Is there such a thing as a lab that isn't fat in old age?

[WhoAteMyToast]

Just as per title, really.

I think labs show their age more so than other dogs - am I wrong?

[laundryeverywhere]

They are easy to over feed as so keen on food. I guess that's what makes them easy to train though. Mine is slimmer now, as we used to give too many treats when she was younger. If I get another one day I will do better at keeping it healthy.

[Wolfiefan]

Now I want to see a working retriever!
Met a working lab recently. Totally different in build. But so many labs I see are show (nothing wrong with that) but built like a tank. I feel particularly sorry for one or two that are almost out of breath with lumbering a few yards.
My mum weighs her terrier dog's food out. If she has a few too many treats (eg on walks) she reduces her food until she's back to what she should be.
It's not good for a dog to be fat.

[Huntthepigsear]

A friend's chocolate lab was 45kg! He's on a diet and down to 40kg. He looks far better for it, but still has a way to go. My friend says it is difficult though as he will just hoover up any/ all available food.

[laundryeverywhere]

Wow just looking at photos of how dogs have changed due to breeding, it's a bit sick really. Look at the siamese cat too., the modern show cat has a weird pointy face, apparently there are breeders who preserve the original normal shaped head, and I hope dog breeders will do the same and try to go back to healthier shapes.

[TeamSteady]

I completely disagree that labs have been "wrecked" as a pp put it. That is WILDLY offensive and a ridiculous sweeping statement.

The last time there was a dual champion was 1946- i.e. a dog that had been made a champion in both the ring and the field. However there are many Champions around today- dogs who have become show champions and then have had to take their show gundog working certificate to show they can do their original gun dog work.

There are several kennels who try and ensure that their show bred labradors retain their working abilities- off the top of my head Warringah is the highest in volume one i think, Carpenny, Naiken, Millerdan, Affinmore, Fabraken, plus lots of other small time hobby breeders.

However, as much as no one is denying that the show type lab has become stockier over the years, this discussion seems to be missing that the working type have also gone the other way and become much leaner and finer- and actually many could not do their ORIGINAL job anymore- i.e. they are now built for speed and agility required in field trials, but do not have the all day staying power, and strength and stamina that previous generations did- BOTH sides have deviated from their original purpose! Both sides of the breed were breeding for different things in mind at the expense of the other.

Some examples of full champions: Warringah

A field trial champion from a very famous working type kennel drakeshead.com/gallery_images.asp?gallery=Indiana


The last ever dual champion www.thelabradorretrieverclub.com/articles/imgC5.gif he is far more moderate than either extreme now!

An article explaining it better than i ever could dual purpose labs

In an attempt to be entirely transparent- I do have show type labradors. I have previously shown them, and hope to show our puppy next year, I would love to qualify for crufts- in such a high numerical breed like labs, that would be a huge deal to a small time novice like myself. My older bitch isn't shown, but does agility with my son, after dabbling a little in basic gundog training. She is purely show bred and weighs in at around 31kg ish.

[dementedma]

I am so used to seeing fat labs in the park etc I was surprised to meet my friend's working gundog as she looked thin at first glance. I realise now that that is what she is supposed to look like and far healthier than the wheezing old plodders in the park.

[Thattimeofyearagain]

We have a 3/4 lab cross . He will eat ANYTHING and has no off switch. It's a constant battle to stop wider family members feeding him tid bits. He has an appropriate amount of exercise( 3 walks per day, daily average 2 hours plus) and play time , training sessions. I am aware of at least 2 labs in the neighbourhood who only get 2x 10 min walks per day, both under 3 years old, both visably obese. I do wish people would take into account the exercise needs of a gundog/ working breed before they commit.

[tabulahrasa]

There's a huge difference though between stockier in build and overweight...yes show labs are stockier, but the same rules apply to actual weight.

My rottie is obviously a different shape to a lab, stockier even than a show lab, but he has a waist, undercut and visible last rib.

He weighs 38kg btw, so I also don't believe a 40kg lab can be an ideal weight no matter how tall.

[CrossfireHurricane]

I have a beautifully trim drakes head bitch and often have comments that she doesn't look like a normal lab - that would be because she is not overweight!

[CQ]

Their propensity to eat definitely changes over time too - my lab was very active and not very interested in food until she hit about 7 years old, then she suddenly became obsessed with it - scrounges whenever she can get away with it, pesters me for her tea the minute it's 5 o'clock.

She has definitely slowed up on her walks too - if I'm not paying attention, I find she has tucked in behind me and is just plodding along at my pace instead of charging about sniffing like she used to.

I keep her weight at about 50 lbs, but find we are having to go on longer walks now and I have cut her food back by about 20% a day to keep her trim.

[CQ]

I also heard of a friend-of-a-friend's lab who somehow got access to the bag of kibble unnoticed. He ate so much that it swelled up inside his stomach and he had to have emergency surgery.

The vet removed one huge solid lump of slightly digested kibble about the size of a football

Some of them are literally suicidally greedy.

I used to have a Shetland pony with similar urges - he got into the feed shed one night at the livery yard and ate 24 breakfasts that had been left made up for the morning. How he survived I'll never know - not even a touch of colic. Just stood all day looking a bit nauseous.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I have hundreds ( literally) of labs on my books not a single 40kg is ideally weight and in fact I can count on one hand the 34kg ones which are of ideal weight.
It is a struggle to persuade the average Labrador owners that their dog should have a visible rib or two and a waist.
I suppose though I make more money as they are fat due to the joint problems etc.

[CheerfulYank]

I have a lab pup who is quite sleek and people comment that he is "skinny". He isn't! He will also be a working hunting dog at some point so will hopefully stay healthy.

My mom has a lab that is not too fat but she's very nervous and probably burns a lot of calories just being agitated.

[Thattimeofyearagain]

It's the fact that obese labs are seen as normal and ones of the correct weight are seen as lean that puzzles me, but I grew up with collies and lurchers , so that's my 'norm'.

[LeChien]

A lady in our village keeps stopping me to complain about my lab being so thin.
She's not, she's the perfect weight (around 28 kg) for her height, every time she goes to the vet's they comment on how unusual it is to see a lab that's not overweight.
The lady who stops me has a lab one year older than mine (mine is 8), he is very overweight, can barely walk and looks very old. It's sad to see.

[lavendersun]

LavenderLab is slim and healthy at 11. Walks for an hour min most days and is as springy as a spring lamb when she wants to be ... long may it continue I dread her ageing tbh, makes me sad to think that she will slow down although of course I know she will.

[lavendersun]

LavenderLab in the summer, she is a big dog, 31kgs, tall, broad and lean.

No nervous energy here, she is as laid back as they come, fed 4 cups of Burns Chicken and Rice every day since forever.

She has the odd treat - 10 a week I reckon, we make our own from this recipe but it is very moveable, I add an egg and if I have a bit of cheese that needs eating I add that.

www.marthastewart.com/264802/homemade-dog-biscuits

I think it is exercise related tbh, just like a lot of the population, fed too much, move too little.

[needastrongone]

I think it's all breeds in general to be fair.

DD was lucky enough to get to ride at a game fair in the summer, the largest in the country. During the two sessions, we had a wander round. DD was amazed to actually find dogs that looked like ours (spaniels), tons of them, everywhere. In other words, fit, extremely lean dogs. Not one fat dog of any breed in sight. It was actually quite strange, as this should be 'normal', but is far from an everyday sight.

In addition, ours were at the vets this week for an annual health check, Springer is 15kg and Cocker 12kg. They are both slender, the latter particularly so. And exactly as they should be, according to the vet.

And yes, mine would hoover up anything in sight, given an opportunity.

[babyblackbird]

Thanks for this thread because it made me realise I need to stick to my guns and stand up to those who keep commenting on how "skinny" my dog is and querying that he can't possibly be a lab and even worse that he must have thyroid problems, be ill etc. I have been really starting to doubt myself but this has made me realise he is just right.... Last rib visible, waist visible and an under tuck and most importantly perfectly happy content and full of energy!!!

[ChairRider4]

Not the best picture but he has a waist a tuck and can see last rib feel others

Vet says he is as should be others say underweight
He is solid as from show lines but has bundles of energy and is working (training as assistance so never stops but is very laid back

[lavendersun]

Nice photos here! Lavender lab came from the US where her dad won best working lab at the Westminster show whatever that means not sure if that makes her a show dog or a working dog tbh, I just wanted something lovely and healthy. I think she looks leaner than she is in that photo above but she is just right. Not greedy either, I could leave my dinner in a plate on the floor and go to get a drink in another room.

Two of her brothers are huge dogs, fat as well as big, a crime imo.

[verystressedmum]

My 11 year old lab is not overweight at all. She's about 34kg and the vet said she's in great shape just how she should be. This is after I asked if she's too thin because she looks very skinny to me.
And I'm positive that she weighs that because I saw the scales.

[verystressedmum]

She has a definite waist and visible ribs.

[sparechange]

Well if we are going to brag about our perfect pups compare photos...
Sparedog's waist line...

[ChairRider4]

Am loving all the pictures while currently trying to thaw out after my not so perfect boy decicded I needed get up and take him out so he pulled my covers of without his cue word brrr