If you’re researching a Labrador retriever to bring home, or if you have a Lab at home already and need answers to questions like what size dog crate to buy or how heavy you dog should be, you’ll want to know how big (and particularly how tall) they get at different stages of life (particularly how much they’ll weigh and how tall they’ll be when they’re full grown).
To help with that, with the help of our veterinary advisor, Dr. Jennifer Coates, we created a puppy weight calculator and a series of growth charts (including a Labrador growth chart). In this post we’ll use that data to answer a variety of questions:
How Much Does a Labrador Retriever Weigh?
Labs will grow to weigh 65-80 pounds for a make and 55-70 pounds for a female when fully grown.
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Text Transcript of the Labrador Retriever Growth Chart
| Labrador Retriever – Age | Male Weight | Female Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 2 months old 3 months old 4 months old 5 months old 6 months old 7 months old 8 months old 9 months old 10 months old 11 months old 12 months old Fully grown |
10 – 15 lbs 20 – 30 lbs 30 – 40 lbs 35 – 45 lbs 40 – 55 lbs 50 – 60 lbs 50 – 65 lbs 55 – 70 lbs 55 – 70 lbs 60 – 75 lbs 65 – 80 lbs 65 – 80 lbs |
5 – 10 lbs 20 – 25 lbs 25 – 35 lbs 30 – 40 lbs 35 – 45 lbs 40 – 50 lbs 40 – 55 lbs 45 – 60 lbs 50 – 60 lbs 55 – 65 lbs 55 – 70 lbs 55 – 70 lbs |
The Lab puppy weight chart shows you the average weight for male and female Labs every month from 2 months old, up until 12 months. For instance, a 4-month-old Lab puppy’s weight is about 30 to 40 pounds for a male and 25 to 35 pounds for a female. This is about the halfway mark for a Labrador’s full size. Monitor your puppy’s growth to help you know if he’s hitting all the right targets. Doing so helps you and your veterinarian keep your puppy healthy (learn more about the early relationship between your puppy and your vet in our new puppy checklist – with contributions from our board of veterinary advisors).
Are There Different Sizes of Labradors?
The Labrador is one of six types of retrievers that the American Kennel Club, or AKC, classifies as part of the Sporting Group.1 Each retriever breed is different, coming in a variety of colors, coats, and sizes. Among the retriever breeds, the Labrador is one of the largest, where an adult male can top the scales at 80 pounds. In comparison, the smallest retriever breed is the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, affectionately known as “The Toller,” who weighs about 30 pounds less at full size.2
The friendly, outgoing, and laid-back Labrador Retriever breed sports a few different coat colors – yellow, black, and brown (also referred to as chocolate), but are all about the same size in height and weight.3 Labrador Retriever puppies and young adults are naturally smaller than full-grown adults, and males tend to be larger than females.
Labrador Retrievers may differ in size due to individual variation and outside influences, such as the amount or type of food they eat, the amount or frequency of exercise they get, or underlying health conditions that may affect appetite or growth. But overall, a retriever should ideally hit a 5 out of 9 on the body condition score, regardless of the actual weight number on a scale. A healthy size Labrador has an evident abdominal tuck and observable waist, viewed from both the side and top of the dog.4
When Do Labs Stop Growing?
The AKC considers Lab puppies to be in adulthood when they reach 12 to 18 months of age, though there are outliers – those who grow faster or slower, reaching maturity either before 1 year old or not until 2 years old.5 Large dogs usually take longer to develop than smaller toy dogs, but Labrador Retriever puppies grow at roughly the same rate as other large dog breeds.
Like other large dog breeds, Labs go through multiple stages of puppyhood until they reach adulthood. Lab puppies gain about 10 to 15 pounds per month for the first few months, then about 5 pounds per month up until they’re fully grown, according to our lab puppy weight chart. The average height for Labrador puppies is largely unknown due to insufficient data, but the average adult Labrador Retriever gets to be about 22-24 inches tall at the shoulder.
The AKC, based on its breed-standard measurements and averages, estimates that large dog breeds, such as Labs, reach 60 percent of their full growth by the time they’re six months old.6 The majority of Labradors are about 85 percent fully grown when they celebrate their first birthday, and the average Lab stops growing at roughly 18 months. These numbers are contingent on the puppy receiving top-notch care, good nutrition, and appropriate levels of exercise.
How Do I Know How Big My Labrador Will Get?
Accurately predicting your new Lab puppy’s full-grown size is not a sure bet, though referring to our Labrador size and weight chart or the official breed standards set by the AKC can give you an estimate. Different factors, such as health, breeding practices, and nutrition, may alter these estimated numbers.
Most veterinarians monitor a puppy’s growth by their weight, age, and body condition score, so they’re the best source of information regarding whether your dog is at a healthy weight (which you can get a better sense of using our dog weight chart by age and breed).
Frequently Asked Questions About How Much a Labrador Retriever Weighs
A fully grown Labrador weighs 65-80 pounds for a make and 55-70 pounds for a female.
Yes – there are examples of labs weighing as much as 187 pounds, but 55-80 is a healthy typical weight for a full grown Lab.
A full grown Labrador will weigh between 29 and 36kg for a male and 24 and 31kg for a female.
1 year old labs will typically be fully grown, so they will weigh 65-80 pounds for a make and 55-70 pounds for a female
Typically 10-15 pounds for a male, and 5-10 pounds for a female.
Typically 10-15 pounds for a male, and 5-10 pounds for a female.
A 6 month old Labrador will weigh 40-55 pounds for a male and 35-45 for a female.
Article Sources
Pet News Daily uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
- Paddock A. How Many Types of Retrievers Are There? Get to Know All Six Breeds. Akc.org. Published April 21, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021.
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Akc.org. Accessed December 16, 2021.
- Labrador Retriever. Akc.org. Accessed December 13, 2021.
- Body Condition Score. Wsava.org. Published 2013. Accessed December 16, 2021.
- Reisen J. A Puppy Growth Timeline: Transitions in Puppyhood. Akc.org. Published March 30, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021.
- Paretts S. Puppy Growth Chart: When Does My Puppy Finish Growing? Akc.org. Published August 10, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021.
Tom is a managing partner with Pet News Daily. He has been writing and researching on the web for over 10 years. He owns 3 dogs, 3 cats, and is a huge animal lover. His current obsession is working on training his (currently very good but very poorly behaved) 87 pound, 1 year old Bernedoodle named Pinecone.
