Which lives longer, the Beagle or the German Shepherd Dog?

The Beagle has the longer median lifespan: Beagle 12.5 years versus German Shepherd Dog 11.3 years (McMillan 2024).

Which is healthier, the Beagle or the German Shepherd Dog?

On the Breed Health Score the Beagle scores 70/100 and the German Shepherd Dog scores 59/100. The Beagle scores higher.

Beagle vs German Shepherd Dog

The Beagle has a median lifespan of 12.5 years and a Breed Health Score of 70/100 (grade B); the German Shepherd Dog lives a median of 11.3 years with a score of 59/100 (grade C). On the overall index the Beagle scores higher. The Beagle has the longer median lifespan.

Beagle

70grade B

German Shepherd Dog

59grade C

Median lifespan

12.5 yr

11.3 yr

Size

medium · 9-16 kg

large · 22-40 kg

Flat-faced

Longevity

Conformation

100

Hereditary burden

Health Score

70B

59C

Conditions

Epilepsy IVDD Obesity Cherry eye Hypothyroidism

Hip dysplasia Elbow dysplasia Degenerative myelopathy Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency GDV (bloat)

Full profiles

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How to read this. The Breed Health Score combines longevity (65%), conformation (20%) and hereditary burden (15%); see the methodology. Median lifespan is from McMillan, K.M. et al. (2024) "Longevity of companion dog breeds", Scientific Reports (584,734 UK dogs). Data CC-BY 4.0. These are independent estimates for comparing breeds, not veterinary advice. Build your own with the interactive compare tool.