Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There is also scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
Meanwhile, how long a dog lives is partly dependent on its breed - with some far more likely to reach a grand old age than others.
Research published in the journal Scientific Reports has used the Royal Veterinary College’s Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass), a database holding information on over two million animals, to work out the average life expectance of some of the UK’s most popular breeds of dog.
Researchers took a random sample of 30,563 dogs that died over a five year period to come to their findings.
Here’s what they found to be the average lifespan of 19 of the most familiar dog breeds.
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1. Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell Terrier was the longest living breed that the study looked at - with an average age of 12.72 years. The cheery wee dogs were originally bred for fox hunting in North Devon by the Rev Jack Russell - hence the name. | Canva/Getty Images - 12.72 years
2. Yorkshire Terrier
Another terrier takes second spot. Small dogs tend to live longer than large dogs, so it's no surprise to see the tiny Yorkshire Terrier coming high up in this list with an average lifespan of 12.54 years. It orginated in the nineteenth century in - unsurprisingly - the English county of Yorkshire. | Canva/Getty Images - 12.54 years
3. Border Collie - 12.1 years
The world's most intelligent dog breed, the Border Collie is also one of the most long lived - with an expected life of 12.10 years. Bred first on the border between England and Scotland, it's often very successfully used to herd sheep. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Springer Spaniel - 11.92 years
The wonderfully bouncy Springer Spaniel is expected to live around 11.92 years. Before becoming loved family pets, they were used to flush out (or 'spring' - hence the name) and retrieve game by hunters. | | Canva/Getty Images