How long do Bull Terriers live?

The median lifespan of the Bull Terrier is 12.0 years, based on the 2024 McMillan et al. study of 584,734 UK dogs.

Is the Bull Terrier a healthy breed?

On the Breed Health Score the Bull Terrier scores 64 out of 100 (grade B), compared with an average of 71 across 155 breeds.

64/ 100

Bull Terrier Grade B

Q: What health problems do Bull Terriers have?

Commonly reported conditions in the Bull Terrier include Deafness, Hereditary nephritis, Lethal acrodermatitis, Patellar luxation, Mitral valve dysplasia.

Median lifespani 12.0 yr · medium · 22-38 kg

⇆ Compare Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier is a medium breed with a median lifespan of 12.0 years, which places it among the shortest-lived third of the 155 breeds we rank for longevity. Commonly reported health conditions include Deafness, Hereditary nephritis, Lethal acrodermatitis, Patellar luxation. Its overall Breed Health Score is 64/100 (grade B), 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

Deafness Hereditary nephritis Lethal acrodermatitis Patellar luxation Mitral valve dysplasia

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 Bull 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/bull-terrier/" width="340" height="224" loading="lazy" style="border:0;width:100%;max-width:340px;height:224px" title="Bull 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/bull-terrier/">Bull 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: Kenny Fotos CR via Pexels.