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LargeSporting Group

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever has held the top AKC registration position for three decades and is the most-represented single breed in UK veterinary records.

Calculate Labrador Retriever age
Lifespan13.1 yrrange 13–14
SizeLargeSporting Group
Weight55–80 lb24.9–36.3 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever has held the top AKC registration position for three decades and is the most-represented single breed in UK veterinary records. Originally refined on the waterfowl flats of Newfoundland and the north of England, the breed has diverged into heavier show lines and leaner field lines.

Aging

How Labrador Retrievers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median lifespan of 13.1 years (n=59,583). Elbow dysplasia (7.6% abnormal on OFA screens) and the breed-specific exercise-induced collapse variant are the defining late-life concerns; obesity compounds both.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.1 yr · range 13–14Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues12 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
55–80 lb(24.9–36.3 kg)
Height
21.5–24.5 in(54.6–62.2 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
BlackChocolateYellow
Temperament

Temperament

How Labrador Retrievers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

friendlyactiveoutgoingtrainable
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
90min
per day

Labrador Retrievers are high-output dogs — plan for 90 minutes of daily activity across a mix of walks, off-leash play, and purposeful work.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.