JACK Russell terriers are the longest-living dogs, research shows.
They topped a life expectancy league table for our four-legged friends with a typical lifespan of 12.7 years.
Yorkshire terriers ranked second, living 12.5 years on average, followed by border collies on 12.1 years and springer spaniels on 11.9.
French bulldogs were bottom of the table at 4.5 years, with other trendy flat-faced breeds also faring badly.
Dr Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association, said the findings were concerning.
She added: “It serves as a fresh reminder for prospective dog owners to choose a breed based on health, not looks.”
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Researchers compared the age of death of 30,563 dogs across 18 breeds in the UK between 2016 and 2020.
Overall, they live for about 11 years, the Royal Veterinary College study shows.
Labradors are the most popular breed and typically live for about 11.8 years.
Meanwhile, a study using data from 200,000 owners showed dogs’ behaviour was not down to their breed.
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Breed only accounts for about nine per cent of a dog’s personality.
Sex, age and training are more important, say the University of Massachusetts researchers.
