Care · 6 min read · 13 Oct 2026
Dog lifespan: how long do dogs live by size and breed?
Most dogs live 10 to 13 years. Small dogs often reach 12 to 15, giant breeds 8 to 10. See lifespan by size and breed, and what adds years.
General information, not veterinary advice. It can't diagnose or treat your pet. If your pet is unwell or you're worried, call your vet; in an emergency, go to an emergency clinic now. Full disclaimer
Most dogs live between 10 and 13 years. Size is the biggest factor. Small dogs commonly live 12 to 15 years and sometimes longer, large dogs 10 to 12, and giant breeds 8 to 10.
These are typical figures, not a forecast for any one dog. Breed, weight, health care and luck all move the number, and your vet is the only person who can say anything useful about your own dog's outlook.
Average lifespan of a dog by size
The figures below come from the 45 breed profiles on this site. The typical lifespan is the middle of the group. The range covers every breed of that size, which is why it is wide.
| Size | Typical lifespan | Range across breeds | Senior from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small, under 20 lb | 12–15 years | 9–18 years | About 10 |
| Medium, 20–50 lb | 12–14 years | 8–15 years | About 8 |
| Large, 50–90 lb | 10–12 years | 8–15 years | About 7 |
| Giant, over 90 lb | 8–10 years | 6–12 years | About 5 |
Size is judged by healthy adult weight, so for a mixed-breed dog use the row that matches what your dog weighs when lean. Put into human terms, the sizes end up in a similar place. By the formula in our dog years to human years chart, a 15-year-old small dog is about 76, a 12-year-old large dog about 74 and a 10-year-old giant dog about 72.
Dog life span by breed
These are the typical lifespans for popular breeds, longest-lived first.
| Breed | Size | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | Small | 14–18 years |
| Yorkshire Terrier | Small | 13–16 years |
| Dachshund | Small | 12–16 years |
| Pomeranian | Small | 12–16 years |
| Shih Tzu | Small | 10–16 years |
| Beagle | Small | 12–15 years |
| Poodle | Medium | 12–15 years |
| Border Collie | Medium | 12–15 years |
| Cocker Spaniel | Medium | 12–15 years |
| Siberian Husky | Medium | 12–14 years |
| Mixed breed | Medium | 10–14 years |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Small | 9–14 years |
| German Shepherd | Large | 9–13 years |
| Labrador Retriever | Large | 10–12 years |
| Golden Retriever | Large | 10–12 years |
| Boxer | Large | 10–12 years |
| Doberman Pinscher | Large | 10–12 years |
| French Bulldog | Small | 10–12 years |
| Rottweiler | Large | 8–10 years |
| Bulldog | Medium | 8–10 years |
| Great Dane | Giant | 7–10 years |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | Giant | 6–8 years |
Breed matters as well as weight. Bulldogs and French Bulldogs sit lower than other dogs of their size, and flat-faced breeds in general tend to have shorter lives. Cavaliers are small but are prone to heart valve disease. The senior dog guide lists all 45 breeds, and the dog age calculator shows where your dog is within its breed's range.
The mixed-breed row assumes a medium-sized dog. Do mixed-breed dogs live longer than purebreds? Studies disagree, and any gap they find is small. A mixed-breed dog's size tells you much more than its pedigree does.
How long can a dog live?
A healthy small dog can reach 16 to 18, and a few pass 20. For a large dog, 14 or 15 is a very long life. For a giant breed, 12 is exceptional.
The oldest dog on record is usually given as Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 at 29 years and 5 months, according to Guinness World Records. No one should plan around a record.
Why big dogs die younger
Across the animal world, bigger species usually outlive smaller ones. An elephant outlives a mouse many times over. Within dogs it runs the other way, and a Great Dane is old at an age when a Chihuahua is in its prime.
The reasons are not fully understood. The leading explanation is that large dogs seem to age faster once they are grown, so the diseases of old age arrive earlier. Very rapid growth in puppyhood may play a part.
Some of the conditions that shorten life are also more common in big dogs. Bone cancer, a heart muscle disease called dilated cardiomyopathy and a twisted stomach are examples. Our article on bloat in Great Danes covers the last of those, which is an emergency.
The practical effect is that a large dog reaches each life stage sooner. That is why size decides when a dog is considered a senior, and why checkups and screening should start earlier for a big dog.
What actually adds years
You cannot change your dog's breed or size. These are the things an owner can influence, roughly in order of how good the evidence is.
- A lean body. This has the strongest evidence. In one well-known lifetime study of Labrador Retrievers, dogs fed to stay lean lived a median of nearly two years longer than littermates who were fed more, and they showed signs of arthritis later. See weight management for senior pets, and ask your vet what your dog should weigh.
- Screening. Kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers can be managed for longer when they are found early. Checkups every six months, with blood and urine tests, are commonly recommended once a dog is a senior.
- Dental care. Gum disease is very common in older dogs and it hurts. Whether clean teeth add years is less certain than the claims suggest, but they clearly add comfort and keep a dog eating. Dental care for senior dogs and cats explains what helps.
- Routine prevention. Vaccination, parasite prevention and a complete and balanced diet in the right amount.
- Neutering. Spayed and neutered dogs live longer on average in large studies. The best age to do it varies by breed and size, so it is a question for your vet.
- Avoiding accidents. Traffic, poisons and heat kill many dogs long before old age. A leash, a fence and a locked medicine cabinet all count.
None of these is a promise. They shift the odds, and they improve the years a dog has whether or not they add to them.
Life expectancy of a dog who is already a senior
If your dog is already old, the tables can read like a countdown. They are not one, for three reasons.
- Averages are counted from birth. They include dogs who died young from accidents and early illness. A dog who has already reached 10 or 12 has passed those risks, so the top of the range is not a deadline.
- Ranges describe breeds, not individuals. Plenty of healthy dogs live past the upper figure for their breed, and a 13-year-old Labrador in good condition is not unusual.
- Health counts for more than age. A lean senior with good bloodwork and a healthy heart has a very different outlook from a dog of the same age with advanced disease.
What the numbers do tell you is how long the senior stage is. A small dog who becomes a senior at 10 and lives to 15 spends a third of its life there. It is worth setting up the checkups, the diet and the home for that stage early.
Old age is not itself a cause of death. Old dogs die of a disease, most often cancer, heart disease or kidney disease, or are put to sleep by a veterinarian when pain, weakness or dementia can no longer be managed comfortably. Many of these conditions can be treated or eased for a long time. If your dog is very old and failing, signs a dog is dying of old age explains what to look for and what can still be treated.
When to call the vet today
Age does not explain sudden change. Call your vet or an emergency clinic now if an older dog has any of these.
- Labored or very fast breathing at rest, or gums that are pale, blue or gray
- Collapse, fainting or a seizure
- A swollen, tight belly, or retching with nothing coming up
- Sudden inability to stand or use the back legs
- No food for a full day, or repeated vomiting or diarrhea
- Straining to urinate, or a sudden large increase in thirst
- Pain that does not settle: crying, shaking or panting
Never give human painkillers while you wait. Ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen and aspirin can seriously harm or kill a dog.
This article is general educational information, not veterinary advice. The lifespans given here are typical ranges for a dog's size and breed and cannot predict how long an individual dog will live. For questions about your own dog's health, life expectancy or care, talk to your veterinarian.