Discover the projected lifespans of diverse canine breeds

It seems beneficial for dogs to be small and possess a long nose.

According to a recent report in Scientific Reports, breeds that fit this description, including miniature dachshunds and some terriers, typically have the longest lifespans in the United Kingdom. Conversely, medium to large flat-nosed breeds such as bulldogs and mastiffs generally have shorter lifespans.  

Dogs around the globe tend to live between 10 to 14 years on average. Lifespan varies by breed, some research has found smaller dogs often live longer than larger ones. However, numerous other factors such as genetics and body type can also affect life expectancy.

“This issue is highly complex and this paper is just beginning to explore it,” states Kirsten McMillan, data scientist with Dogs Trust, a London-based dog welfare charity.

McMillan and her team collected data on individual dogs from 18 different U.K. sources, including breed registries and veterinarians, in an attempt to study the impact of body and head size on canine lifespan. The study analysed over 580,000 records, with about 284,000 relating to deceased dogs. The data included over 150 pure breeds as well as mixed breeds.

The research found that among purebred dogs, the small, long-nosed breeds had a median life expectancy of 13.3 years. For example, miniature dachshunds typically enjoy a lifespan of 14 years. However, bulldogs, a medium-sized breed with a flat face, usually live less than 10 years. The study also found that popular breeds such as border collies and Labrador retrievers have an average lifespan of approximately 13 years. These were the most common dogs within the study dataset.

The researchers utilised a dataset of over 580,000 dogs from the United Kingdom to calculate the median life expectancy for 155 pure breeds. They found that breeds like miniature dachshunds could expect a lifespan of about 14 years, and bulldogs approximately 10 years. Popular breeds like border collies usually live to around 13 years.

Type up to five dog breeds to compare their life expectancies.

However, facial structure is not the only determinant of life expectancy, McMillan adds. Some breeds with flat faces, such as Tibetan Mastiffs, tend to have longer lifespans of about 13 years. “There is an elevated risk of early death for some flat-faced dogs, but that's not the entire picture,” says McMillan.

The study only provides indicative findings relating to dogs in the United Kingdom, McMillan clarifies. Nonetheless, researchers in other countries could use similar techniques to examine dog lifespans in their own regions. “Once we have comparative lifespan estimates from different regions,” McMillan suggests, “we could use this information to improve the longevity of certain breeds.”