British researchers found that small breed dogs with elongated faces (dolichocephalic) have a longer life compared to medium-sized dogs with flat faces (brachycephalic). The longest lifespan was recorded in Whippets, while the shortest was in French Bulldogs.
A research group from the British organization Dog Trust and the University of Liverpool conducted an analysis of data on 584,700 dogs collected from 18 different sources, including breeders, veterinarians, insurance companies, charities, and research institutions. The study included dogs belonging to one of 155 purebred breeds or classified as mixed breeds. Of these, 284,700 dogs had died before their data was entered into the database.
The dogs were also classified by size, sex, and head shape, including brachycephalic (with flat faces), mesocephalic (with medium-length faces), and dolichocephalic (with elongated faces).
The study found that the average lifespan of dolichocephalic dogs is 13.3 years, while for brachycephalic dogs, it is 9.1 years for males and 9.6 years for females.
Additionally, it was noted that purebred dogs have a longer average lifespan than mixed breeds (12.7 and 12 years, respectively), with females generally living longer than males (12.7 and 12.4 years). This contradicts the common belief that mixed breeds are healthier due to genetic diversity, which should also positively affect their lifespan.
The authors of the study emphasize that the results reflect the situation exclusively in the UK and plan to conduct further research considering data on "designer breeds" such as Labradoodles and Cockapoos. The results of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
