Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inMarta SerafinkoWednesday 14 October 2026 11:29 BSTCan Dogs Have Autism? Five Warning SignsA study published in Science suggests larger dog breeds such as Great Danes have shorter life expectancies because their cells experience accelerated molecular ageing compared to smaller breeds.Researchers analysed blood samples from 894 dogs to track DNA methylation, creating an epigenetic clock that measures biological age within a margin of error of under one year.Larger dogs showed a faster erosion of DNA methylation in genome regions responsible for suppressing jumping genes, potentially increasing vulnerability to cancer and age-related diseases.Scientists believe this accelerated molecular ageing process may be an unintended trade-off resulting from human selective breeding for rapid growth and larger body sizes.While modifying molecular ageing trajectories could potentially extend healthy lifespans in larger dogs, researchers note it will not completely eliminate breed-specific health risks.In fullScientists discover which dog breeds die younger than others - and whyMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in