How long do Border Terriers live?

The median lifespan of the Border Terrier is 14.2 years, based on the 2024 McMillan et al. study of 584,734 UK dogs.

Is the Border Terrier a healthy breed?

On the Breed Health Score the Border Terrier scores 90 out of 100 (grade A), compared with an average of 71 across 155 breeds.

90/ 100

Border Terrier Grade A

Q: What health problems do Border Terriers have?

Commonly reported conditions in the Border Terrier include CECS (cramping syndrome), Patellar luxation, Progressive retinal atrophy, Heart murmurs, Seizures.

Median lifespani 14.2 yr · small · 5-7 kg

⇆ Compare Border Terrier

The Border Terrier is a small breed with a median lifespan of 14.2 years, which places it among the longest-lived third of the 155 breeds we rank for longevity. Commonly reported health conditions include CECS (cramping syndrome), Patellar luxation, Progressive retinal atrophy, Heart murmurs. Its overall Breed Health Score is 90/100 (grade A), against an average of 71/100 across all breeds.

Score breakdown

Longevityi 65%

Conformationi 20%

100

Hereditary burdeni 15%

Higher is healthier. See methodology.

Common & hereditary conditions

CECS (cramping syndrome)Patellar luxation Progressive retinal atrophy Heart murmurs Seizures

Red marks a life-threatening or major-welfare condition. Click a condition to see which breeds it affects. This list reflects commonly reported conditions, so better-studied breeds may show more; hereditary burden is the lightest-weighted part of the score. Source: RVC VetCompass / AKC / PDSA (indicative).

Thinking of a Border Terrier? A breed's health profile affects insurance cost. Comparing pet insurance early, before any conditions become pre-existing, usually gets the best cover.

Compare with similar-size breeds

Embed this card on your site

Here is exactly how it will look. Copy the code and paste it where you want the card. It stays a plain link if scripts are blocked.

<iframe src="https://breedhealthscore.com/embed/breed/border-terrier/" width="340" height="224" loading="lazy" style="border:0;width:100%;max-width:340px;height:224px" title="Border Terrier Breed Health Score card"></iframe>
<div style="font:12px -apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,sans-serif;margin-top:4px"><a href="https://breedhealthscore.com/breed/border-terrier/">Border Terrier health score on Breed Health Score</a></div>

Data & citation. Median lifespan: McMillan, K.M. et al. (2024) "Longevity of companion dog breeds", Scientific Reports (584,734 UK dogs). Data CC-BY 4.0. Source. Machine-readable: developer API. These are independent estimates for comparing breeds, not veterinary advice. Photo: Jamie VI via Pexels.