We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
And one thing you might like to consider is that different breeds have significantly different average lifespans.
Research published in the journal Scientific Reports has used the Royal Veterinary College’s Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass), a database holding information on over two million animals, to work out the average life expectance of some of the UK’s most popular breeds of dog.
Researchers took a random sample of 30,563 dogs that died over a five year period to come to their findings.
Here’s what they found about the average lifespan of 18 of the most common dog breeds.
5. Labrador Retriever
Britain's - and the world's - most popular dog, the Labrador Retriever has an above-average lifespan of 11.77 years. It is named after the Labrador region of Canada where its precursors, the St. John's Water Dog, originally came from. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The loving - and often misunderstood - Staffordshire Bull Terrier has an average lifespan of 11.33 years. They were first recognised as a pure breed pedigree dog by the UK Kennel Club in 1935. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Cocker Spaniel
Priginally bred to be a gun dog like their longer-living Springer cousins, energetic Cocker Spaniels reach an average age of 11.31 years. | Canva/Getty Images
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. These friendly wee characters were favourites of Chinese Royalty during the Ming Dynasty - so much so that they refused to trade them. | Canva/Getty Images