What are the Best Dog Foods for Labrador Retrievers?

The friendly Labrador Retriever is an active dog, full of affection and fun. Helping this energetic pooch to maintain optimal health is of great importance to every Labrador Retriever owner. Whether you share your home with a puppy, a mature adult, or a senior, our list of top quality diets will help you select the right food to fuel your Labrador Retriever’s health and lifestyle.

AKC Classification: Sporting Group
Exercise Required: 45-90 minutes/day

Ideal Weight:
Healthy Male Weight: 60-80 lbs
Healthy Female Weight: 55-75 lbs

Breed Summary

The Labrador Retriever is sweet and affectionate by nature. Considered to be the most popular dog breed in the United States today, the Labrador Retriever is an energetic dog of exceptional intelligence. As such, the breed is renowned for having high activity needs, enjoying many different athletic pursuits with its family.

The Labrador Retriever is friendly to animals and people alike and is truly a dog that has never met a stranger. A versatile dog breed, the Labrador Retriever, often referred to affectionately as a Lab, excels at many different activities including obedience, Rally, agility, scent detection, field trials, conformation, therapy work, and much, much more.

This dog type is both loyal and devoted to its family and thrives in the company of its people. Labrador Retrievers enjoy teamwork-based activities and take great pleasure in learning new things. This makes this dog breed a treat to train.

The Labrador Retriever traces its roots to the Canadian province of Newfoundland. Its original purpose was to assist fishermen by retrieving items such as nets, ropes, and fish from the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The breed’s thick double coat helps to provide protection against extremes of weather, including both heat and cold.

An excellent family companion, the Labrador Retriever is gentle and amiable, making it well-suited to life with children.

Fun fact: Though the Labrador Retriever’s name leads people to believe this dog hails from the Atlantic province of Labrador, this dog type is actually from neighboring Newfoundland. Its original name was the St. John’s Water Dog after the capital city of the province to which this breed traces its roots.

Physical Traits
Muscular, athletic, energetic, strong, sturdy

Personality Traits
Gentle, affectionate, people-oriented, intelligent, eager to please

Health Considerations for Labrador Retrievers

To select the best dog food for a Labrador Retriever, it is a good idea to begin by examining the different health conditions that can affect this popular dog breed. Though typically a dog type that enjoys excellent health and good longevity, there are a number of health problems the Labrador Retriever can be predisposed to developing. Among those of the greatest concern are Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, Osteochondrosis Dissecans, Myopathy, obesity, and cataracts.

Hip & Elbow Dysplasia

Hip and elbow dysplasia are inherited disorders that can affect the Labrador Retriever. Hip Dysplasia occurs when the hip ball does not fit properly within the socket, causing rubbing, bone deterioration, and pain.

By comparison, elbow dysplasia is seen when the bones found within the elbow joint grow at different rates, leading to structural instability. Over time, both hip and elbow dysplasia can lead to limping, lameness, and early onset arthritis.

The best dog foods for dogs that can be prone to joint problems include such supplements as glucosamine and chondroitin to promote hip and elbow health. For dogs prone to these conditions, a healthy weight is vitally important. More ingredients that we prefer for joint health:

Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD)

Osteochondrosis Dissecans, a condition referred to by the acronym OCD, is seen in Labrador Retrievers when cartilage does not grow properly between the elbows or shoulders. This leads to reduced mobility, inflammation, and pain. Over time, the dog may be unable to bend the elbow joint at all. To help, we like foods and supplements that promote bone and joint health.

Myopathy

Myopathy is seen in Labrador Retrievers as early as six weeks of age. The most common symptoms include fatigue and stiff movement. Dogs with this condition often show exercise intolerance and may have difficulty maintaining balance. There isn't currently treatment available, but a warm environment and supplement with the following may ease discomfort.

L-carnitine

Obesity

Since the Labrador Retriever enjoys eating, obesity can be a problem. This dog breed will eat far beyond the point of satiation if permitted to do so. To prevent a dog from becoming overweight, all food should be measured, and the dog’s daily intake carefully monitored.

Foods We Recommend: Labrador Retriever Puppies

When do Labrador Retrievers grow out of the puppy stage?
18-24 months old

Large breed puppies like the Labrador Retriever have different nutritional requirements from adult dogs and even smaller breed puppies. A proper rate of growth is vitally important to the health of the developing Lab puppy’s body. To promote this, it is vital for owners to feed a diet that contains moderate amounts of protein and the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorous. Some of our favorites:

Blue Buffalo®
Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey & Potato Recipe Puppy Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®
Bright Puppy Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Purina®
Beneful Healthy Puppy with Farm-Raised Chicken Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

INSTINCT®
Be Natural Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Foods We Recommend: Labrador Retriever Adults

When do Labrador Retrievers become adults?
18-24 months old

Labrador Retrievers enjoy an active lifestyle, and thus, need a diet to boost their energy levels and provide them with the staying power they need. The ideal diet for a Labrador Retriever adult offers balanced nutrition, exceptional quality ingredients, and supplements to help prevent the development of diseases common to the breed. We like these:

Blue Buffalo®
Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Royal Canin
Labrador Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

CANIDAE
Real Lamb, Goat & Venison Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

The Farmer's Dog
Fresh, Personalized Ingredient Meal Plan

+ Custom, human-grade diet
+ More expensive than kibble

This diet is available at:

The Farmer's Dog | Save 20%

Foods We Recommend: Labrador Retriever Seniors

When do Labrador Retrievers become seniors?
7 years old

Senior Labrador Retrievers aren’t as busy as they were in their younger years, so they can benefit from a diet with fewer calories while still remaining filling. The best dog foods for senior Labs are based on moderate amounts of lean meat-based proteins and ingredients that are easily digestible.

Since even senior Labs enjoy being active, a food that includes supplements to support joint health is an excellent choice. The best supplements to look for in a food for the aging Labrador Retriever are glucosamine and chondroitin. We like these foods below a lot, but consider supplements as well.