How Big Does A Labrador Get?

The Labrador is arguably America’s most popular dog breed and wildly known to be a cool, calm, and collected family companion.

Originally bred in Newfoundland to be duck retrievers and companions to fishermen, English breeders brought them home and continued to mix the breed, creating various breeds of Labradors.

Labradors are great for children and are also very famous for their friendly nature with families.

As a new owner of a Labrador, you may be wondering how big your friend is likely to get and at what point he will stop growing.

We have discussed that and other information you would need to be aware of as a new owner when it comes to the weight and size of your Labrador.

Let’s get into it.

What Is The Average Size And Weight Of A Labrador?

According to the American Kennel Club, the average size of an adult male Labrador is between twenty-two and a half and twenty-four and a half inches tall, while weighing between 55 and 70 pounds. It is projected that English Labradors can reach the same height.

The physique of English Labradors is deceptive, and as such is mostly thought to be shorter and heavier.

This is due to their broad body stature as well as their deep chest, which leads you to think they’re shorter. In reality, though, both the American and English are the same size.

Below is a chart for a Labrador male growth rate in terms of weight and size.

Size Differences Between Yellow, Black, And Brown Labrador Retrievers

There is no difference in terms of size and weight of these different colored types of Labrador Retriever.

The seeming size and weight difference observed by owners and breeders result from some dogs being overfed and others being underfed. Either of these practices is detrimental to the health of your dog.

As a responsible owner, you have to make sure you do not overfeed your dog as these dogs become easily obese and this is a real risk to your Labrador friend’s health.

Also, give your Labrador dog at least 30 minutes of exercise each day to ensure a healthy lifestyle.

When Will My Labrador Stop Growing?

You may have noticed how quickly your Labrador puppy is growing with each passing day. That is one of the most visible signs of growth in weight and size of Labradors.

Note however that even though your puppy friend will hastily grow in size and weight is a relatively quicker pace, Labradors’ minds reach maturity only after about three years.

Between 1 year to about 18 months is when most Labradors reach maturity. This means they reach their maximum weight and size at about that time. The next two to three years is the filling out stage for Labradors.

Most Labradors maintain their weight and size gained at this stage, throughout their entire lifespan which averages 10 to 14 years.

Does Paw Size Determine A Labrador’s Size?

You may have heard, especially about puppies known to be larger dog breeds, that by looking at their paw size, you can tell how large the puppy will get. It’s rather unfortunate that this ideology cannot be ascertained.

We know a puppy will be large because it is of a large dog breed not because of its paw size.

In the cases of purebred dogs, however, there can be said to be some correlation between the paw size and the dog size and weight.

However, this is more so related to whether the breed will likely be on the higher or lower end of the presupposed range.

Does Spaying Or Neutering Affect Dog Size?

The reality is spaying or neutering your dog should not directly affect your Labrador’s size. Yet, there could be some ways in which your dog may be affected.

For instance, your male Labrador may become more relaxed, and calm and would not want to exercise as much. This may result in weight gain, subsequently increasing his size and weight.

According to a study in 2017, it is likely for dogs neutered before they are 37 weeks old to gain more weight as compared to dogs that were neutered after that age, whose growth rate was comparatively slower.

Given that the difference is always minimal, there is not enough to suggest that spaying or neutering has that much effect on the size and weight of dogs.

Overweight And Underweight Labradors: The Risks

It is natural to notice different Labrador dogs growing at very different rates. Each dog is unique and this is reflected in their growth rates as well. While some dogs will outgrow the average rate, others will be growing much slower.

This is, as early on stated, very natural. You should however be concerned if your Labrador friend is gaining weight at a very rapid rate or getting leaner and leaner by day. There could be a potential health risk involved.

Get your vet to diagnose your dog as soon as possible to prevent any escalation.

The kind of breed your dog belongs to can inform its size. For instance, working or hunting Labradors are smaller in size and lighter in weight compared to average lab size and weight.

Again, genetics do play a part in what size your dog will be, as dogs from small-sized parents will be smaller themselves. The same can be said for larger-sized Labradors. Larger-sized parents will birth larger-sized puppies.

Dogs gaining weight can also be a result of overfeeding or lack of exercise, or both. Thus, you should make sure you are sticking to your Labrador’s eating routine to ensure you are not overfeeding your dog.

How Do I Check My Labrador’s Weight?

If you want to know the weight of your Labrador friend, follow these steps:

First, check to see if there is a clear differentiation between your dog’s waist, hind, and torso. Pass your hand through the dog’s back, with your thumb on the spinal column and your fingers open and spread down. Feel around.

You should be able to feel the ribs without maximum pressure, although you cannot see them.

In doing this, if you have to press hard before you can feel the ribs, it’s possible your dog is overweight, and you may have to exercise it a bit more than usual ad also try to reduce its food intake.

If the situation is the opposite, thus, you easily feel the ribs of your dog without any press, it could be that your dog is growing lean. You’ll have to pay attention to its diet, and do not hesitate to contact your vet if your dog continues to grow lean.

Conclusion

It is important to pay attention to the weight and size of your Labrador friend, as being either overweight or underweight can be detrimental to its health.

Although, Labradors are known to grow big and gain considerable weight, make sure your dog is not excessively fat or too lean.

Also, despite the agreed-on acreage weight and size of Labradors at each stage of their lives, which we showed in this article, owners should not forget that each dog is unique in its way and will grow differently at different rates.

However, you should be concerned if, at any stage of your Labrador’s life, it is growing heavier or leaner than it should.

Ensure to properly feed your dog with the right nutrients, paying attention to the quantity of food you give it. Ensure regular exercise for your dog and get it to the vet now and then for regular health checks.

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