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Longest-living large dog breeds

Big dogs live shorter lives on average (11.9-year median for large breeds against 12.7 for small), but the spread between large breeds is wide. Here are the 133 large and giant breeds ranked by lifespan, the measured figures where they exist, and the care that makes the difference in a big dog.

Longest large range
14–17 yr
Hamiltonstovare
Large breeds, median
11.9 yr
UK 2024 · small 12.7
Giant breeds
7–10 yr
typical range
Senior from
6–8 yr
last quarter of lifespan

Top large and giant breeds by lifespan

A Hamiltonstovare
Hamiltonstovare14–17 years · Large
A Belgian Malinois
Belgian Malinois14–16 years · Large
A German Wirehaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer14–16 years · Large
A Pointer
Pointer12–17 years · Large
A Poodle (Standard)
Poodle (Standard)10–18 years · Large
A American Staffordshire Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier12–16 years · Large

Ranking, positions 1–25

#BreedTypical lifespanMeasuredSizeSenior from
1
Hamiltonstovare		 14–17 yr — Large · 40–75 lb 11.5 yr
2
Belgian Malinois		 14–16 yr — Large · 40–80 lb 11.5 yr
3
German Wirehaired Pointer		 14–16 yr — Large · 50–70 lb 11.5 yr
4
Pointer		 12–17 yr — Large · 45–75 lb 11 yr
5
Poodle (Standard)		 10–18 yr — Large · 40–70 lb 10.5 yr
6
American Staffordshire Terrier		 12–16 yr — Large · 40–70 lb 10.5 yr
7
Eurasier		 12–16 yr — Large · 40–70 lb 10.5 yr
8
Bergamasco Sheepdog		 13–15 yr — Large · 57–84 lb 10.5 yr
9
Stabyhoun		 13–15 yr — Large · 40–60 lb 10.5 yr
10
Saluki		 10–17 yr — Large · 40–65 lb 10 yr
11
Australian Shepherd		 12–15 yr — Large · 40–65 lb 10 yr
12
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon		 12–15 yr — Large · 35–70 lb 10 yr
13
Irish Setter		 12–15 yr — Large · 60–70 lb 10 yr
14
Giant Schnauzer		 12–15 yr — Large · 55–85 lb 10 yr
15
Afghan Hound		 12–15 yr — Large · 50–60 lb 10 yr
16
Redbone Coonhound		 12–15 yr — Large · 45–70 lb 10 yr
17
Harrier		 12–15 yr — Large · 45–60 lb 10 yr
18
Chinook		 12–15 yr — Large · 50–90 lb 10 yr
19
American Leopard Hound		 12–15 yr — Large · 45–70 lb 10 yr
20
Appenzeller Sennenhund		 12–15 yr — Large · 48–70 lb 10 yr
21
Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound		 12–15 yr — Large · 37–66 lb 10 yr
22
Bohemian Shepherd		 12–15 yr — Large · 37–60 lb 10 yr
23
Central Asian Shepherd Dog		 12–15 yr — Large · 88–110 lb 10 yr
24
Hokkaido		 12–15 yr — Large · 44–66 lb 10 yr
25
Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer		 12–15 yr — Large · 50–65 lb 10 yr

Measured: large breeds in UK life tables (VetCompass 2022)

Labrador Retriever11.77 yr at birth
German Shepherd Dog10.78 yr at birth
Siberian Husky10.24 yr at birth
Boxer9.75 yr at birth
American Bulldog7.14 yr at birth

Median lifespans from the 2024 study for giants at the bottom of the table: Saint Bernard 9.3, Mastiff 9, Cane Corso 8.1, Perro de Presa Canario 7.7, Caucasian Shepherd Dog 5.4 years.

Longest-living giant breeds

Giants (over 100 lb) are the shortest-lived group of all, so a 10-year range is a long life here.

A Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog
Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog12–14 years
A Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Anatolian Shepherd Dog11–13 years
A Pyrenean Mastiff
Pyrenean Mastiff10–13 years
A Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Caucasian Shepherd Dog10–12 years
A Spanish Mastiff
Spanish Mastiff10–12 years
A Tosa
Tosa10–12 years

What the long-lived big breeds have in common

  • Athletic, not massive. The long-lived large breeds sit at the lower end of the weight class: herding and sporting dogs built to run, not mastiff types built for mass. Every step up in size costs years.
  • A normal muzzle and a moderate chest. Deep-chested giants carry bloat risk; flat-faced large breeds carry airway risk.
  • Working selection. Breeds still bred for a job tend to be selected for soundness.

Adding years to a big dog's life

  • Grow puppies slowly. Large-breed puppy food, lean body condition, no forced running or jumping until growth plates close at 12 to 18 months (24 for giants). Parents screened for hips and elbows.
  • Stay lean for life. The clearest lever in the data: lean-fed Labradors lived 1.8 years longer than free-fed littermates and got arthritis two years later.
  • Know bloat. Retching without vomit and a tight belly are an emergency. Feed two or more meals a day; ask about a preventive gastropexy, often done at neutering.
  • Heart checks from young adulthood in breeds prone to dilated cardiomyopathy, and a needle aspirate for every new lump: bone and blood-vessel cancers are leading killers of large dogs.
  • Senior care starts early. From 6 to 8 years: six-monthly exams, bloodwork, arthritis pain control. The senior dog age calculator gives the threshold for your breed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the longest-living large dog breed?

By breed-standard range, the Hamiltonstovare leads the large and giant breeds at 14 to 17 years, followed by the Belgian Malinois (14–16) and German Wirehaired Pointer (14–16). Among common large breeds with measured data, the Labrador Retriever had the highest life expectancy at birth in UK practices, 11.77 years.

How long do large dogs live on average?

Large breeds had a median lifespan of 11.9 years in the 2024 UK study of 584,734 dogs, against 12.7 for small breeds. Typical breed ranges are 9 to 12 years for large breeds (55–100 lb) and 7 to 10 for giants (over 100 lb).

Do any big dogs live 15 years?

Individuals do, and a few large breeds have ranges reaching 14 or 15, but it is uncommon. Most large dogs that reach 15 are athletic working types kept lean all their lives. Giant breeds almost never reach 15.

What giant breed lives the longest?

Among giants (over 100 lb) the Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog has the longest breed-standard range at 12 to 14 years. Giant breeds as a group are the shortest-lived dogs: the five shortest measured medians in the 2024 UK study were all giants, from the Caucasian Shepherd Dog at 5.4 years to the St Bernard at 9.3.

When is a large dog a senior?

From about 7 to 8 years for large breeds and 6 to 7 for giants, using the AAHA definition of senior as the last quarter of expected lifespan. Twice-yearly exams with bloodwork start then.

Sources

  1. McMillan KM, Bielby J, Williams CL, Upjohn MM, Casey RA, Christley RM. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports. 2024;14:531. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
  2. Teng KT, Brodbelt DC, Pegram C, Church DB, O'Neill DG. Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom. Scientific Reports. 2022;12:6415. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10341-6
  3. American Kennel Club. Breed standards and breed pages: height, weight and life expectancy ranges. www.akc.org/dog-breeds/
  4. Kealy RD, Lawler DF, Ballam JM, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. JAVMA. 2002;220(9):1315-1320. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11991408/
  5. Glickman LT, Glickman NW, Schellenberg DB, Raghavan M, Lee T. Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs. JAVMA. 2000;217(10):1492-1499. doi.org/10.2460/javma.2000.217.1492
  6. Creevy KE, Grady J, Little SE, et al. 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 2019;55(6):267-290. www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/