Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.
CNN
—
New research suggests that the face shape of your furry friend is tied to their lifespan. A large study featuring data from over 584,000 dogs in the United Kingdom has revealed that snout length, body size, and sex can impact how long a dog is likely to live.
According to Kirsten McMillan, a data scientist at Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog charity and lead author of the paper in the journal Scientific Reports, “A medium-sized, flat-faced male like a bulldog is three times more likely to live a shorter life than a small-sized, long-faced female, like a miniature dachshund or an Italian greyhound.”
The authors of the study analyzed data on 155 breeds plus mixes. While a typical Labrador retriever or border collie had a median life expectancy of just over 13 years, the researchers found that almost across the board, flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs fared worse by that measure. That shorter-nosed group included large mastiffs (9 years), beefy English bulldogs (9.3 years), and French bulldogs (9.8 years).
The study highlighted that females lived longer than males, and small dogs lived longer than large ones. Additionally, small and medium dogs with pronounced schnozes lived over 12 years on average, while flat-faced dogs of all sizes fell short of that mark.
The study underlines that brachycephalic breeds, such as French bulldogs, are predisposed to a number of health issues, often due to their flattened face shape – including breathing problems, skin infections, and eye trouble. The Brachycephalic Working Group in the UK has labeled this as “a health and welfare crisis” for flat-faced breeds.
Dr. Silvan Urfer, an expert in dog life span at the University of Washington, who was not involved in the research, suggests that purebred dogs were found to outlive mixes by about eight months, a finding that contradicts the commonly held belief that mixes are generally heartier and healthier than their inbred kennel club counterparts.
The study doesn’t distinguish between genetically diverse mutts and intentional crosses in the crossbred category. McMillan cites the need for a new study to determine whether popular crosses have longer or shorter life expectancies than the breeds they’re derived from.
The study includes millions of data points, but it doesn’t necessarily represent the full spectrum of companion dog life. It also did not account for the cause of death.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-2193435372-3ad244c57966445c990996ec3b288bf3.jpg "Markets Information, January 15, 2025: Shares Surge, Treasury Yields Slide As CPI Information Boosts Fee-Reduce Hopes; Sturdy Income Raise Banks")
