The 10 dog breeds with the shortest life expectancy

This ranking orders breeds by the midpoint of their typical life expectancy, lowest first. When two breeds tie, the one with the lower minimum comes first, then alphabetical order. A dog’s lifespan also depends heavily on care, diet and genetics, and regular veterinary check-ups help.

No. 1 — Dogue de Bordeauxabout 6.5 years on average (5–8 years)A fawn French mastiff with a massive head, the Dogue de Bordeaux is a calm guardian deeply attached to its family.
No. 2 — Irish Wolfhoundabout 8 years on average (6–10 years)One of the tallest dogs in the world, the Irish Wolfhound is a gentle giant: calm, patient and very sociable.
No. 3 — Mastiffabout 8 years on average (6–10 years)One of the heaviest dogs in the world, the Mastiff is a calm, dignified giant that is very gentle with its family.
No. 4 — Neapolitan Mastiffabout 8 years on average (7–9 years)Massive and covered in folds, the Neapolitan Mastiff is an impressive, calm and loyal guardian whose health needs close attention.
No. 5 — Bernese Mountain Dogabout 8.5 years on average (7–10 years)A handsome tricolour dog from the Swiss Alps, the Bernese is gentle, loyal and excellent with families, but copes very badly with heat.
No. 6 — Great Daneabout 8.5 years on average (7–10 years)An elegant giant with a gentle nature, the Great Dane is a calm, affectionate companion, but its size demands suitable space and budget.
No. 7 — Bulldogabout 9 years on average (8–10 years)Stocky, placid and very affectionate, the Bulldog is an endearing indoor companion, but extremely sensitive to heat.
No. 8 — Bullmastiffabout 9 years on average (8–10 years)Powerful, calm and devoted, the Bullmastiff is a quiet guardian and an affectionate companion that needs early training.
No. 9 — Flat-coated Retrieverabout 9 years on average (8–10 years)Cheerful, optimistic and forever playful, the Flat-coated Retriever is an affectionate family dog that stays young at heart all its life.
No. 10 — Leonbergerabout 9 years on average (8–10 years)A gentle giant with a lion-like mane, the Leonberger is a calm, patient and very sociable family dog, but poorly suited to heat.