Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Does anyone else have a very slim Labrador?

37 replies

TwoMagnificentLabradors · 26/12/2022 23:27

Our lovely boy is 2 and a half now and still skinny as a rake. His ribs are easily visible. He’s in great health but just never puts on weight. Eats all his dinner ration, eggs, cheese, sardines, plus training treats, leftovers, dropped kids food etc. He gets less exercise than other Labs I know- 46-60 minutes longline walk and 2x 3 hour gundog walks a week. A bit of time just arsing about the garden with the puppy. He’s 26 kilos and very strong. He had the hormone implant three months ago and we thought he’d pile the weight on, but nope. His litter mates are slim, but only one is almost as skinny as him ( his mum is small too). His puppy Lab companion already has a fair covering on her, so we definitely don’t underfeed our dogs.

Our vet and my sister and BIL ( also vets) reassure me he’s healthy and fine, just slim, and he has no digestive trouble. But we’ve been asked if he’s ‘really a Labrador’ and if he’s unwell. Does anyone else have a whippety-Lab? I’ve never met another like him! Do they all fill out in the end? I do wonder if there are potential health issues I need to know about. It’s not really what you think you’ll be worrying about when you bring a Lab home, is it?

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 27/12/2022 07:26

26kg would be in the healthy weight range for a male entire 2 year old Labrador. Honestly all those 'filled out' Labrador's are fat. If your vet (who actually has had hands on him) has said he is fine he really is. The vast majority of labradors you see are overweight.

tizwozliz · 27/12/2022 07:29

It's hard to say without a photo but lots of people think normal labs are too skinny when in fact they're just used to seeing overweight labs so I wouldn't really worry about the 'is he really a Labrador?' questions. Especially if the vet is happy with their weight.

If you really think he's underweight have you tried feeding him a bit more. The guidance on packets is a starting point not an absolute. Our lab girl would be what I think is too skinny if going by the guidelines, so we feed her slightly more (although expecting to decrease that now she is spayed)

Original poster
TwoMagnificentLabradors · 27/12/2022 08:02

Thank you. You are right that 26kg is in the healthy weight range, which surprised me. My sister said something similar, that she rarely sees a healthy weight Lab as a patient, as they are all a bit dumpy. There are certainly plenty of well insulated specimens in my village. I guess I’m also used to seeing show Labs as family dogs, and he’s from a strong working line. I might try feeding a little more kibble ( although he’s on over the suggested portion size already), or look at giving more sardines and eggs, which I guess would be more calorific.

OP posts:
thelobsterquadrille · 27/12/2022 08:02

26kg sounds like a perfectly healthy weight for a working male Labrador.

Most Labradors are fat, unfortunately.

LizzyELane · 27/12/2022 08:05

It sounds like he is from a 'working lab' family background (also called field/American labs). They're how labs looked originally before being bred into the chunky type and they are typically much slimmer with longer necks and the 'whippet' like slim waist. I have two bitches like this, the 8 year old has filled out a bit but the 20 month one is very small and slim. I'd say 26kg was a good weight for a male. My vet is always pleased if my 8 year old isn't too heavy (she's 23kg) as being overweight is really bad for joint/heart health.

Saucery · 27/12/2022 08:06

He sounds absolutely fine. Our previous Lab was a slim working type and I was asked a few times “what is she crossed with?”. Our current Lab is also slim, although not as tall. She can eat for England, like all Labs but she burns it off in exercise and treats are healthy.
Better for their health not to be overweight.

EdithStourton · 27/12/2022 08:14

Honestly, don't panic. The gundog trainer I go to has a stud dog who is an absolute rake.

Also, near in mind that muscle weighs more than fat. You find that a bit more exercise would lay down some heavy muscle - though he'd probably need to eat more.

It is disconcerting when a dogs shows ribs, because we aren't used to it, but it's better for a dog to be a bit underweight than to be overweight.

tizwozliz · 27/12/2022 08:19

This is our pup at 25.5kg. She's slim but would probably have to lose another 2kg before I was concerned about her being too slim.

Does anyone else have a very slim Labrador?
Namechangedforthisonetoday · 27/12/2022 08:22

I have two very slim black labs. They are from a working line and are worked as well as regular exercise in our paddocks. They eat everything, anything and everything. Labs are supposed to look like this. The big blobby labs are usually a result of giving in to their never ending feeding tendencies whilst not exercising them enough.

Namechangedforthisonetoday · 27/12/2022 08:24

LizzyELane · 27/12/2022 08:05

It sounds like he is from a 'working lab' family background (also called field/American labs). They're how labs looked originally before being bred into the chunky type and they are typically much slimmer with longer necks and the 'whippet' like slim waist. I have two bitches like this, the 8 year old has filled out a bit but the 20 month one is very small and slim. I'd say 26kg was a good weight for a male. My vet is always pleased if my 8 year old isn't too heavy (she's 23kg) as being overweight is really bad for joint/heart health.

This. Mine are ‘longer’ with longer necks and noses if that makes sense.

ShouldIknowthisalready · 27/12/2022 08:40

I have a slim lab 24kg - slim fit and full of muscle!

Our previous lab was always thin and vets said he needed to put on a couple of kg however when he died at 16 and a bit they said the only reason he lived so long was because he was thin....

ShouldIknowthisalready · 27/12/2022 08:41

Nearly every show lab you see if overweight so dont compare to them

CMOTDibbler · 27/12/2022 13:33

Why would you want a dog in the healthy weight range to put weight on? The single biggest thing you can do for their joint health is keeping them at the low end of healthy weight

Einszwei · 27/12/2022 13:41

Don't compare to the average lab - nearly all are overweight.

We have working dogs who are slim. When we relocated overseas the shipping company assumed we had their weight incorrec when they were just healthy slim dogs.

lljkk · 27/12/2022 14:32

I was astonished to meet my friend's slim lab the other day. And delighted. She's lovely cuddly girl, about 7 years old, just not chunky like most labs.

littlepeas · 27/12/2022 14:41

Our lab is still growing (13 months), but leans towards being a bit slinky - he's roughly 24kg. Our other dog starts to get fat the second he eats a morsel more than his two cups of food per day - life's not fair, poor sod.

littlepeas · 27/12/2022 14:44

(other dog is a golden retriever, not a lab...)

cathyandclare · 27/12/2022 14:46

We also have a slim/muscly lab. He’s ten years old, working strain and 25kg, his mum had a smaller and lighter build but did gain a little weight as she got older.

thelobsterquadrille · 27/12/2022 14:59

TwoMagnificentLabradors · 27/12/2022 08:02

Thank you. You are right that 26kg is in the healthy weight range, which surprised me. My sister said something similar, that she rarely sees a healthy weight Lab as a patient, as they are all a bit dumpy. There are certainly plenty of well insulated specimens in my village. I guess I’m also used to seeing show Labs as family dogs, and he’s from a strong working line. I might try feeding a little more kibble ( although he’s on over the suggested portion size already), or look at giving more sardines and eggs, which I guess would be more calorific.

Why do you want to fatten him up? There's no benefit to it whatsoever.

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 27/12/2022 15:06

Our working lab is tall and slim (of course he is, he’s a Mumsnet dog!). He’s 30kg and you can see his ribs but only just. People also ask if he’s a full lab but that’s because they’re used to show labs.

Aphidsandhoneybees · 27/12/2022 18:20

My 2 1/2 year old “working” goldador (lab x goldie) is around the 28kg mark. He eats everything in sight and I’ve increased his daily food allowance a little recently. His food doesn’t touch the sides! Everyone comments on his slimness, in a good way, a lot of labs are overweight and I think we’ve got used to the shape / size of them. You can see my dog’s rib cage and I’m aware people might think I’m not feeding him properly but I know he is very well fed, exercised and happy so do not care very much.

Suzi888 · 28/12/2022 21:03

Keep him like that if you can - it’s so much healthier.

ilovesushi · 30/12/2022 13:56

@Aphidsandhoneybees we have a nearly 2 year old working goldador. Aren't they just the best dogs in the world! Everyone thinks she is a lab but she has a feathery tail and a goldie's face.

Aphidsandhoneybees · 30/12/2022 14:18

@ilovesushi yes they are brilliant dogs, I love mine to bits! Yours sounds similar to mine in looks. They have a lovely temperament, mine has calmed down a lot in the last 6 months, but still very energetic outdoors!

CatkinToadflax · 30/12/2022 15:15

Our 7 year old labrador girl is quite small in height and weighs c.28kg and the vet has been quite stern with us not to let her get any heavier. When we're out on walks she looks pretty slim compared with some of the barrels waddling past - but I think that reinforces the point that a lot of labradors are overweight. I know she is a bit heavier than she should be, and since the last vet visit she's been on weight control food. We saw a friend yesterday with an 8 or 9 year old male lab and he is incredibly slender - more the shape that our dog should be!