As much as we adore our canine companions, sadly, they can’t be with us forever. While the typical dog lifespan ranges between 10 and 13 years, some breeds unfortunately don’t reach this average. To offer some solace, pet experts equate the first year of a dog’s life to 15 human years, the second year to nine human years, and each subsequent year to five human years.
However, various factors such as the dog’s size, genetics, or susceptibility to fatal diseases can shorten a dog’s life. A 2024 study published in Nature examined nearly 585,000 dogs across 155 breeds in the UK.
Using this data, the American Kennel Club identified the 35 most popular breeds with the shortest lifespans, which we’ve listed below, reports the Express.
Full list of dog breeds with the shortest lifespans:
34. Akita – Median lifespan: 11.4 years
33. German Shepherd – Median lifespan: 11.3 years (tie)
33. Boxer – Median lifespan: 11.3 years (tie)
33. Bouvier des Flandres – Median lifespan: 11.3 years (tie)
33. American Eskimo dog – Median lifespan: 11.3 years (tie)
33. Alaskan malamute – Median lifespan: 11.3 years (tie)
28. Doberman Pinscher – Median lifespan: 11.2 years
27. Dogue de Bordeaux – Median lifespan: 11.1 years (tie)
27. Brittany – Median lifespan: 11.1 years (tie)
27. Afghan hound – Median lifespan: 11.1 years (tie)
24. Newfoundland – Median lifespan: 11 years
23. Great Pyrenees – Median lifespan: 10.9 years (tie)
23. Black Russian terrier – Average lifespan: 10.9 years (tie)
21. Irish water spaniel – Average lifespan: 10.8 years
20. Rottweiler – Average lifespan: 10.6 years (tie)
20. Great Dane – Average lifespan: 10.6 years (tie)
20. Chinese shar-pei – Average lifespan: 10.6 years (tie)
17. Scottish deerhound – Average lifespan: 10.5 years
16. Bullmastiff – Average lifespan: 10.2 years
15. Bernese mountain dog – Average lifespan: 10.1 years (tie)
15. Anatolian shepherd – Average lifespan: 10.1 years (tie)
13. Pharaoh hound – Average lifespan: 10 years (tie)
13. Leonberger – Average lifespan: 10 years (tie)
11. Irish wolfhound – Average lifespan: 9.9 years
10. French bulldog – Average lifespan: 9.8 years (tie)
10. Bulldog – Average lifespan: 9.8 years (tie)
8. Saint Bernard – Average lifespan: 9.3 years (tie)
8. Neapolitan mastiff – Average lifespan: 9.3 years (tie)
8. Bloodhound – Average lifespan: 9.3 years (tie)
8. Affenpinscher – Average lifespan: 9.3 years (tie)
4. Mastiff – Average lifespan: 9 years
3. Cane corso – Average lifespan: 8.1 years
2. Presa Canario – Average lifespan: 7.7 years
1. Caucasian shepherd dog – Average lifespan: 5.4 years