life" more than someone your age normally does. Your dog picked the perfect human...one who is willing to learn the lessons they teach to us without breathing a word. Young adult. And you're not rambling...you are caring.
Have lots more years of fun!!

trapt_is_awesome06 repliedHe's not old. My mom has a lab mix that is somewhere around 17 or 18 years old. That is old. 4 years old is pretty much still a puppy. You'll have him for about 8 more years or so unless something bad happens, like he somehow gets injured or gets seriously ill.

evy repliedi say he is a young adult but your dog is very young

APL336 repliedno one can anticipate how long ur chihuahua will live. If he is healthy, and nothing out of the ordinary happens, then he should still have plenty of years to go.

Cartman repliedI don't think he's old. My chihuahua is 10 years old and still healthy. As long as you take care of your dog he should live a long life ;) I would say your dog is an adult.

inSC repliedMy chihuahua, Wesley, is one year old and I consider him a young adult. I say 4 would also be young adult maybe when they are 5-7 , I would say adult. To me old would be over 10.

Chi's Rock

♥Like Ghosts in Snow♥ repliedno. and stop worring, dogs can live a long time. our dog is sixteen in 'human years' just take good care of your chihauhua and it should live a long life

Sarah repliedHe would be an adult. Near his 30's in human years. He's still young for smaller breeds, since Chi's are known to live well into their teen years if properly cared for.

Luvsdard repliedGoogle Chihuahuas and you'll see that your dog is barely out of being a teenager. Taken care of properly, they can live 15-18 yrs. The smaller the dog, usually the longer they live. Gotta take them for their physicals so if he does get something you catch it early and feed good quality food NOT from a grocery store or Walmart. Buy holistic foods form feed stores.

Lioness repliedThe average life span of a Chihuahua is anywhere from 8 to sometimes as many as 18 years.

Small dogs usually live longer. He is still a young adult.

I love my beloved dog Poncho repliedChihuahuas live 15+ years that's like young adult I once new a golden retriever who lived 19 years and she died because of cancer not old age Id consider it living about 25 to 28 years I also have a chihuahua who's turning one next november and he is also a boy I love him with all my heart the picture of my avatar is him.

Good Luck :)

moondog repliedThat is a beautiful philosphy on why our dogs have a short life span.

Your dog is a young adult. Small dogs have longer life spans than the large breeds so you should have your little dog for many years to come.

People are of the opinion that 1 year for humans = 7 years for a dog but this is not correct. In the first year of a dog's life it = 15 years in human terms. The second year = 8 years in human terms. Each year after that = 4 years in human terms. Using those calculations your dog will be only 31 years in human terms when she turns 4 in April.

kudlykara repliedThats is not old for a chihuahua, they can live past 15 years if properly taken care of and it sounds like you care for this dog very well. Four is only 28 in dog years, do you consider that old for humans?