How much food to feed a Labrador retriever: Get the Facts in 2024
When you are a new Labrador owner, you should wonder how much food to feed a Labrador retriever. Dog owners are always concerned about whether they feed their dogs high-quality food and quantity.
Remember, food requirements might vary from breed to breed and from dog to dog. Furthermore, the energetic level, accompanied by your pooch’s health, affects the quantity of food.
Similar to people, some canines can eat anything they need and not gain weight. In contrast, other Labrador retrievers have to be restricted so as not to gain unhealthy weight.
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How Much food to feed a Labrador retriever?
Once developing a whole diet plan for your Labrador retriever, you should consider some necessary things like how much food to feed a Labrador retriever puppy, how much food a Labrador should eat, and what kind of food to feed them.
Besides, the health concerns of overfeeding a dog. To be a responsible canine parent, you perhaps need to know the suitable food quantity for your Labrador. Some Labradors are very active, and some Labs are not.
Health Issues in Overweight Labradors
When a pooch is overweight, there are numerous health worries that can arise. Here are some health problems linked with obesity in dogs:
Joint Problems
The extra weight puts more strain on a pooch’s joints, triggering conditions like osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, as well as intervertebral disc illness. Joint issues can cause pain, decreased mobility, and reduced quality of a dog’s life.
Heart Disease
Overweight dogs have an augmented risk of developing cardiovascular issues, comprising high blood pressure, heart illness, and heart failure. The heart needs to work harder to pump blood all over the body, causing potential complications.
Diabetes
Obesity is an important risk factor for diabetes in dogs. The additional body fat can delay insulin production and cause insulin resistance. Diabetic canines need careful management, counting insulin injections, as well as dietary variations.
Respiratory Issues
Overweight dogs can face difficulties breathing because of the pressure of extra fat on their chest plus lungs. This can cause decreased stamina, exercise intolerance, and an amplified risk of heatstroke.
Decreased Life Expectancy
Obesity is linked with a shorter life expectancy in dogs. It can cause numerous chronic circumstances that influence complete health and well-being, finally decreasing a dog’s life.
Skin Issues
Overweight dogs are more predisposed to skin infections and anger because of skin folds that deliver a warm and moist situation for the growth of bacteria as well as yeast.
Digestive Disorders
Obesity can cause digestive problems like pancreatitis, liver disease, as well as gastrointestinal disturbances. The liver might get fatty, causing a condition known as hepatic lipidosis.
Enhanced Surgical and Anesthetic Risks
Overweight dogs experiencing surgery or anesthesia are at greater risk of problems, comprising poor wound healing, extended recovery, and opposing reactions to medicines.
It’s vital to address and achieve a dog’s weight to decrease the risk of these health issues. Regular exercise, portion control, and a stable diet suggested by a veterinarian can aid dogs in attaining and sustaining a healthy weight.
Asking a veterinarian is vital for a precise valuation of a dog’s weight and for making a suitable weight loss plan personalized to their particular needs.
How much should a Labrador retriever eat daily?
It is not necessary to think about how much and how many times daily you feed your Labrador; he will still be starving. A particular quantity of food will be dissimilar from lab to lab due to their weight as well as energy levels.
Labrador Feeding Chart
These are the general suggestions as per producers for an adult Labrador Retriever consuming dry dog food.
- If your puppy is 50 pounds, then feeding 2-3 cups daily is a good start.
- If your puppy is 60 pounds, then 3-3-1/2 cups of food will be sufficient.
- Whereas 3 to 1/4-3 to 3/4 cups is suitable for a Lab of 70 pounds
- For a Lab of 80 pounds, 3-4 cups are desired by experts
- For the requirements of a Lab of 100 pounds, 4 to 4-3/4 cups is enough.
- For a huge 120-pound Labrador, feeding 4 to 5-1/4 cups daily is good.
| Labrador Weight | Serving Quantity in a Day |
| 50 Pounds | 2-3 Cups |
| 60 Pounds | 3 to 3-1/2 cups |
| 70 Pounds | 3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups |
| 80 Pounds | 3-4 cups |
| 100 Pounds | 4 to 4-3/4 cups |
| 120 Pounds | 4 to 5-1/4 |
Asking the vet will be an outstanding option to guarantee that your puppy is okay and not underweight or overweight. Besides, Royal Canin is one more prevalent high-quality Labrador dog food, which delivers you the choice to serve food to your dog according to activity level, not just by weight. It has approximately 28% protein.
- For a 57-pound Labrador having low action feed, 3 to 3/4 cups, medium action offer 4 to 3/8 cups, and high action offers 5 cups.
- For a 66-pound Labrador having low action offer 4 to 1/4 cups, medium action offer 4 to 7/8 cups, and high action offer 5 to 1/2 cups.
- For a 75-pound Labrador having low action offer 4 to 5/8 cups, medium action offer 5 to 3/8 cups and high action offer 6 to 1/8 cups.
- For an 84-pound Lab with low action feed, 5 cups, medium action feed, 5-3/4 cups, and high action feed, 6-5/8 cups.
- For a 97-pound Labrador, low action offer 5 to 5/8 cups; medium movement offer 6 to 1/2 cups and high action offer 7 to 3/8 cups.
| Labrador Weight | Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
| 57 Pounds | 3-3/4 cups | 4-3/8 cups | 5 cups |
| 66 Pounds | 4-1/4 cups | 4-7/8 cups | 5-1/2 |
| 75 Pounds | 4-5/8 cups | 5-3/8 cups | 6-1/8 cups |
| 84 Pounds | 5 cups | 5-3/4 cups | 6-5/8 cups |
| 97 Pounds | 5-5/8 cups | 6-1/2 cups | 7-3/8 cups |
Feeding Labradors to maintain optimum weight
]Your aim in feeding a suitable quantity of food to your Labrador retriever is to attain a healthy balance in nourishing him while keeping an optimum weight. Unfortunately, Labs are drawn to food, similar to moths to a light, you can say. Fondly called “bottomless pits” by Lab enthusiasts, it looks like they can’t consume enough, and they’re not chiefly fussy about what it is they eat!
With Labradors, you must uphold a continuous vigil on their caloric consumption and try not to permit that sweet face and those piteous eyes to break down your struggle when we talk about treats and table scraps.
Obviously, feeding a diet containing high-quality protein, complex carbs, and the appropriate fat ratio is vital. Seek advice from your veterinarian for nutrients as well as feeding guidelines.
Choosing Labrador Retriever food
Once developing a diet for your Labrador puppy, you have numerous things to consider, most significantly, what category of food will contains, how much food you will feed your pooch daily, and at what intervals.
If you feed your dog commercial kibble, should you choose one that is breed-specific or an all-breed one? Numerous dog foods are particular to the dog’s period of life, for example, adult or senior. Several brands of commercial kibble give a puppy variety to meet a young dog’s exceptional requirements.
Or perhaps you have the kitchen know-how, time, and preference to prepare your own home-based dog food. And don’t overlook a third diet category, the raw meat and bones diet, also called BARF (Bones and Raw Food Diet).
Foods to Avoid for Labrador Retriever
Providing what’s left to your Labrador can be unsafe to its health as there are some foods that dog owners should avoid feeding their dogs. Chocolate is high in a stimulant recognized as theobromine, which is similar to caffeine; because of this reason, it is toxic for the Labrador.
Several vegetables are highly appropriate for the health of Labs; however, onions, as well as garlic, are never permitted. Both of these can be poisonous even if consumed in small amounts. So, while cooking home-based food for Labs, you must prevent garlic as well as onion.
Alcohol is one more unsafe and toxic food item for canines. If your dog eats it even in small quantities, it might suffer from nausea and diarrhea. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages also lead to depression, a lack of oxygen, lumps, and blood change.
Additionally, bread, nuts, some dairy products, as well as moldy foods are high in toxins that cause infection. Numerous dogs love to get into garbage or have a real “nose” for getting waste food someplace. Take additional safety measures to ensure that your Labrador cannot approach any moldy food.
FAQs
How much food should a Labrador retriever eat a day?
For most adult Labs, approximately 1,600-2,150 calories daily from high-quality food is perfect. Female Labs, who can be about 5-10 kilos lighter than male labs, might require less food and also be less active dogs.
How often should I feed my Labrador dog?
Generally, dogs must be fed two times daily. Breed, age, size, as well as energy level are all factors that matter in how frequently dogs should eat. Fresh dog food is a progressively prevalent substitute to dry kibble or wet food.
Conclusion: How much food to feed a Labrador retriever
Labradors are the most popular breed in America. Therefore, there are several available materials on how to deal with and feed this easy-going dog appropriately.
For new owners, it is highly suggested to have a Labrador feeding timetable to guide you with the quantity and frequency of feeding. Even though Labrador food is available for buying anywhere, you can also familiarize them with a raw diet or home-based meals.
Notwithstanding what kind of food you pick to give, you have to make sure to feed your pooch a whole diet that maintains their growth and complete health. As a dog owner, it is a huge responsibility to give them only the best; thus, these high-spirited brands can have a pleased and longer life.
