How long do dogs typically live, what are the factors that influence their longevity and does it vary depending on breed? Read on to find out the answer.
On average dogs live between 12 and 13 years, but a lot does depend on the breed and the type.
Which dog breed lives the longest?
According to a study by The Dogs Trust the longevity breed winners are the Lancashire Heeler (15.4 years), Tibetan Spaniel (15.2 years), and Miniature Dachshund (14 years). While owners of the ever-popular Border Collie, Labrador and Cocker Spaniel can expect them to be around for 13 or so years.
Which dog breeds has the shortest life expectancy?
However brachycephalic dogs (those with flat-faces, like popular French Bulldogs) have a 40% increased risk of living shorter lives, while large-sized breeds have a 20% increased risk of shorter lifespan than small-sized breeds.
The dog breeds with the lowest average lifespans are the Caucasian Shepherd (5.4 years), Presa Canario (7.7 years) and Cane Corso (8.1 years).
Researchers also found female dogs had a slightly higher median life expectancy than males (12.7 years compared to 12.4 years).
We found life expectancy varies between breed, body size, face shape and sex - this is the first study where all of these elements have been compared and contrasted alongside evolutionary history.
Many of these factors interact to compound the issue, for example medium sized, flat-faced male dogs are nearly three times more likely to live shorter lives than small sized, long-faced females.
Lead author Dr Kirsten McMillant from The Dogs Trust