What age do labs stop gaining weight
When Do Dogs Stop Growing? Labrador Puppy Growth Chart
A Labrador puppy growth chart can help you to check your puppys development is on track. Watching your baby Labrador Retriever puppy grow into an adult dog is worrying sometimes, but you can tell whether your puppys growth is on the right track with our Labrador puppy growth chart.
I will share the average Labrador weight, height and general Labrador size at different points of their life. Ill answer all of your Labrador puppy growth questions.
Growth rates depend on a number of factors, including your dogs breed or type, the size of their parents, their diet, age and health. We will help you to use these factors with out Labrador puppy growth chart to predict your dogs final height and weight.
Labrador Puppy Growth Chart
We have a long running thread on our forum, where members enter the weights of their puppies at different ages. The Labrador growth chart below shows the data we have collected, in a Labrador weight chart by age.
Each dot represents a snapshot in time of an individual puppy. You can find the age in weeks along the bottom of the chart and weight in pounds up the left hand side. You can see how all the dots taken together follow a pattern, but there is still a considerable range of puppy weights at each age.
When Do Dogs Stop Growing?
If your Labrador is four years old, he is not going to get any taller, but what about a two year old Lab, or a one year old? Most dogs stop growing sometime between one and two years old, but it varies between breeds.
When Is A Labrador Fully Grown?
Many dogs are fully grown by their first birthday. Small breeds reach adult height several months before large breeds do, yet dog size varies greatly among individuals, even within the same breed.
Larger dogs are often slower to mature than little dogs, and carry on growing for longer. Small dogs are sometimes fully grown by the time they are 9 months old. Whereas giant breeds can take up to three years to reach full size.
Adult size, temperament, and coat type are all likely to affect energy requirements, and the rate a puppy grows. There is no point comparing your Lab puppys growth with your neighbors German Shepherd Dog puppy.
At What Age Does A Labrador Puppy Stop Growing?
There is very little scientific research but a lot of anecdotal evidence about when Lab puppies stop growing.
In 2004, a UK study following 37 Lab puppies through to adulthood revealed that all of them had reached their adult weight by their first birthday. But more recently, a much larger lifestyle study of over 4,300 UK Labradors found that their weight continued to increase between one and four years old.
When Do Labs Stop Growing?
The Labrador puppy growth chart finishes when the dog reaches adulthood. General wisdom from breeders, vets, and experiences Labrador owners is that Labs stop growing during their second year. But much of your Lab puppys growth will be completed before he reaches his first birthday. In fact, he will be quite close to his final adult Labrador height at around nine months of age. A lot of his growth after this point will be filling out rather than getting taller.
Does color change the Labrador puppy growth chart?
Lab growth rate isnt impacted by their color. Your average chocolate Lab will be adult sizes at the same time as the average yellow or black Lab.
How Quickly Do Labradors Grow?
Our Labrador puppy growth chart shows that all Labrador puppies follow the same breed specific pattern of growth spurts and slower growth, even though the actual numbers on the scale will vary from individual to individual. Youll notice that your Labrador puppy at 8 weeks old or 9 weeks old when they arrive home will quickly change size. The most rapid period of growth will take place in the first month or so after you bring him home.
In 2007, a study of 150 Labrador puppies in Norway found that Labrador weight gain is most rapid at 89 days old in females, and 95 days old in males. So around the 12-14 week mark. And Labradors usually reach half of their adult weight by the time they are 18 or 19 weeks old.
How much do Labs grow after 6 months?
Another trend you can see in our Labrador puppy growth chart is that Lab puppies gain weight much less rapidly after their 6 month birthday. Once your Lab has hit this milestone you can expect them to gain a little height, and probably continue to fill out for up to a year or so. But on the whole, a Lab whos petite at 6 months is likely to be petite all her life. And you neednt worry that a boy who already weighs 50lbs at 6 months is going to end up the size of a Great Dane!
Another important milestone to look out for after 6 months is the completion of upward growth. In other words, the point when you Lab stops getting any taller. This is the point at which your dogs bones stop growing, and most experts feel it is safe for them to begin long runs and activities involving jumping without damaging their joints.
Dont assume that your dog will stop growing upwards when they reach the height on the Labrador breed standard though. It is estimated that in the UK the average height at the shoulders of a male Lab is around an inch taller than the breed standard.
Will my dog still grow after being neutered?
Its possible that an early neutered dog will be a little behind on the Labrador puppy growth chart. But its not a certainty.
Whether or not dogs should be routinely spayed or neutered is a subject which divides opinion.
A 2017 study found that neutering before 37 weeks old is linked to very slightly more rapid growth, and neutering after 37 weeks leads to very slightly slower growth. But the difference was very small, and the researchers emphasized that it doesnt require special planning.
Average Lab Weight
Adult Lab weight as shown on the Labrador puppy growth chart show that how big a Lab gets varies. But you want me to give you some numbers, so here are some averages.
- Many adult female Labradors reach a weight of 55-75lbs and stand 21-22 inches high at the shoulder.
- Many adult male Labradors reach a weight of 65-85lbs and stand 22-23 inches at the shoulder.
But remember, your dog is probably not an average dog!
Can you always predict size with a Labrador puppy growth chart?
These Labrador height and weight numbers are broad guidelines.
How big your Labrador will get depends partly on his parents. Assuming that your puppy had slim parents, their own weights will give you an idea of how big your Lab is likely to grow.
American Labrador puppy growth
Show bred English Labs are often heavier in build and bone than field bred American Labs, which tend to be more racy in appearance.
Small parents
Size is also partly genetic. If your puppy had small parents he might well be on the small size for his age, throughout his life. But even puppies from the same litter can vary quite considerably in size when plotted on a Labrador puppy growth chart.
How much should my Labrador puppy weigh?
Many average Labrador puppies weigh just over two pounds for each week of age. So on the Labrador puppy growth chart at around three months such a puppy might weigh 25lbs, and at six months theyll reach 50lbs.
It is rare for puppies to have any kind of growth disorder. Or for their families to starve them by mistake! If you cant see your puppys ribs and he is bouncy and full of fun, the chances are he is just a small puppy.
Is my puppy is too fat or too thin?
The very best guide to whether a puppy is the right weight for him, is how he looks and feels. Not where he falls on an average Labrador puppy growth chart.
Physically examining and observing your puppy will help you decide if they are doing ok in this respect. Just like older Labradors, puppies should not be too heavy. Most experts nowadays like to see a waist on even quite young puppies.
Overfeeding puppies doesnt just make them roly-poly plump. It causes their bones to grow too rapidly as well. And this may result in painful skeletal abnormalities in later life. Chubby Lab puppies might be plotted higher than average on the Labrador puppy growth chart, but if they are a shorter stature they could be following the line.
Run your hands gently down your puppys sides and you should be able to just feel his rib cage. If you can see his ribs, or feel them very easily just beneath his skin, your Labrador puppy is too thin. But if you cant feel them at all, he might be a little overweight. If in doubt, check with your veterinarian.
My dog weighs 35lbs at six months old. Is that OK?
This is the most common variation we receive on how much should my puppy weigh? People share their puppys weight and age, and want a Labrador puppy growth chart to tell them it is ok. I mentioned above that an average Labrador might weigh around 50lbs at six months old. But there is huge variation around this figure.
To illustrate how much very healthy puppies may vary, there are 6 month old Labs on our forum weighing 30lbs, and others weighing 60lbs! These are very different points on the same Labrador puppy growth chart, but could both be healthy animals.
(paid link)What age does a puppy turn into a dog?
Maturity or being an adult is not just about growing bigger. There are three aspects to changing from puppy to dog:
- physical maturity
- sexual maturity
- and mental maturity.
Sexual maturity in puppies
Puppies become sexually mature before they are full grown. These sexually mature pups still belong on the Labrador puppy growth chart, and will gain weight and height. Most Labradors are physically capable of breeding while still puppies. Though of course they should not be allowed to do so. Many female Labradors come into season for the first time between at between six and nine months old. Though some will be over a year old. And most male Labradors are ready and willing to mate well before their first birthday!
Mental maturity in puppies
Not only is your Labrador physically still a puppy when he or she reaches sexual maturity. He is also very much a puppy mentally and emotionally. In fact, many experts do not consider a Labrador to be fully grown up and mature until they are around two years old.
In practice, there is no exact age at which you can definitely say your puppy is a grown up. Some puppies mature mentally and physically quicker than others. As a broad guide, you will often hear people use 18 months as the divide between Labrador puppy and adult dog.
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
When Do Labs Stop Growing & Weight Gaining Growth Chart
- They have webbed toes, which makes them great swimmers. The webbing also serves as a snowshoe in colder climates since it prevents snow from gathering between the toes.
- As fast runners, Labradors are known to run 12 miles per hour
- The versatility of the lab means it can work in a wide range of fields from search and rescue to therapy to hunting to assisting the handicapped and tracking.
- In America & the UK, Labradors are the most popular breed of dog.
- They love to eat and can easily get overweight.
When do Labs Stop Growing?
If youre thinking,when do labs stop growing?worry not your headasit is impossible to use age as a determing factor. Even though, statistically speaking, labs are done growing by their first birthday its relative.
Although, its pretty evident that a Labrador who is four years old will not grow any taller (but he may gain more weight as well). However, what about two-year-old or one-year-old Labradors? Well, in broad terms, dogs stop growing sometime between one and two years old. One thing to note is that this depends on the breed.
While the AKCs official breed standards state that male labs should weigh 55-80 pounds and females should weigh 55-70 pounds, nearly 56% of dogs in the United States are overweight due to a lack in adequately tracking labs growth and size.
As stated earlier, labs will continue to gain weight between their first and second birthdays, despite not growing in height.
That is why it is crucial to monitor its weight and ensure its staying on the right side of the growth curve, and one of the best ways to do that is to track its growth using a labrador growth chart.
Lab Growing & Weight Gaining Chart
| Age | Male Weight | Female Weight |
| 1 month old | 3 5 lb | 2 6 lb |
| 2 month old | 10 15 lb | 5 10 lb |
| 3 month old | 20 30 lb | 15 25 lb |
| 4 month old | 30 40 lb | 25 35 lb |
| 5 month old | 35 45 lb | 30 40 lb |
| 6 month old | 40 55 lb | 35 45 lb |
| 7 month old | 50 60 lb | 40 50 lb |
| 8 month old | 50 65 lb | 40 55 lb |
| 9 month old | 55 70 lb | 45 60 lb |
| 10 month old | 55 70 lb | 50 60 lb |
| 11 month old | 60 75 lb | 55 65 lb |
| 12 month old | 65 80 lb | 55 70 lb |
| 2 years old | 65 80 lb | 55 70 lb |
It is essential to know that every dog is unique and will grow at its own pace. Rest easy if your lab weighs more or less than these numbers, you will learn about tips to help overweight labradors lose weight as you read on.
How Quickly Do Labs Grow?
Although each Labrador puppy follows the same pattern of growth, the numbers on the scale may vary depending on the dog. Your puppys size will quickly change when it arrives home at the age of 8 or 9 weeks.
In a 2007 study, researchers in Norway found that Labrador puppies weight gain is highest at 89 days old for females and at 95 days old for males. This is generally between 12 and 14 weeks of age. When they are 18 to 19 weeks old, Labradors usually weigh half what they will as adults.
How big is a Labrador Retriever at six months old?
The weight of a Labrador Retriever should increase by at least two pounds per week until it reaches six months of age. The average 6-month-old Lab grows even faster than this, resulting in a weight gain of 50 pounds. They weigh twice as much at 6 months than at 4 months.
Nevertheless, this rapid growth will come to an end in six months. Labradors will typically slow down their growth at this point, though they will continue to grow for quite some time, however not rapidly as before.
Can my Labrador Retriever get any bigger?
To determine when Labs Stop Growing & Weight Gaining, you must consider these three factors:
- Genes. If you acquired your Lab from a breeder, you could contact them for information about the height and weight of the parents and the adult size of other litters to gauge your puppys size on theLabrador Growth & Weight Gaining growth chart.
- Age. Labrador Retrievers are typically their full size and weight by their first birthday. It may take larger labs up to 18 months to build up their chests; however, they generally gain only minimal weight after that time. In Labradors that are less than a year old, their muscles are still growing to reach adult size.
- Paw Size. Additionally, you should check out your Labrador Retrievers paws. As this is a classic puppy characteristic, your puppys paws may look oversized compared to their legs and body.
How big is a full-grown Labrador Retriever?
According to the American Kennel Clubs (AKC) breed standard, male Labradors stand 23 and 24 inches (57 and 62 cm) tall, while females measure 21.5 and 23.5 inches (54 and 60 cm).
Ideally, a Labrador Retriever should demonstrate its full build by its weight. Initially, their large, tapering tails (known by their breeders as otter tails) were intended to serve as a rudder that assisted Labs were swimming in retrieving ducks.
How to weigh a Labrador?
Regularly weighing your dog can help determine whether your Labrador is overweight or underweight so you can know where it fits on the growth chart.
Labradors can be boisterous, and weighing them can be a thug of war. However, to trackLabrador Growth & Weight Gaining on the growth chart, it is crucial to consistently weigh them over specific periods. Can I weigh my Labrador at home?
Putting them on a bathroom scale would be the simplest method.
Step by step guide on how to weigh a Labrador
- Weigh yourself on a Digital or Analog scale
- then record your weight on a piece of paper
- Carry your dog and weigh the second time.
- Minus the new weight from the former without the dog
Your Labradors weight will determine the difference in weight. Now that youve successfully determined your Labradors weight lets determine if their weight falls into the average range.
Helping an overweight Labrador lose weight
It is crucial to keep Labradors weight in check as they are prone to becoming overweigh, and a host of other conditions.
What are some of these conditions?
Hip dysplasia is a commonly occurring condition in Labradors. It is a condition whereby the thigh bones of a dog dislocate from the hip socket. As a result, they usually face a lot of pain and are susceptible to degenerative arthritis in a later age. A Lab with hip dysplasia will limp, walk strangely, or stand awkwardly.
Dogs, however, cannot control their health, or weight as they grow. So the responsibility rests on you to ensure your lab is fit at all times.
Here are a few DIY practices to help reduce your dogs weight after youve seen a vet.
- Be mindful of his treats intake.Its okay to reward your dog for being a good boy from time to time; make sure youre feeding him the right ones. Healthy treats are calorie deficient.
- Healthy Eating?Ensure youre feeding your dog healthy meals in the right proportion. Nutritional foods have high protein value and grains.
- Increase his active hours.Your lab needs physical activity just as you do. Take him out on more strolls or employ the services of aprofessional dog walker, and youll be glad you did.
Bottom Line
- As per American Kennel Club standards, female Labs should weigh between 55 and 70 pounds, and male Labs should weigh between 65 and 80 pounds.
- Using this Labrador Growth & Weight Gaining growth chart you can predict your labs growth between the ages of 1-24 months.
