There is a moment almost every Labrador household knows. The dog has just eaten, and two minutes later he is back at the bowl, looking as if nobody has paid him any attention for days. For a long time this was put down to character. Since 2024 there has been a better explanation.
In March 2024, a team from the University of Cambridge led by Eleanor Raffan published a study of 87 adult Labrador Retrievers. Dogs with a change in the POMC gene burn around 25 percent fewer calories at rest than dogs without this variant, and they give up much later when searching for food. Roughly one in four Labradors is affected. In the Flat Coated Retriever it is around two thirds.
That does not take the responsibility off you. But it does explain why, with this breed in particular, "he just likes his food" is not a harmless sentence.
The key facts
- Height at the withers: males 56 to 57 cm, females 54 to 56 cm (VDH breed standard, accessed on 19.09.2026)
- Weight: in practice 25 to 36 kg. The breed standard sets no weight.
- Coat: short, dense, water-repellent, sheds all year round
- Origin: Newfoundland and Great Britain, bred for retrieving from water
- Character: people-oriented, eager to work, cooperative, strongly food-motivated
How long does a Labrador live?
Two large British studies come to different results. The 2022 VetCompass life tables from the Royal Veterinary College give 11.8 years for the Labrador, against 11.2 years on average across all dogs. A 2024 analysis of more than 580,000 dogs arrives at a median of 13.1 years. The difference comes from the data and the method, not from the breed having become healthier in two years. There are no reliable German figures of this size.
Eagerness to work is not an advertising word
The Labrador was bred to retrieve for hours in wind and water. The VDH describes the breed as willing to work, steady and enduring, and names family contact and plenty of exercise as conditions of keeping. That is not an extra, that is the condition.
What works: dummy work, nose work, swimming, tracking, shared tasks for mind and body. What does not work: an hour of stick throwing in one go. A Labrador does not stop exercising by himself. He runs until his body gives out, and he is the last to notice.
That is why proper activity also includes the opposite of action. A Labrador who has never learned that sometimes nothing happens gets restless indoors instead of relaxed. Two hours of exercise a day plus mental work is the minimum for a healthy adult dog, not the goal.
Weight is the biggest health topic
Being overweight is not a cosmetic problem in a Labrador. Every extra kilo puts strain on hips and elbows, and that is exactly where the breed's known weak spots are: hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow dysplasia (ED). Both have hereditary components, but are made much worse by excess weight and the wrong kind of strain during growth.
What you want to see at the breeder: the Deutscher Retriever Club (German Retriever Club) requires, for breeding approval, an HD and ED evaluation by recognised assessors, an eye examination by a recognised ophthalmologist, a DNA profile and breed-specific genetic tests. Ask to be shown the parents' results, not told about them. Anyone who dodges does not have them.
In everyday life, something unspectacular decides: you should be able to feel the ribs under light pressure. Weigh portions instead of guessing. Deduct treats from the daily ration, do not add them on top. With a dog who burns fewer calories and feels more hunger, the measuring cup wins in the long run, not good intentions.
The uncomfortable part
On 28 August 2024, the Deutscher Tierschutzbund (German Animal Welfare Federation) published a survey among its member animal shelters. 69 percent reported at least a very high workload, 49 percent were full or overfull, and only 18 percent had any capacity left at all. 82 percent had seen rising animal numbers since 2022. As reasons for giving animals up, the association names being overwhelmed, lack of time, biting incidents and higher vet costs.
There is no nationwide statistic on which breeds are in German animal shelters (checked on 19.09.2026). All that can be proven is this: in the VDH puppy statistics the Labrador ranks fourth with around 2,300 registered puppies, and the two most common reasons for giving a dog up are being overwhelmed and lack of time. Our assessment, nothing more: those are exactly the two points where a dog with this need for exercise and activity tips over. Anyone looking for a Labrador should sensibly ask at the animal shelter and the breed rescue first, before reserving a puppy.
What it costs
A puppy from a recognised breeder costs around €1,200 to €2,000 in Germany, more depending on the club and line (market observation from breeder and portal listings, accessed on 19.09.2026, not an official statistic). Running costs add up: €50 to €100 a month for food, €10 to €20 for treats, €10 to €20 for parasite protection, plus €30 to €150 a year in dog tax depending on the municipality and €200 to €600 for health or surgery insurance.
If you are still torn between several breeds: in our book "Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?" (Which dog REALLY suits you?) we go through exactly this decision, without breed romanticism.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Labrador a good first dog?
He forgives training mistakes more easily than most breeds, because he is cooperative and likes to work with you. He does not forgive boredom. For beginners with time he is a good fit, for beginners without time he is the wrong choice.
Can a Labrador live in a flat?
Yes. The square metres do not matter to him, your calendar does. What counts is what happens outside, and whether he is allowed to switch off indoors.
How bad is the shedding really?
All year round, with two heavier phases a year. Short coat does not mean little coat, it just means short hairs that bore into fabrics. Brushing thoroughly once a week reduces it noticeably, but does not end it.
Why is he unsuitable as a guard dog?
Because he basically sees strangers as visitors. He might announce them, but he defends nothing. That is not a training mistake, it is a breeding goal.
If he is going on the wall
A black Labrador almost always disappears into his own coat in phone photos. In the style of an oil painting the opposite happens: the highlights on forehead, bridge of the nose and chest come back, and suddenly you can see again where the dog ends and the background begins. Send us a photo, we show you a preview first, and only once it looks right do we print. One change is free. You can choose from posters, canvas, wooden frames and acrylic glass. 20% of our profit goes to animal welfare.
Keep reading
- Golden Retriever, the direct comparison, more sensitive and with a different health profile
- Border Collie, if two hours of exercise is not enough of a job for you
- Dachshund, the complete opposite programme in small
- Puppy training: the 5 rules, because with a Labrador food guarding needs sorting out early
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