The exact life expectancy of dogs has been determined in a new study – and the difference between breeds is staggering. The Royal Veterinary College analyzed around 30,500 dogs that died between January 2016 and July 2020 to identify the breeds with the highest and lowest life expectancies.
Analysts have found that the overall average life expectancy is 11.2 years. The dogs with the longest life expectancy at 12.7 years are Jack Russell terriers. But French Bulldogs are only 4.5 years old on average. English Bulldogs are 7.4 years old, Pugs are 7.7 years old, and American Bulldogs are 7.8 years old, making them all among the dogs with the lowest life expectancies.
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor of Companion Animal Epidemiology at RVC and co-author of the paper, said: “These new VetCompass Life tables allow owners to now estimate how long they may benefit from these dogs.
“The short lifespan of flat-faced breeds such as French Bulldogs supports calls for all owners to ‘Stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog’.”
But he added that regardless of life expectancy, keeping a dog remains a mental health benefit for millions of people. “Dogs have helped many humans through the loneliness and isolation of the Covid pandemic,” he said.
The breeds
| raise | Years |
| Jack Russell | 12.72 |
| Yorkshire terrier | 12.54 |
| border collie | 12.1 |
|
springer spaniel |
11.92 |
|
Metis |
11.82 |
|
Labrador |
11.77 |
|
Staffordshire Bull Terrier |
11:33 am |
|
Cocker |
11.31 |
| Shih Tzu | 11.05 |
|
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel |
10:45 a.m. |
|
German shepherd |
10.16 |
| Boxer | 10.04 |
| Beagle | 9.85 |
| Hoarse | 9.53 |
| Chihuahua | 7.91 |
| american bulldog | 7.79 |
| Pug | 7.65 |
| english bulldog | 7.39 |
| french bulldog | 4.53 |
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