How Big do Labrador Retrievers Get?

How big do Labrador Retrievers get? It can be hard to believe that the little puppy curled up in your arms isn’t always going to fit there. But then again, isn’t that what happens to us all–we grow up? Still, you’re probably wondering just how big your Labrador will be by the time he reaches adulthood. It’s a great question. Labs are large dogs, that’s a given. But exactly how large?

So, how big do Labrador Retrievers get? An average Labrador can be expected to stand between 21.5 and 24.5 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 55 and 80 pounds.

That’s a pretty wide weight spectrum! So how can you know where your little puppy will end up? Well, there’s a few signs that could give you a hint as to how big your pup will get. But whether he’s on the smaller side or on the larger, it’s safe to say that your teeny tiny pup will soon be not so teeny tiny…

When do Labradors Reach Full Size? 

You may not realize it in the day-to-day, but your Lab puppy is changing all the time. It’ll be especially obvious once you’ve had your pup a few weeks and then look back at the picture you took of him the day you brought him home.

Clearly he’ll have gotten bigger. And being a growing pup, he’s going to get even larger. But you’re probably wondering when he’ll even out and stop going through all those growth-spurts.

And the truth is…it’s going to be a while.

Labradors are a large-breed dog, and like other large breeds, they take a long time to fully mature.

So don’t measure your Lab’s growth against that little Chihuahua puppy you had as a kid. That toy-sized pup might have stopped growing by the time he was 9 months old. But your Labrador puppy is going to take much longer.

In fact, most Lab pups won’t stop growing for good until they’re about 2 years old.

Still, by your pup’s first birthday, he will have done a good amount of his growing. In fact height-wise, he will have reached his full adult size.

But you’ll notice a very long-and-lanky look about him compared to true adult Labs. In other words, he may be done growing up…but he still has to grow out!

Hence, he’ll need that second year to put on some more weight, gain some more muscle mass, and get his actual adult appearance.    

How Big do Male Labrador Retrievers Get?

Remember that wide weight spectrum found in adult Labs? Well, gender has something to do with it!

If you’ve got yourself a male Lab, you can expect him to be on the larger end. In fact, male Labradors tend to be about 65-80 pounds and about 22.5 to 24.5 inches tall.

Which *spoiler* is between 10-25 pounds heavier than their female counterparts!

How Big do Female Labrador Retrievers Get?

So what exactly are the stats on female Labs? Well, typically female Labrador Retrievers weigh between 55 and 70 pounds and stand between 21.5 and 23.5 inches tall.

So surprisingly, there’s not much of a difference in height–males and females tend to only be a couple of inches apart.

But that weight–what a game changer! 

So if you’ve always dreamed of having the fun-loving personality of a Lab, but you aren’t really into their large size–maybe consider getting a female. She’d be at least a little smaller than your average male Lab!

What Other Factors Affect Labrador Size?

Besides gender, there’s a few other things that contribute to the adult size of your Labrador.

The main one is genetics. It’s a tricky, fickle thing that has whole fields of study based around it. But odds are, the bigger the parents, the bigger the puppies will be.

So if you want a Lab that’s on the small side, try finding a pup that has smaller-sized parents.

You should also be able to get some information from your breeder as to how big your puppy is going to be.

(You’ll just need to make sure you’re working with a knowledgeable, honest breeder.)

But assuming that’s the case, breeders typically have a fairly good idea at the adult sizes of their pups. So don’t be afraid to ask!

Diet and exercise will also affect how strong and healthy your Lab pup is. Proper nutrition and physical activity are crucial to helping your dog grow up as he’s supposed to.

On that note, I must also warn: Labradors are infamous for being overweight. Not only do these dogs love to eat, but they’re also genetically susceptible to obesity.

So yes, feed that puppy what he needs to grow up healthy and strong…

But please don’t overfeed him.

And please don’t overfeed him once he’s an adult, either.

I know those big, brown eyes are tempting at all stages of life. But for your Lab’s own sake, please don’t give in to the begging!    

Is My Lab Puppy Growing at the Right Pace?

Now you know more about where your Lab puppy will end up size-wise, let’s talk a bit about the journey getting there.

As I’ve already mentioned, taking proper care of your puppy and meeting all his needs are imperative to having a happy, healthy Lab.

But sometimes despite our best efforts, things can go wrong with our sweet little pups.

And that’s why it’s also important to know what typical Labrador development looks like. We need to know what to expect so we can address any issues before they become even bigger problems.

The First Couple Months at Home

All Lab puppies will experience growth spurts and periods of slower growth. And each individual Lab puppy is going to be a little different!

However, the first month or so after bringing home your 8-week old puppy is usually when you’ll notice the most rapid growth spurts. 

This is especially true around the 12-14 week mark.

And by the time your pup is about 18-19 weeks old, he will have reached around half his adult weight! So he should be around 32-40 pounds, assuming he’s male. And if you’ve got a female, she should be weighing in at about 27-35 pounds.

(Remember, though, every pup is different. Just because your Lab doesn’t fit perfectly into this range doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with him or her.) 

Month 6 and Beyond

Once your puppy has reached the 6-month mark, you’ll start to notice much less rapid weight gain. He’ll continue to grow, of course. But by the time your pup is 6 months, the subsequent growth spurts won’t be quite as drastic.

And once the one year mark hits, you’ll have a pup that’s pretty much reached his full height and will just need a bit more time to fill out.   

So is My Lab Pup Healthy?

To be honest, only your vet will be able to answer that.

(Which is why frequent puppy check-ups are so important!)

But assuming you are feeding your young pup an appropriate type and amount of food for his age, he should be putting on weight without a problem.

To quickly check if your pup is at a healthy weight, you can do a feel-test. Gently run your hands along your puppy’s sides and ask yourself this question:

Can I feel my puppy’s rib cage?

• If you can feel his ribs really easily (or if you can see them), your puppy is too thin and likely isn’t putting on the weight he should be.
• If you can’t feel the ribs at all or it’s hard to feel the ribs due to a thick layer of fat, your pup could stand to cut back on the calories.
• Lastly (and ideally), you should be able to feel your Lab’s ribs, noting only a minimal layer of fat covering.

This is just a quick way to for you to see how your pup is doing weight-wise. (In fact, it’s a great test to use on your Lab throughout his life.)

But if you have any doubts, if your pup is reluctant to eat, or if he seems to not be gaining the weight he should be, check with your vet. It’s possible he’s sick or is needing a more specialized type of food.

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