I was surprised because the 2004 KC health survey found that the median age of death in Bulldogs (based on a good-sized sample of 180 dogs that had died) was 6 yrs and 3 months - not great. As far as I'm aware, there has been no decent survey done since that supercedes this figure, so I hot-footed it over to the KC website to see what it says.
As you can, it lists Bulldog lifespan as "Under 10 years". Now this is true - but not terribly helpful for anyone seeking accurate information.
In fact, the KC breed info pages gloss over the longevity issue by listing all breeds' lifespans as either "under 10 years" or "over 10 years". I guess the truth - that some breeds die, on average, a lot younger than 10 - is just too unpalatable, but it is doing puppy buyers a disservice.
After all, the KC health survey found that the median age of death for the Neapolitan Mastiff is 2.33 years. It would be a bit of a shock, wouldn't it, to lose a dog at that age if you hadn't been pre-warned? Particularly when you've forked out £1000 or more for a Mastino pup.
So here, then, is a list of the Top 21 shortest living breeds according to the KC's own 2004 health survey - and,as you see, the median age of death in some breeds is a real cause for concern.
NB: I have excluded the Bracco Italiano as the survey only included one dog that had died, and the stats for the first six breeds are based on very small sample sizes and should be read with caution. A larger survey for Dogue de Bordeaux (based on 79 dead dogs rather than the KC's five) puts longevity at 5.3. Usually, the bigger the sample size, the better - although not if the survey methodology is flawed.
John Armstrong, in an internet survey of Standard Poodle mortality collected data on nearly 1000 dogs but found that means changed very little after 150-200 dogs.)
Russian Black Terrier - 1.79
Neapolitan Mastiff - 2.33
Dogue de Bordeaux - 3.83
Kooikerhondje - 3.92
Grand Bleu de Gascoigne - 4.54
Pyrenean Sheepdog - 5.79
Miniature Bull Terrier - 6.08
Shar-pei - 6.29
Bulldog - 6.29
Great Dane - 6.50
Bloodhound - 6.79
Mastiff - 6.83
Shiba Inu - 7.00
St Bernard - 7.00
Irish Wolfhound - 7.04
Leonburger - 7.08
Finnish Lapphund - 7.33
Bullmastiff - 7.46
Bernese Mountain Dog - 8.00
Nova Scotia Tolling Retriever - 8.00
Cesky Terrier - 8.42
However, on its breed info pages, the KC lists 11 of these 21 breeds as living for "Over 10 years" - including six that are among the eight very shortest-living breeds, including the Dogue de Bordeaux, Kooikerhundje, Grand Bleu de Gascoigne, Miniature Bull Terrier and the Shar Pei. (The KC also insists that both the Toller and Cesky live longer than 10 despite its survey findings.)
In fact, there are many other discrepancies on the KC's breed info pages as regards lifespan - with many listed as enjoying 10 years or more when the KC's own health survey found a median age of death under 10. This needs to be rectified - unless of course, there are more recent surveys of sufficient quality that shows a longer lifespan. I'd be happy to include them here if anyone wants to send me the them.
Here, meanwhile, are the 37 breeds who live at least twice as long as the average Bulldog.
Siberian Husky - 12.58
Welsh Springer Spaniel - 12.58
Collie - 12.67
Dachshund - 12.67
Norwegian Buhund - 12.67
Welsh Terrier - 12.67
Beagle - 12.67
Yorkshire Terrier - 12.67
Staffordshire Bull Terrier - 12.75
Whippet - 12.79
Australian Terrier - 12.80
Manchester Terrier - 12.83
Briard - 12.88
Bichon Frise - 12.92
Hovawart - 12.92
Hungarian Viszla - 12.92
West Highland White Terrier - 13.00
Miniature Pinscher - 13.00
Parson Russell Terrier - 13.00
Papillon 13.08
Fox Terrier - 13.13
Norwegian Elkhound - 13.17
Bedlington Terrier - 13.38
Norwich Terrier - 13.38
Bearded Collie - 13.50
Italian Greyhound - 13.50
Basenji - 13.54
Miniature Poodle - 13.92
Border Terrier - 14.00
Cairn Terrier - 14.00
Swedish Vallhund - 14.42
Canaan Dog - 14.63
Australian Silky Terrier - 14.25
Lhasa Apso - 14.33
Toy Poodle - 14.63
Irish Terrier - 14.83
Lakeland Terrier - 15.46
And guess what? No mistakes there. The KC lists them all accurately as living for more than 10 years.
Individual breed results from the KC's 2004 health survey are available here.
More breed longevity data can be found on Kelly Cassidy's Canine Longevity website (in need of an update but containing much interesting information).