Dog breeds with the most health challenges

The breeds our score flags with the greatest combination of short lifespan, high-risk conformation and hereditary disease burden. A lower score means more health challenges.

1 Presa Canario 7.7 yr 27E 2 Cane Corsogiant 8.1 yr 29E 3 Caucasian Shepherd Dog 5.4 yr 30E 4 Neapolitan Mastiffgiant · flat-faced 9.3 yr 31E 5 Affenpinschertoy · flat-faced 9.3 yr 35D 6 Mastiffgiant 9.0 yr 37D 7 St Bernardgiant 9.3 yr 38D 8 Bulldogmedium · flat-faced 9.8 yr 38D 9 French Bulldogsmall · flat-faced 9.8 yr 38D 10 Bullmastiffgiant · flat-faced 10.2 yr 38D 11 Bloodhoundgiant 9.3 yr 40D 12 Irish Wolfhoundgiant 9.9 yr 41D 13 Bernese Mountain Doggiant 10.1 yr 44D 14 Leonbergergiant 10.0 yr 45D 15 Dogue de Bordeauxgiant · flat-faced 11.1 yr 46D 16 Anatolian Shepherdgiant 10.1 yr 47D 17 Chinese Shar Peimedium · flat-faced 10.6 yr 47D 18 Great Danegiant 10.6 yr 47D 19 Boxerlarge · flat-faced 11.3 yr 47D 20 Scottish Deerhoundgiant 10.5 yr 48C 21 Pharaoh Houndmedium 10.0 yr 51C 22 Rottweilerlarge 10.6 yr 53C 23 Great Pyreneesgiant 10.9 yr 53C 24 Newfoundlandgiant 11.0 yr 54C 25 Black Russian Terriergiant 10.9 yr 55C 26 Pugtoy · flat-faced 11.6 yr 55C 27 Cavalier King Charles Spanielsmall · flat-faced 11.8 yr 57C 28 Irish Water Spaniellarge 10.8 yr 58C 29 Doberman Pinscherlarge 11.2 yr 58C 30 Brittanymedium 11.1 yr 59C

Showing 30 breeds. Score is 65% longevity, 20% conformation and 15% hereditary burden (methodology). Lifespan: McMillan 2024, CC-BY. See the full directory or other leaderboards.