Culture and Lifestyle Pets Dog Breeds With The Longest Life Spans By Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell is a Southern Living fellow who is starting her career in lifestyle journalism. Primarily focused on social media and digital production, Mary Alice is excited to hone her skills and dedicate her professional life to beautiful things, from homes to hearts.A recent graduate of Washington and Lee University, Mary Alice majored in journalism and art history. At W&L, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school paper, The Ring-tum Phi, with her best friend and interned for The Welcome Home Podcast. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, Mary Alice is a Virginia native who is proud to hail from the land of ham and peanuts. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 4, 2023 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Jillian is a freelance writer, editor and fact-checker with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. In addition to fact-checking for Southern Living, Jillian works on multiple verticals across Dotdash-Meredith, including TripSavvy, The Spruce, and Travel + Leisure. brand's fact checking process Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Maisie Paterson/Getty Images Life is a series of dogs, said comedian George Carlin. For the most part, that parade of muddy paws and wet noses and cuddles with a side of dog hair is full of heartwarming delight. Unfortunately, though, the sad truth is that dogs have shorter life spans than humans. While there are no guarantees in life, if you want to put off that heart-breaking separation from your four-legged friend for as long as possible, these dog breeds are known for their longevity. Keep in mind that in general, small dogs often live longer than big dogs, so you'll see a lot of small dogs on the list. 01 of 11 Maltese Utenzilije/Getty Images These sweet pups, from an ancient Mediterranean breed, are affectionate, gentle, and fearless, according to the American Kennel Club. As with many smaller dogs, they enjoy longer lives, on average around 14 years. 02 of 11 Bichon Frise MilanEXPO/Getty Images Like their distant cousins the Maltese, the equally fluffy Bichon Frise can live to about 15 years, according to American Kennel Club, which makes them excellent candidates to be your fluffy BFF. 03 of 11 Chihuahua Phanuwat Yoksiri/Getty Images These small pups with big personalities have an average lifespan of 14 to 16 years, according to American Kennel Club. 04 of 11 Australian Cattle Dogs Tara Gregg/EyeEm/Getty Images Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, entered the Guinness Book of World Records by living to the ripe old age of 29 years and 5 months, setting the record for oldest dog ever. The record was set in 1939 and still stands, but many Australian Cattle Dogs have tried to beat it by living good long lives of their own. 05 of 11 Yorkshire Terriers Attila Fodemesi/Getty Images Yorkies, as they are known, may look small and delicate, but these pups are plucky. Their oversized personalities paired with their portability make them an incredibly popular companion. Luckily for their owners, they live an average of 11-15 years, per the American Kennel Club. 06 of 11 Beagle Brinja Schmidt/Getty Images These working dogs have an average lifespan of 15 years, according to dog trainer Cesar Milan's website. These pups frequently defy expectations, though, and one very good beagle lived to an amazing 27-years-old. 07 of 11 Jack Russell Terriers Wavetop/Getty Images Jack Russells seem to have boundless amounts of energy, which keeps them going and going. While they have an average lifespan of 16 years, some have been known to keep on trucking. Per The Spruce, one Jack Russell pup named Willie entered the records at book the age of 20. 08 of 11 Toy Poodles zhao hui/Getty Images Poodles and poodle mixes tend to lead good long lives, but smaller breeds tend to live longer. Toy poodles have an average lifespan of 16 years, according to Milan's website. For folks who like a bigger breed, the AKC reports that standard poodles enjoy a similar life expectancy, between 10-18 years. 09 of 11 Pomeranians ADX Collections/Getty Images Like Chihuahuas, Pomeranians pack a lot of personality into their diminutive packages, which makes them a popular companion. Luckily, Poms have a lifespan of up to 16 years, according to AKC. 10 of 11 Dachshund Maisie Paterson/Getty Images These low-riding pups tend to live between 12-16 years on average, according to AKC. Although, like the rest of us, they can have age-related health problems, particularly back issues. 11 of 11 Papillon FaST_9/Getty Images These smart and personable pups with butterfly ears make excellent pets that quickly become part of the family. It's a good thing that, according to AKC, these sweet dogs can live up to 16 years. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. American Kennel Club. Why do small dogs live longer than large dogs? American Kennel Club. Maltese. American Kennel Club. Bichon Frise. American Kennel Club. Chihuahua. American Kennel Club. Yorkshire Terrier. American Kennel Club. Poodle. American Kennel Club. Pomeranian. American Kennel Club. Dachshund. American Kennel Club. Papillon.