inheriting an 11 year old lab

Question
My neighbor is moving and won't be able to take their lab with them.  I offered to take him and am excited but have a few questions/concerns.  He's been outside on a chain with a run for about 5 years.  He has a nice size dog house.  They were not able to walk him and I recently started to take him a few times a week to start building a relationship and get some exercize for us both.  I would like to bring him in the house but am not sure if crating a dog this age would be advised (for over night or if I'm away short periods). I know he's old...what's the average life expectancey for labs?

Answer
Hello...I am very upset that after having this dog for 11 years they got rid of it...the only reason I can say people keep there dogs until dieing age then get rid of them is they do not want to experaicne the vet bills and pain that come with a dieing companion. Labrador retreivers life spans are 11/13 years. I reccomend to keep walking him every day a short five minute walk even would be nice, making sure he is getting a quaility diet and is being given attention. Crating him indoors at night shouldnt persent any problems as long as you cut off his food and water supply a few hours before bed time and let him potty before bringing him in to be crated. I reccomend just giving the most attention you can and being as kind to teh dog as possible he apperently has a better owner now then he did for the first 11 years of his life and since he (sadly) may not live that much longer its why I'm reccomending all of the above to give the best quaility of life possible in his last year(s). I wish you luck with your new dog and hope you truely enjoy his compnay Labrador retreivers are wonderful dogs.