It's probably no surprise that people are living significantly longer than ever.  Back in the year 1900, life expectancy in the US was estimated at 47 years.  However, thanks to breakthroughs in science and medicine, recent reports by the CDC have estimated that the life expectancy of babies born in 2005 has risen to just shy of 80.  One scientist has even claimed that people will soon live to be 1000 – Hey, we think Andy Rooney may already be there.

Anyway, while people's lives have been getting longer, many studies have estimated that the lifespan of a dog has remained relatively the same over the years. 

Luckily, there is an easy way to help keep your pampered pooch healthy as he ages while adding years to his furry life – stop feeding him so much!

Okay, we're not talking about starving your spoiled Spot but a study from Nestle Purina PetCare found that restricting your canine's calories can significantly extend his lifespan. 

We all know that cutting out the donuts, ice cream, French fries and other high-calorie, low-nutrient foods from our daily diet is a good thing.  Well, the same kind of principle applies to your pup.

The revealing study followed 48 Labrador Retrievers throughout their lives.  Half of the dogs got an unlimited amount of food during daily feedings while the other half were fed 75 percent of what the other group of dogs had eaten.  All of the dogs were fed the same balanced diets for the entire study, from eight weeks of age until death - only the quantity of food was different.

The study found that the group of dogs that consumed 25 percent fewer calories extended their lifespan by approximately 15 percent or nearly two years. The dogs on the restricted diet were able to maintain an ideal body type defined as being able to, "feel and see outline of ribs. Dog has a waist when viewed from above and the belly is tucked up when viewed from the side." 

The theory thus goes that simply limiting your dog's calories can help your pup stay fit and thus delay death and visible signs of aging. 

Of course, you should also be doing a bunch of other stuff to help your dog's health - like daily exercise, brushing his teeth, feeding him high quality dog food and vitamin supplements, and learning canine CPR.  Who knows, with all this tender loving care your pooch may live as long as Andy Rooney.