Which lives longer, the Border Collie or the German Shepherd Dog?

The Border Collie has the longer median lifespan: Border Collie 13.1 years versus German Shepherd Dog 11.3 years (McMillan 2024).

Which is healthier, the Border Collie or the German Shepherd Dog?

On the Breed Health Score the Border Collie scores 78/100 and the German Shepherd Dog scores 59/100. The Border Collie scores higher.

Border Collie vs German Shepherd Dog

The Border Collie has a median lifespan of 13.1 years and a Breed Health Score of 78/100 (grade A); the German Shepherd Dog lives a median of 11.3 years with a score of 59/100 (grade C). On the overall index the Border Collie scores higher. The Border Collie has the longer median lifespan.

Border Collie

78grade A

German Shepherd Dog

59grade C

Median lifespan

13.1 yr

11.3 yr

Size

medium · 14-20 kg

large · 22-40 kg

Flat-faced

Longevity

Conformation

100

Hereditary burden

Health Score

78A

59C

Conditions

Collie eye anomaly Hip dysplasia Epilepsy Trapped neutrophil syndrome Ceroid lipofuscinosis

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.