Embrace Pet Insurance
Accident and illness cover with an optional wellness rewards plan for routine care such as dental cleanings and bloodwork.
Get an Embrace quoteEvidence-based dog longevity
How long will your dog live, and what can you do about it?
Lifespan data for 277 breeds, calculators built on studies of over 580,000 dogs, and senior care guides that say what the evidence supports. Start with your breed.
Mixed breed? Try the lifespan calculator by size.
Median dog lifespan
12.5 yr
584,734 UK dogs, 2024
Overweight penalty
−2.5 yr
up to, 12 breeds, 50,000 dogs
Lean-fed Labradors
+1.8 yr
14-year lifetime study
Flat-faced breeds
11.2 yr
vs 12.8 medium-muzzled
Calculators
Every formula cites its study. Nothing is stored, nothing to sign up for, and each tool can be embedded on your own site.
Lifespan calculator
Breed range adjusted by sex, neutering and body condition, with the study behind each number.
Dog age calculator
Human-year equivalent by size, the epigenetic clock, and your dog's current life stage.
Calorie and food calculator
Daily calories and cups per day for your food. Portion control is the biggest lever you own.
Ideal weight calculator
Body condition score to target weight, with a safe pace and calorie target.
Puppy growth calculator
Predicted adult weight and a growth curve by breed size.
Senior dog age calculator
When the senior stage starts for your breed and what to do in it.
Breed lifespans
Typical life expectancy, senior age, the conditions that shorten each breed's life and what to do about them. All 277 breeds, or the most searched:
Labrador Retriever
10–12 years · LargeGerman Shepherd Dog
7–10 years · LargeGolden Retriever
10–12 years · LargeFrench Bulldog
10–12 years · SmallBulldog
8–10 years · MediumBeagle
10–15 years · MediumPoodle (Miniature)
10–18 years · SmallPoodle (Standard)
10–18 years · LargePoodle (Toy)
10–18 years · ToyRottweiler
9–10 years · GiantGerman Shorthaired Pointer
10–12 years · LargeYorkshire Terrier
11–15 years · Toy
10–12 years · LargeGerman Shepherd Dog
7–10 years · LargeGolden Retriever
10–12 years · LargeFrench Bulldog
10–12 years · SmallBulldog
8–10 years · MediumBeagle
10–15 years · MediumPoodle (Miniature)
10–18 years · SmallPoodle (Standard)
10–18 years · LargePoodle (Toy)
10–18 years · ToyRottweiler
9–10 years · GiantGerman Shorthaired Pointer
10–12 years · LargeYorkshire Terrier
11–15 years · Toy
What the numbers say
Size sets the clock
Small breeds: 12.7-year median. Large: 11.9. The shortest-lived breeds are all giants, from the Caucasian Shepherd at 5.4 years to the St Bernard at 9.3. How long do dogs live →
Weight is the lever you hold
Overweight dogs lived 5 months to 2.5 years less across 12 breeds. Lean-fed Labradors lived 1.8 years longer and got arthritis two years later. Check body condition →
The senior years decide the rest
Senior begins in the last quarter of expected lifespan. Six-monthly exams, dental care and pain control are where healthy years are won or lost. Senior care guides →
Senior dog care
When Is a Dog a Senior? Age by Size and Breed
Senior starts in the last quarter of expected lifespan: 11 for toys, 8 for large breeds, 6 to 7 for giants.Senior Dog Checklist: Home, Vet and Monthly Routine
The home, vet and monthly routine that catches problems early in older dogs.Arthritis in Senior Dogs: Signs, Treatment and What Works
Most senior dogs have it and most are under-treated. Signs, treatments and evidence.Senior Dog Nutrition: Calories, Protein and Choosing a Food
Fewer calories, not less protein. Portions, labels and claims to ignore.Dental Disease in Senior Dogs: Why It Matters and What to Do
Most dogs have it by middle age; it is linked to heart, kidney and liver disease. What to do.Dog Dementia (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction): Signs and Care
Signs (DISHAA), what to rule out, and what helps: diet, drugs, enrichment.
Senior starts in the last quarter of expected lifespan: 11 for toys, 8 for large breeds, 6 to 7 for giants.Senior Dog Checklist: Home, Vet and Monthly Routine
The home, vet and monthly routine that catches problems early in older dogs.Arthritis in Senior Dogs: Signs, Treatment and What Works
Most senior dogs have it and most are under-treated. Signs, treatments and evidence.Senior Dog Nutrition: Calories, Protein and Choosing a Food
Fewer calories, not less protein. Portions, labels and claims to ignore.Dental Disease in Senior Dogs: Why It Matters and What to Do
Most dogs have it by middle age; it is linked to heart, kidney and liver disease. What to do.Dog Dementia (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction): Signs and Care
Signs (DISHAA), what to rule out, and what helps: diet, drugs, enrichment.
Insure before something is in the record
Pet insurance excludes anything diagnosed before enrollment. For breeds with expensive hereditary conditions, the cheapest policy is the one bought while the dog is young and healthy.
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Single accident-and-illness plan with no annual or lifetime payout caps.
Get a Healthy Paws quoteTailyears is reader-supported. Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy or get a quote through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never changes what we recommend, and it never replaces advice from your veterinarian.
How Tailyears works
Breed sizes, weights and life expectancy ranges come from AKC breed data. Population lifespans come from two UK studies: VetCompass life tables (Teng 2022, 30,563 dogs) and McMillan et al. 2024 (584,734 dogs, 155 breeds). Lifestyle effects come from Salt 2019, Kealy 2002 and Hoffman 2013. Health watchlists are curated from breed club surveys and the veterinary literature for 110 breeds and size-based for the rest. Full methodology and sources.