The last few years have seen many of us welcome a new four-legged friend into our homes, as the Kennel Club has dog ownership rise to record levels.
With 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.
One of the terrible truths of dog ownership is that we are likely to outlive our adored pet, with the average dog living just over 11 years. But there's a fairly substantial gap between the breeds that live the longest and shortest lives.
New research published in the journal Scientific Reports has used the Royal Veterinary College’s Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass), a database holding information on over two million animals, to work out the average life expectance of some of the UK’s most popular breeds of dog.
Researchers took a random sample of 30,563 dogs that died over a five year period to come to their findings.
Here’s what they found.
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1. American Bulldog
All four of the dog breeds that have the shortest lifespans, starting with the American Bulldog, are brachycephalic (flat-faced). The lower life expectancies are associated with the animals suffering from several conditions, including breathing problems and spinal disease. The American Bulldog lives for an average of 7.79 years. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. Yorkshire Terrier
Small dogs tend to live longer than large dogs, so it's no surprise to see the tiny Yorkshire Terrier coming second in this list with an average lifespan of 12.54 years. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell Terrier was the longest living breed that the study looked at - with an average age of 12.72 years. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
4. Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is Britain's most popular dog and has an above-average lifespan of 11.77 years. Photo: Canva/Getty Images