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Get an Embrace quoteShortest-living dog breeds
The shortest lives in dogs belong to two groups: giants and flat-faced breeds. In the largest study to date the Caucasian Shepherd Dog had a median of just 5.4 years, and the French Bulldog had the lowest life expectancy at birth of any common breed, 4.53 years. Here are the measured lists, the full ranking, and what owners of these breeds can do.
Shortest measured
5.4 yr
Caucasian Shepherd Dog, UK 2024
Common breeds, lowest
4.53 yr
French Bulldog, VetCompass 2022
Flat-faced breeds
11.2 yr
vs 12.8 medium-muzzled
Giant breeds
7–10 yr
typical range
Measured: the shortest-lived breeds in UK data
Median lifespan, 2024 study
Caucasian Shepherd Dog5.4 years median
Perro de Presa Canario7.7 years median
Cane Corso8.1 years median
Mastiff9 years median
Saint Bernard9.3 years median
All five are giant breeds. 155 breeds were measured; these are the bottom of the list.
Life expectancy at birth, VetCompass 2022
| French Bulldogflat-faced | 4.53 yr |
| American Bulldogflat-faced | 7.14 yr |
| Bulldogflat-faced | 7.39 yr |
| Pugflat-faced | 7.65 yr |
| Chihuahuaflat-faced | 7.91 yr |
| Boxerflat-faced | 9.75 yr |
| Beagle | 9.85 yr |
| Siberian Husky | 10.24 yr |
The 18 most common breeds only. Life expectancy at birth is pulled down by early deaths, which is why flat-faced breeds sit at the bottom.
All breeds ranked, shortest first
Breed-standard ranges from AKC breed data, sorted by the middle of the range. Giant breeds fill the top of this list; measured figures are shown where a breed appears in a UK study.
| # | Breed | Typical lifespan | Measured | Size | Senior from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 5–8 yr | — | Large · 99–110 lb | 5 yr |
| 2 |  | 6–8 yr | — | Giant · 105–120 lb | 5.5 yr |
| 3 |  | 7–9 yr | — | Giant · 110–150 lb | 6 yr |
| 4 |  | 7–9 yr | — | Giant · 100–130 lb | 6 yr |
| 5 | | 6–10 yr | 9 yr (UK 2024) | Giant · 120–230 lb | 6 yr |
| 6 |  | 8–9 yr | — | Giant · 90–170 lb | 6.5 yr |
| 7 |  | 7–10 yr | — | Large · 70–115 lb | 6.5 yr |
| 8 |  | 7–10 yr | — | Giant · 110–175 lb | 6.5 yr |
| 9 |  | 7–10 yr | 10.78 yr (UK 2022) | Large · 50–90 lb | 6.5 yr |
| 10 |  | 8–10 yr | — | Giant · 90–150 lb | 7 yr |
| 11 |  | 8–10 yr | — | Large · 60–70 lb | 7 yr |
| 12 | | 8–10 yr | 9.3 yr (UK 2024) | Giant · 120–180 lb | 7 yr |
| 13 |  | 8–10 yr | 7.39 yr (UK 2022) | Medium · 40–50 lb | 7 yr |
| 14 |  | 9–10 yr | — | Large · 70–85 lb | 7 yr |
| 15 |  | 9–10 yr | — | Giant · 100–150 lb | 7 yr |
| 16 |  | 9–10 yr | — | Large · 80–135 lb | 7 yr |
| 17 |  | 8–11 yr | — | Large · 75–110 lb | 7 yr |
| 18 |  | 8–11 yr | — | Giant · 85–140 lb | 7 yr |
| 19 | | 9–11 yr | 7.7 yr (UK 2024) | Large · 84–110 lb | 7.5 yr |
| 20 |  | 9–11 yr | — | Giant · 150–200 lb | 7.5 yr |
| 21 |  | 8–12 yr | — | Large · 45–70 lb | 7.5 yr |
| 22 |  | 8–12 yr | — | Large · 45–60 lb | 7.5 yr |
| 23 | | 9–12 yr | 8.1 yr (UK 2024) | Large · 88–110 lb | 8 yr |
| 24 |  | 10–12 yr | — | Medium · 40–55 lb | 8.5 yr |
| 25 |  | 10–12 yr | — | Medium · 30–50 lb | 8.5 yr |
Why these breeds die young
Size. Giant breeds go from a few hundred grams at birth to over 100 lb within two years. That growth rate is tied to earlier cancer (bone cancer above all), dilated cardiomyopathy, bloat and joint failure. Large dogs had a median of 11.9 years against 12.7 for small breeds in the 2024 study; the five shortest-lived breeds were all giants.
Muzzle. Flat-faced breeds had a median of 11.2 years against 12.8 for medium-muzzled dogs. Brachycephalic airway syndrome makes breathing, cooling and exercise hard; spinal malformations and skin-fold infections add to it. Many of these deaths come early, which is why the French Bulldog sits at the bottom of the life-expectancy-at-birth table.
Conformation. Very deep chests (bloat), long backs (disc disease) and heavy wrinkling each carry a specific risk on top of size.
If you own one
- Insure now. Policies exclude conditions on the record at enrollment, and the conditions these breeds get are the expensive ones.
- Keep them lean. Overweight dogs lived 5 months to 2.5 years less across 12 breeds. For a flat-faced dog every extra pound also worsens breathing.
- Giant puppies: grow slowly. Large-breed puppy food, no forced exercise until growth plates close, parents screened for hips and elbows.
- Know bloat. Retching without vomit and a tight swollen belly are an emergency at any hour; ask about a preventive gastropexy.
- Flat-faced dogs: get a BOAS assessment and avoid heat. Airway surgery helps many dogs.
- Heart and lumps. Annual heart checks from young adulthood in giants; a needle aspirate for every new lump.
Insurance for a high-risk breed
Insurers price by breed, so these breeds cost more to cover, but they are also the breeds most likely to need it. Compare at least two quotes while the dog is young and healthy.
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Frequently asked questions
Which dog breed has the shortest lifespan?
In the 2024 UK study of 584,734 dogs the shortest measured median was the Caucasian Shepherd Dog at 5.4 years, followed by the Perro de Presa Canario (7.7), Cane Corso (8.1), Mastiff (9) and Saint Bernard (9.3). In VetCompass life tables (2022) the French Bulldog had the lowest life expectancy at birth of the common breeds, 4.53 years.
Why do big dogs die younger?
Giant breeds grow from a few hundred grams to 100 lb or more in 18 months. That growth rate is linked with earlier cancer (especially bone cancer), dilated cardiomyopathy, bloat and joint failure. Large dogs had a median of 11.9 years against 12.7 for small breeds in the 2024 UK study, and the five shortest-lived breeds in it were all giants.
Why do French Bulldogs live so short?
Flat-faced breeds had a median lifespan of 11.2 years against 12.8 for medium-muzzled breeds. Brachycephalic airway syndrome, heat stroke, spinal malformations and skin-fold disease are the main reasons, and many deaths are early. Keeping the dog lean, avoiding heat and getting a BOAS assessment measurably help.
How can I help a short-lived breed live longer?
Insure early (before anything is on the record), keep body condition at 4 to 5 out of 9, feed giant puppies slowly on a large-breed diet, know the signs of bloat and ask about a preventive gastropexy, get annual heart checks from young adulthood, and have every lump tested. Each breed page lists the conditions to screen for.
Is it wrong to buy a short-lived breed?
That is a personal decision; what the data says is that the shortest lives cluster in giant and flat-faced breeds, that the gap is measured in years, and that within those breeds owners still move the outcome with weight, screening and early treatment.
Sources
- 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
- 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
- American Kennel Club. Breed standards and breed pages: height, weight and life expectancy ranges. www.akc.org/dog-breeds/
- Salt C, Morris PJ, Wilson D, Lund EM, German AJ. Association between life span and body condition in neutered client-owned dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2019;33(1):89-99. doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15367
- 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