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Breed profile

Labrador Retriever

The world's favourite family dog for good reason: steady, eager and food-obsessed.

Backlit profile portrait of a yellow Labrador Retriever against a soft dark background
The classic yellow Lab: kind eyes, broad head, otter-thick coat.Photo: Herwig Kavallar / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Weight
25–36 kg55–79 lb
Height
54–62 cm21–24 in
Lifespan
10–12 yrs
Group
Gundog / Sporting
Origin
Canada & UK
Popularity
#2 US#1 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogsFirst-time ownersEasy to trainWorking dogsGood with other dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Friendly, Outgoing, Eager to please, Food-motivated.

Health problems to know about

  • Obesity (many Labs carry a POMC gene variant that increases hunger)
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Exercise-induced collapse
  • Ear infections

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Needs daily exercise with a job: retrieving, swimming, scent games. Weekly brushing, more during seasonal moults. Measure food carefully.

A good fit for

Active families, first-time owners who want a trainable dog, people who like the outdoors.

Probably not ideal for

People out all day, anyone who hates dog hair, very house-proud owners of puppies (they chew).

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Labrador Retriever breed information
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals: Labrador Retriever
  3. Wikipedia: Labrador Retriever

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

All breeds
Pale cream Golden Retriever looking upward, backlit by golden evening light in a field

Golden Retriever

Gentle, sociable and endlessly patient, with a coat that gets everywhere.

A liver-coloured Flat-Coated Retriever stands on a grassy bank, its glossy coat catching the light

Flat-Coated Retriever

A glossy black or liver retriever that stays puppyish for years. Joyful and friendly, but the breed has a high cancer rate.

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Spinone Italiano

Bearded Italian pointer with a soft heart and a steady trot. Easygoing with people and dogs; less so with your clean floors.

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Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Shaggy, sociable all-round gundog with a harsh, low-shed coat. Happiest working close to its people.

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