Do English labs weigh more than American labs

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

English vs American Labrador Whats the Difference?

Both the English vs American Lab are members of the Labrador Retriever breed, but they have become established as different types. English Labradors tend to be stockier, whilst American Labs are more slender with a finer coat. American Labs are the favorite of field trials, and have enormous energy. English Labs are more likely to occupy the show bench, and are said to be more laid back though in my experience their cheeky side and overly social nature outstrips the working bred dogs in the enthusiasm stakes.

Having raised and trained both types of Labrador, I can confidently say these dogs are both very clever, active, cooperative and loving. Ive never met a Lab that didnt love to eat, or take a surprisingly long time to groom during shedding season. They all have some prey drive, although the American Labradors is stronger. And their attention is harder for the average owner to get outdoors. But the main differences really are skin deep, with that distinctly different build and size.

Differences Through History

The Labrador Retriever originated in Newfoundland, Canada, where their ancestors, the St. Johns Dog, worked alongside fisherman in icy waters and harsh conditions. These hearty working dogs caught the attention of visiting English nobles in the early 1800s. A few of these dogs returned to England with them, where breeders refined and standardized the Labrador breed.

Essentially there was only one type of Lab until the 1940s, when exhibiting dogs became popular. Over the next few decades, two different strains of the dog emerged due to specialized breeding.

One type was bred for the show ring where appearance matters. These dogs were not required to work and embellishments in their conformation began to emerge. They became known as English Labs. At the same time, working type Labs began flourishing in competitions known as field trials where speed and agility were the most desirable qualities. These are now what we know as American Labs.

Despite the fact that the nicknames English Lab and American Lab are commonly used, more accurate descriptions of these two dogs are show or bench type Lab and working or field type Lab.

English vs American Lab Appearance

Put the English Labrador and American Labrador side by side and youll see some obvious differences between these two dogs. The English Labs head is wider with a more pronounced stop. Their muzzle is shorter and the face is fuller. A thick neck and barrel chest create a more powerful appearance than that of the American Lab.

They also have the famous thick Labrador otter tail and their double, water-resistant coat is also thicker. The American Labs head is narrower and the muzzle is longer than the English Labs. Their neck is longer and thinner, as is their tail. American Labs also have a coat that is noticeably thinner. These labs arent bred to a specific breed standard. They often vary in appearance.

Which Type Is Bigger?

Although the English Lab stands slightly smaller, measuring between 21.5 to 22.5 inches, theyre heavier, with a blockier build and shorter legs and body. The American Lab stands from 21.5 to 24.5 inches, but with a slimmer, more athletic physique and finer bone structure. Legs are also longer, giving them a more agile appearance.

Male Labs weigh between 65 to 80 pounds and females from 55 to 70 pounds. English Labs tend to tip the scales on the higher end. In fact, they can weigh as much as 20 pounds more than an American Lab due to their conformation without being considered overweight.

English vs American Lab Temperament

Remember that both strains are Labradors and either of these dogs will be loving, friendly, intelligent, dependable, and outgoing, with a strong desire to please their humans. However, as with appearance, there are some fairly distinct differences between American and English Labs when it comes to temperament.

You should expect the American Lab to be more active. People originally bred these dogs for working and field trials. That doesnt mean that the English Lab is a lazy dog by any means. All Labs are known for their high energy, but American Labs are like elite athletes. This is a dog with stamina and energy to burn. Theyre also considered to be more intelligent, headstrong, and excitable, while English Labs are typically more laid back and less excitable than their American cousins.

Which One Makes a Better Family Dog?

Either type of Labrador Retriever is sure to make a wonderful addition to your family. These friendly dogs not only get along with all kinds of people, theyre also amiable with other dogs and pets. So choosing between the two types of Lab is simply a matter of personal preference.

If youre looking for a family pet thats more relaxed and less demanding, the English Lab would be the better choice. First time owners would also be better off with the show type since their temperament tends to be less overwhelming and demanding. Families with an active, outdoor lifestyle who want a dog that can keep up with them, are sure to meet their match in the exuberant American Lab.

English vs American Lab Training

A keen intelligence, combined with a strong desire to please, makes the Lab very trainable. You should socialize your dog early. Expose the dog to a wide array of people, places, and other animals. This is important for any dog. But its even more crucial for a dog that has the physical strength and high energy levels of the Labrador Retriever. Dragging their owners on the leash and jumping up on people are the types of behavior youll want to curb before they become fully grown.

When it comes to trainability, field dogs are typically considered to be more trainable than show bred dogs in any breed. This 2014 study found working dogs to score higher for fetching and trainability than show Labs. Working Labs also scored significantly higher on responsiveness than show Labs in this 2016 study. However, these differences could also be the result of working dog owners training them for work purposes, while show dog owners are less demanding of their dogs.

Grooming and Feeding

Thanks to their double coat, Labradors can be big-time shedders. Some will blow their coat twice a year, others tend to shed more regularly in smaller amounts. If you have an English Lab who lives indoors throughout the year, they may tend towards the latter.

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Although their hair is short, regular daily grooming can reduce the amount of dead hair accumulation in your home. There are no hard and fast rules about how often you should bathe a Lab. If you start to notice an unpleasant smell, its probably time for a bath. This article will give you a lot more information about grooming your Lab.

Since so many Labs are prone to becoming overweight, you may need to monitor their calorie intake. Because English Labs tend to be less active and naturally heavier, they may also be more prone to obesity.

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

How Much Should My Labrador Weigh? Including Weight Charts & Puppy Growth

The average Lab weighs 60-80lbs, but you might be surprised to hear that the number on the scales doesnt actually matter. Its what you see and feel that makes the difference. And today, Ill show you how to work out if your dog is a healthy weight.

A while ago we surveyed members of our Labrador community and compiled the weights of their Labs into the chart below.

There is quite a big difference between individual Labrador puppies and older dogs in each age group! Most people worry at some point that their Labrador might be overweight or underweight so Ill explain how you can tell if your Lab is the right weight, and why there is such a big variation in weight and size in the Labrador breed.

Labrador Puppy Weight Chart By Age

Puppy growth rate is rapid to begin with and tales off significantly after about twenty weeks. Lots of our readers want to know how much should their Labrador weigh at five months, or six months, etc.

We collected the data from our forum to create the Lab weight chart above. For a rough idea of how much your pup should weigh at each stage of their life, you can compare them to this chart. As you can see, variation within each age group is normal.

Average Labrador Weight

As a rough guide, an adult female Labrador will weigh between 55 and 70lbs. An adult male Lab will weigh 65 80lbs.

Female Lab weight will on average be lower than male Lab weight, but there is a considerable overlap with many larger females weighing more than some males.

Labradors also come in a different types, and your Labs type and their parentage, will have an impact upon their ideal weight.

English Lab Weight vs American Lab Weight

Simply giving you Labrador average weights in pounds can be misleading. It doesnt take into account that English and American Labs can be very different in appearance. And that Labradors vary in their body shape and fitness levels.

Built for speed and agility, your American Lab will often weigh less than your friends English Lab, but not always! English Labs, bred from show lines, are often at the upper end of the scale. You can expect English Lab weight to be around 60 70 lbs for a female and 70 80 lbs for a male.

Some of our chunkier, show bred Labs can be big! Up to twenty pounds heavier than their field bred cousins, without necessarily being overweight. Whereas the slimmer, working American Lab will often be at the lower end of average.

Of course, its not just build that we need to consider, there are many factors that determine the right weight for an individual dog. Labs in great physical condition will weigh more than they did before the reached that condition. Lets look at why that is.

How Much Does A Labrador Weigh When in Peak Condition?

Volume for volume, muscle weighs more than fat yet takes up less space inside your dog. As a dog gains muscle through exercise and activity, their weight will increase.

So a fit dog will have more muscle and weigh maybe ten or fifteen pounds more than an unfit dog of similar dimensions or with a similar frame.

What with the different types of Lab (American /English) and the different fitness levels of different dogs, you can see how difficult it can be to give a rule of thumb on adult Labrador weight. And why unless a dog is grossly obese, or desperately thin, the scales may not reflect your dogs state of health at all.

Coat Color vs Weight

In theory there should be no difference in weight between Labradors of different colors. But in practice there can be some, especially in the colors that are predominantly from either show/English or working/American lines.

Black Lab Weight

Weight for an English black Lab will probably be at the higher end of the range, for an American black Lab it will likely be lower. Black Labs are frequently found in both these categories.

Chocolate Lab Weight

Chocolate Labs are more likely to be show bred than field bred. And because English Labs weigh more than American Labs in general, our chocolate friends may therefore be at the higher end of average when it comes to weight.

Yellow Lab Weight

Your yellow Labs are commonly found in both categories, so have a wide range of weights along with varying coat shades.

White Labs are more likely to be English Labs, and will probably be heavier. Fox red Labs are normally American Labs, and therefore may be lighter in build than the paler yellow Labs that are more popular in the show ring.

So if the scales are not going to help you, how can you figure out whether or not your Lab is a healthy weight?

Labrador Ideal Weight: Does Your Lab Pass The Test!

The way to effectively judge whether your Lab is at an ideal weight is not through the scales. It is by feel and appearance. Your dog should have a waist. You should not be able to see ribs, but if you press firmly along his sides you should just be able to feel your fingers bumping along them.

This Lab really needs to shed a few pounds

Lab Puppy Weight: How Often To Weigh Your Pup

To an extent, this information applies to puppies as well as adults. People often worry about their puppys weight, but in most cases it really is not necessary to weigh your puppy regularly! Any more than you would weigh your three year old child on a daily or weekly basis. There are however, some exceptions.

Very thin puppies

Occasionally our readers have puppies around three weeks old, failing to thrive because they were sold before they were ready to leave their mothers. The only action here is urgent veterinary treatment.

Most puppies sold after eight weeks fall into a healthy weight range. As a very rough guide, many Labrador puppies will weigh around a kilo for every week of their lives. So you would expect a ten week puppy to weigh around ten kilos or twenty-two pounds.

A twenty percent variation around this would be fairly normal. If your puppy falls outside this variation he may still be perfectly healthy, but a veterinary checkup will put your mind at rest.

Should I Weigh My Dog?

The main reasons to weigh a dog are weight loss or gain. Thin puppies need regular weigh-ins to ensure they are gaining weight. Overweight adult Labs need weekly weighings, along with visual checks, to ensure you stay on track with their diet.

Your veterinarian may also need to weigh your dog to give an accurate dose of drugs if he needs medical treatment.

How to weigh a dog

You can weigh a puppy in your arms at home with the bathroom scales by subtracting your own weight. Tiny dogs can be weighed on kitchen scales, or by using fishing scales to weigh a puppy placed carefully in a shoulder bag (weigh the bag first and subtract its weight from your total).

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Larger dogs will need to be weighed on purpose built scales. Most vet surgeries have one in the waiting room, and some pet stores have them too.

How Much Should My Labrador Weigh?

Appearances count more than numbers. Look at your dog objectively, and avoid comparing with other dogs weight.

Some other dog owners will tell you your slim Labrador is too thin. This is because people are getting used to so many dogs being overweight, including some of those receiving the highest accolades in our show rings. If you are worried, check with your vet, but the chances are your dog is healthy, and it is reallytheir dog who is overweight.