TL;DR
The average lifespan of a dog is about 12 to 13 years. The two largest recent studies agree closely: in the UK, a 2024 study of 584,734 dogs found a median lifespan of 12.7 years for purebreds and 12.0 years for mixed breeds, and in the US, life tables built from 13.3 million dogs at Banfield clinics gave a life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years. Size, skull shape, sex and weight all matter. Small breeds lived a median of 12.7 years and large breeds 11.9; flat-faced breeds 11.2 years, against 12.8 for breeds with medium-length noses; females outlived males; and in the US data, obese dogs had a life expectancy of 11.71 years, against 13.18 for dogs at an ideal weight. A typical dog becomes a senior at about 9 years.
How long do dogs live?
| Group | Median lifespan or life expectancy | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All dogs, US (13.3 million dogs) | 12.69 years at birth | US Banfield life tables |
| Mixed-breed dogs, US | 12.71 years at birth | US Banfield life tables |
| Purebred dogs, UK | 12.7 years | 2024 UK study, 584,734 dogs |
| Mixed-breed dogs, UK | 12.0 years | 2024 UK study |
| All dogs, UK life tables | 11.23 years at birth | UK life tables, 30,563 deaths |
A median is the age by which half the dogs had died; life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn puppy can expect to live. Both put the typical dog at about 12 years. In the UK study, 95% of dogs had died by about 18 years.
Dog age in human years
For a typical dog with a lifespan of 12 years:
| Dog's age | Life stage | Roughly like a person aged |
|---|---|---|
| 4 years | Mature adult | 26 |
| 5 years | Mature adult | 33 |
| 6 years | Mature adult | 40 |
| 7 years | Mature adult | 46 |
| 8 years | Mature adult | 53 |
| 9 years | Senior | 59 |
| 10 years | Senior | 66 |
| 11 years | Senior | 72 |
| 12 years | Senior | 79 |
| 13 years | Senior, past the median | 86 |
| 14 years | Senior, past the median | 92 |
| 15 years | Senior, past the median | 99 |
This uses the share of a typical lifespan a dog has lived, compared with US human life expectancy of 79 years. Because breeds differ so much, use our calculator to choose your dog's breed:
Dog age calculator
Enter your dog's age and breed. Choose "Mixed breed" if you are not sure.
Human age (DNA method)
64
From age-related DNA changes in Labradors compared with people (Wang 2020). Least reliable for puppies under a few months.
Same point in a human life
53
Your dog has lived about 67% of the typical 12.0-year lifespan for this group. The same share of a 79.0-year US life expectancy is age 53.
Life stage
Mature adult
AAHA: from maturity until the last 25% of expected lifespan, about 9.0 years for this group.
Mixed breed (crossbreed): median lifespan 12.0 years (95% CI 12.0 to 12.1), senior from about 9.0 years.
Lifespans: UK study of 584,734 dogs (McMillan 2024). Life stages: AAHA. Every dog ages differently; health, weight and lifestyle all matter.
What affects how long a dog lives
Size
In the UK study, median lifespan fell with size:
| Size of purebred | Median lifespan |
|---|---|
| Small | 12.7 years |
| Medium | 12.5 years |
| Large | 11.9 years |
Large males died fastest: 1.28 times as fast as small females, the longest-lived group. The US life tables also found life expectancy rose as size group fell, from giant to toy dogs.
Face shape
| Skull shape | Median lifespan | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Medium-length nose (mesocephalic) | 12.8 years | Labrador, Border Collie |
| Long nose (dolichocephalic) | 12.1 years | Greyhound, Whippet |
| Flat face (brachycephalic) | 11.2 years | Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog |
Flat-faced breeds had 1.4 times the risk of earlier death of medium-nosed breeds.
Sex
Females lived slightly longer in every large study: 12.7 versus 12.4 years in the UK, and 12.76 versus 12.63 years in the US.
Weight
This is the factor you control most. In the US life tables, obese dogs had a life expectancy of 11.71 years, more than a year less than dogs at an ideal weight (13.18 years). In a lifelong study of Labradors, dogs fed 25% less food lived a median of 13.0 years against 11.2 years for their heavier littermates.
Purebred or mixed breed?
The answer depends on the breed. In the UK study, purebreds as a group lived slightly longer than crossbreds (12.7 versus 12.0 years), but breeds varied enormously: 47.1% of 155 breeds lived longer than crossbreds and 25.8% lived shorter lives. A US study of 20,970 dogs found no significant overall difference between purebreds and mixed breeds.
Longest- and shortest-lived breeds
From the 2024 UK study of 155 breeds:
| Longest-lived | Median | Shortest-lived | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire Heeler | 15.4 years | Caucasian Shepherd Dog | 5.4 years |
| Tibetan Spaniel | 15.2 years | Presa Canario | 7.7 years |
| Shiba Inu | 14.6 years | Cane Corso | 8.1 years |
| Papillon | 14.5 years | Mastiff | 9.0 years |
| Border Terrier | 14.2 years | French Bulldog | 9.8 years |
| Miniature Dachshund | 14.0 years | Bulldog | 9.8 years |
Lifespan by breed
| Breed | Median lifespan (2024 UK study) | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Miniature Dachshund | 14.0 years | Dachshund lifespan |
| Poodle | 14.0 years | Poodle lifespan |
| Parson Russell Terrier | 13.8 years | Jack Russell lifespan |
| Australian Shepherd | 13.7 years | Australian Shepherd lifespan |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 13.3 years | Yorkshire Terrier lifespan |
| Jack Russell Terrier | 13.3 years | Jack Russell lifespan |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 13.3 years | Miniature Schnauzer lifespan |
| Cocker Spaniel | 13.3 years | Cocker Spaniel lifespan |
| Dachshund | 13.2 years | Dachshund lifespan |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 13.2 years | Corgi lifespan |
| Golden Retriever | 13.2 years | Golden Retriever lifespan |
| Labrador Retriever | 13.1 years | Labrador lifespan |
| Maltese | 13.1 years | Maltese lifespan |
| Border Collie | 13.1 years | Border Collie lifespan |
| Shih Tzu | 12.8 years | Shih Tzu lifespan |
| Beagle | 12.5 years | Beagle lifespan |
| Pomeranian | 12.2 years | Pomeranian lifespan |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier (pit bull type) | 12.0 years | Pit bull lifespan |
| Siberian Husky | 11.9 years | Husky lifespan |
| Chihuahua | 11.8 years | Chihuahua lifespan |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 11.8 years | Cavalier lifespan |
| Pug | 11.6 years | Pug lifespan |
| German Shepherd | 11.3 years | German Shepherd lifespan |
| Boxer | 11.3 years | Boxer lifespan |
| Doberman Pinscher | 11.2 years | Doberman lifespan |
| Great Dane | 10.6 years | Great Dane lifespan |
| Rottweiler | 10.6 years | Rottweiler lifespan |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 10.1 years | Bernese Mountain Dog lifespan |
| French Bulldog | 9.8 years | French Bulldog lifespan |
| Bulldog | 9.8 years | English Bulldog lifespan |
How to help any dog live longer
- Keep your dog lean. Over a year of life separated obese and ideal-weight dogs in the US data. See senior dog food for weight loss.
- Look after the teeth. In a 2026 study of dogs examined under anesthesia, 98.6% of dogs over 1 year had some gum disease. See how many teeth does a dog have.
- Keep your dog moving, and support the joints as it ages. See best joint supplements for senior dogs.
- Check for lumps monthly. See skin tags and lumps on dogs.
- Know when your dog becomes a senior and switch to twice-yearly checks. See when is a dog considered senior.
FAQ
What is the average lifespan of a dog?
About 12 to 13 years. US life tables from 13.3 million dogs gave a life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years, and a 2024 UK study of 584,734 dogs found a median of 12.7 years for purebreds and 12.0 years for mixed breeds.
Do small dogs live longer than big dogs?
Yes. In the UK study, small purebreds lived a median of 12.7 years, medium 12.5 years and large 11.9 years, and US life tables also found life expectancy rising as size fell.
Do mixed-breed dogs live longer?
Not always. In the UK, purebreds as a group lived slightly longer, but many individual breeds lived shorter lives than mixed breeds. A US study found no significant overall difference.
What breed of dog lives the longest?
In the 2024 UK study, the longest-lived breeds were the Lancashire Heeler (15.4 years), Tibetan Spaniel (15.2), Shiba Inu (14.6) and Papillon (14.5).
Do female dogs live longer than males?
Slightly. Females lived a median of 12.7 years against 12.4 for males in the UK, and 12.76 against 12.63 years in the US.
At what age is a dog old?
A dog becomes a senior in the last quarter of its expected lifespan, around 9 years for a typical dog, earlier for giant breeds and later for small ones.
References
- McMillan KM, et al. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports. 2024. PMID: 38302530
- Montoya M, et al. Life expectancy tables for dogs and cats derived from clinical data. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2023. PMID: 36896289
- Teng KT, et al. Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom. Scientific Reports. 2022. PMID: 35484374
- Urfer SR, et al. Lifespan of companion dogs seen in three independent primary care veterinary clinics in the United States. Canine Medicine and Genetics. 2020. PMID: 32835231
- Kealy RD, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2002. PMID: 11991408
- Stepaniuk KS, Gingerich W, Ziche AM. Oral examination in a random anesthetized canine population for the prevalence of periodontal disease and fractured teeth. Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. 2026. PMID: 42095652
- Creevy KE, et al. 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 2019. PMID: 31622127
For individual health questions, your veterinarian remains the best partner.
