No Bad Dogs Podcast E332- The Science of Dog Longevity: How to Help Your Dog Live Longer & Healthier (w/ Dr. Matt Kaeberlein PhD)
Dec 18, 2025
Join Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, an influential aging researcher and co-founder of the Dog Aging Project, as he explores the science of canine longevity. Discover how factors like diet, exercise, and the revolutionary drug rapamycin could extend your dog's healthy years. Matt discusses the surprising effects of once-daily feeding and the importance of tailored care. He also highlights the need for awareness about misleading supplements and emphasizes the connection between mental enrichment and overall wellbeing.
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Dobby: Personal Motivation For The Project
- Matt named his German Shepherd Dobby and lost him about a year before this interview.
- Dobby's aging and health struggles directly motivated Matt's commitment to translational aging research in dogs.
Early Safety Trial Showed Promising Signals
- The first rapamycin safety trial treated 24 dogs for 10 weeks with placebo, low and higher doses and found no difference in side effects.
- Echocardiogram measures improved in rapamycin-treated dogs and owners reported increased activity and quality of life.
How To Join The Dog Aging Project
- If interested, enroll your dog via dogagingproject.org; any dog can join the observational study and certain dogs qualify for the rapamycin trial.
- The rapamycin trial gives dogs a weekly pill for one year with two years follow-up and measures lifespan and many healthspan metrics.