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Accident and illness cover with an optional wellness rewards plan for routine care such as dental cleanings and bloodwork.
Get an Embrace quoteEvidence-based dog longevity
How long will your dog live, and what can you do about it?
Lifespan data for 277 breeds, calculators built on studies of over 580,000 dogs, and senior care guides that say what the evidence supports. Start with your breed.
Mixed breed? Try the lifespan calculator by size.
Median dog lifespan
12.5 yr
584,734 UK dogs, 2024
Overweight penalty
−2.5 yr
up to, 12 breeds, 50,000 dogs
Lean-fed Labradors
+1.8 yr
14-year lifetime study
Flat-faced breeds
11.2 yr
vs 12.8 medium-muzzled
Start with your breed
All 277 breeds →Typical lifespan, the age each breed becomes a senior, the conditions that shorten its life and what to do about them.
Labrador Retriever10–12 years · Large
German Shepherd Dog7–10 years · Large
Golden Retriever10–12 years · Large
French Bulldog10–12 years · Small
Bulldog8–10 years · Medium
Beagle10–15 years · Medium
Poodle (Miniature)10–18 years · Small
Poodle (Standard)10–18 years · Large
Poodle (Toy)10–18 years · Toy
Rottweiler9–10 years · Large
German Shorthaired Pointer10–12 years · Large
Yorkshire Terrier11–15 years · Toy
Quick answers
Full dog age chart →The questions owners ask most, answered by age and size, each with its own page.
1in dog years2in dog years3in dog years5in dog years7in dog years10in dog years12in dog years15in dog years
Longest-living breeds Shortest-living breeds Longest-living large breeds How long small dogs live How long big dogs live Human years to dog years
Free calculators
Embed them on your site →Every formula cites its study. Nothing is stored and there is nothing to sign up for.
Lifespan calculator
Breed range adjusted by sex, neutering and body condition, with the study behind each number.
Dog age calculator
Human-year equivalent by size, the epigenetic clock, and your dog’s current life stage.
Calorie and food calculator
Daily calories and cups per day for your food. Portion control is the biggest lever you own.
Ideal weight calculator
Body condition score to target weight, with a safe pace and a calorie target.
Puppy growth calculator
Predicted adult weight and a growth curve for your puppy’s size class.
Senior dog age calculator
When the senior stage starts for your breed and what to do in it.
What actually changes how long a dog lives
Three things explain most of the difference between a dog that reaches eight and one that reaches fifteen.
Size sets the clock
Small breeds reach a 12.7-year median, large breeds 11.9, and the shortest-lived breeds are all giants, from the Caucasian Shepherd at 5.4 years to the St Bernard at 9.3.
Weight is the lever you hold
Overweight dogs lived 5 months to 2.5 years less across 12 breeds. Lean-fed Labradors lived 1.8 years longer and developed arthritis two years later.
The senior years decide the rest
Senior begins in the last quarter of expected lifespan. Six-monthly exams, dental care and pain control are where healthy years are won or lost.
Senior dog care
All guides →
When Is a Dog a Senior? Age by Size and Breed
Senior starts in the last quarter of expected lifespan: 11 for toys, 8 for large breeds, 6 to 7 for giants.
Senior Dog Checklist: Home, Vet and Monthly Routine
The home, vet and monthly routine that catches problems early in older dogs.
Arthritis in Senior Dogs: Signs, Treatment and What Works
Most senior dogs have it and most are under-treated. Signs, treatments and evidence.
Senior Dog Nutrition: Calories, Protein and Choosing a Food
Fewer calories, not less protein. Portions, labels and claims to ignore.
Dental Disease in Senior Dogs: Why It Matters and What to Do
Most dogs have it by middle age; it is linked to heart, kidney and liver disease. What to do.
Dog Dementia (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction): Signs and Care
Signs (DISHAA), what to rule out, and what helps: diet, drugs, enrichment.
Insure before something is in the record
Pet insurance excludes anything diagnosed before enrollment. For breeds with expensive hereditary conditions, the cheapest policy is the one bought while the dog is young and healthy.
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Get a Healthy Paws quoteTailyears is reader-supported. Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy or get a quote through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never changes what we recommend, and it never replaces advice from your veterinarian.
How Tailyears works
Breed sizes, weights and life expectancy ranges come from AKC breed data. Population lifespans come from two UK studies: VetCompass life tables (Teng 2022, 30,563 dogs) and McMillan et al. 2024 (584,734 dogs, 155 breeds). Lifestyle effects come from Salt 2019, Kealy 2002 and Hoffman 2013. Health watchlists are curated from breed club surveys and the veterinary literature for 110 breeds and size-based for the rest. Breed photographs come from Wikimedia Commons and are credited on each page. Full methodology and sources.