The last two years have seen many of us welcome a new four-legged friend into our homes, as the Kennel Club saw dog ownership rise by nearly eight per cent during the global pandemic.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, thereās plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup ā 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 ā 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 Collegeās Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass), a database holding information on over 2million animals, to work out the average life expectance of some of the UKās most popular breeds of dog.
Researchers took a random sample of 30,563 dogs that died between January 1, 2016, and July 31, 2020, to come to their findings.
Hereās what they found.
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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 ā but there's a fairly substantial gap between the breeds that live the longest and shortest lives.
5. Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is Britain's most popular dog and has an above-average lifespan of 11.77 years.
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6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
A breed that has become increasingly popular in recent years, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier has an average lifesspan of 11.33 years.
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7. Cocker Spaniel
Originally bred to be a gun dogs, Cocker Spaniels are now more commonly used as family pets and live to an average age of 11.31 years.
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8. Shih Tzu
Originating in Tibet, the Shih Tzu is a popular companion dog that researchers found will live to an average of 11.05 years.
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