How to use the dog life expectancy calculator
- Choose the breed. Mixed breeds have their own option, and if your breed is not listed, pick the size option that fits.
- Enter your dog’s age now.
- Read the typical (median) lifespan, the years to reach it, when the senior stage starts and your dog’s life stage today.
Where the numbers come from
McMillan and colleagues (Scientific Reports, 2024) analysed the records of 584,734 dogs in the UK, gathered from breed registries, pet insurers, veterinary and academic sources. They published the median age at death for 155 breeds plus crossbreeds. The calculator lists 49 of the most common breeds from their supplementary table, plus their median for crossbreeds (12.0 years). For breeds not listed, it uses the study’s size medians: about 12.7 years for small dogs, 12.5 for medium and 11.9 for large (sexes pooled; our rounding).
| Breed | Median lifespan |
|---|---|
| Miniature Dachshund | 14.0 years |
| Border Terrier | 14.2 years |
| Jack Russell Terrier | 13.3 years |
| Labrador Retriever | 13.1 years |
| Golden Retriever | 13.2 years |
| Cocker Spaniel (English) | 13.3 years |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 12.0 years |
| German Shepherd | 11.3 years |
| Pug | 11.6 years |
| French Bulldog | 9.8 years |
Senior stage = the last 25% of the expected lifespan (AAHA 2019 Canine Life Stage Guidelines), so it starts at 0.75 × median.
Reading the result honestly
- A median is not a deadline. Half of the dogs in each group lived longer, some much longer.
- Surviving to an age improves the outlook. A dog that has already reached 12 has a better-than-median chance of reaching 13, because it has already passed the early risks.
- UK data. The dogs were in the UK, so lifespans elsewhere may differ a little.
- Care matters. In a lifelong study of Labradors, dogs fed to stay lean lived longer than their heavier littermates (Kealy et al., 2002).
Sources
- McMillan K.M., Bielby J., Williams C.L. et al. (2024). Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14: 531. Supplementary Table S3 (median survival by breed) and Figure S2 (by body size).
- AAHA (2019). Canine Life Stage Guidelines.
- Kealy R.D. et al. (2002). Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. JAVMA 220: 1315–1320.
Frequently asked questions
How long do dogs live on average?
The 2024 McMillan study of 584,734 UK dogs found a median lifespan of 12.5 years overall: 12.7 years for purebred dogs and 12.0 years for crossbreeds. Half of the dogs lived longer than the median and half did not.
What dog breed lives the longest?
In the 2024 McMillan study of UK dogs, the Lancashire Heeler had the longest median lifespan at 15.4 years, followed by the Tibetan Spaniel (15.2), Shiba Inu (14.6) and Papillon (14.5). The Border Terrier, Lakeland Terrier and Schipperke were at 14.2.
Do small dogs live longer than big dogs?
Generally yes. In the McMillan data, small purebred dogs had a median lifespan of about 12.7–12.8 years, medium 12.3–12.7 and large 11.8–12.0 (depending on sex), and many giant breeds were lower still, such as the Mastiff at 9.0 years.
How long do mixed breed dogs live?
Crossbreeds in the McMillan 2024 study had a median lifespan of 12.0 years, a little below purebreds overall (12.7). A crossbreed’s own outlook depends a lot on its size and the breeds in its mix.
How long do dogs live in human years?
A dog that reaches the typical 12–13 years is roughly 64 to 82 in human years on the AAHA chart, from small to large dogs. Use the dog age calculator to convert your own dog’s age.