has the life expectancy for dogs gone up?
<answer> Yes, life expectancy has increased due to better medical care and diet. <context> The average dog life span is not only determined by breed, but several other factors can contribute to your dog's life expectancy. 12.8 years is the average life span of the average American or European dog. This number is a dramatic leap from the expected life in the past. In a large part, this is due to better medical care and diet we have now for our own dogs. Typically, the more stress a dog has in his life, the shorter his expectancy becomes.