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When Do Labradors Reach Full Size?

Labradors are considered to be medium-large dogs, and they reach their full size at a fairly young age.  It is important to know and understand how big your Labrador Retriever will be when deciding if having one is perfect for you.

When do Labrador’s reach full size?  By the time that your Labrador is 12 months of age, he or she should be at their full height.  It takes up to 2 years for your Labrador to get filled out to be a full-size dog.

Labrador Retrievers are considered to be medium to large dogs, and they have a maximum height of 24 inches for a male Labrador with a weight of around 85 pounds for a male Labrador.  A female Labrador can be a little bit smaller, still around 2 feet tall, but the smaller females only weigh around 55 pounds.  Even though this weight and height is just a rule of thumb because dogs can grow to different heights and weights, depending on different things.

One thing to remember is that dogs that are smaller breeds reach their full height and weight much quicker than larger dogs do.

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When will my Labrador Puppy Stop Growing?

When your Labrador reaches adulthood, he or she will not grow any taller, and the only change at this point could be in their weight.  Most of the time, Labrador puppies will stop growing by the age of 2 years old. 

Even though most Labrador Retriever’s stop growing by the age of two, many of the Labrador puppies will complete most of their growing by the time that they reach one year old.  Most Labrador retrievers will reach the height that they are going to grow even before they turn one year of age.

After your Labrador reaches his or her height, the only growth that you will see will be your dog getting bigger and filling out their skin. 

You will see most of the growth happen with your Labrador Retriever puppy the first couple of months after they are home with you.

When a puppy reaches their maximum “upper growth,” or their maximum height, they are considered mature enough to do more activity because this is when their bones stop growing.  This means that you will be able to do more activities with your puppy, such as frisbee, walking, and long-distance running without worrying about hurting their bones and joints.

When Will My Lab’s Bones Stop Growing?

Different factors determine when your Labrador Retriever’s bones will stop growing, such as whether or not you have decided to spay or neuter your dog. 

The reason that this factor determines your Lab’s growth is because your dog’s sex hormones help determine some of the growth of your Lab.  For example, if you decide to remove your dog’s sex hormones, the chances are that your dog will keep on growing longer than they would if you did not have them spayed or neutered. 

If you are concerned that your puppy is not growing fast enough or is growing too quickly, take them to the local vet and have them compare their height and weight against other Labrador puppies.

What Should My Labrador Retriever Weigh?

Just like people, Labrador’s are not going to be the exact same as each other and so giving an exact weight for your puppy is not logical.  The rule of thumb is that most Labrador Retriever puppies will weigh around 2 or 2.5 pounds for each week that they are old.  So, if your Labrador puppy is three weeks old, the chances are that he or she will weight between 6-7.5 pounds. 

That means that your puppy could even reach up to 50 pounds or more by the time they are six months old.  Some factors can determine your Labrador puppy’s weight to be different than the average, such as:

  • What Type of Labrador Retriever You Have.
  • Genetics.
  • Underfed Puppies.
  • Overfed Puppies.
  • Sick Puppies.

What Type of Labrador Retriever You Have

Depending on what type of Labrador Retriever that you purchase can make a difference in how much your puppy weighs.  Labrador pups that come from working dogs are sometimes lighter and do not weigh as much as show Labradors or pet Labradors.

Dogs that are bred to be working dogs or hunting dogs are faster than other Labrador Retriever breeds, and therefore, they are not as heavy, and they might be below the average of the 2 to 2.5 pounds per week. 

Genetics

Just like people, genetics plays a huge role in your Labrador Retriever’s growth.  If your Lab had large parents, your Labrador might be considered large compared to other Labrador puppies.  If your Labrador had small parents, your Labrador might be considered small compared to other Labrador puppies.

This is just another rule of thumb and not an exact guide for all Labrador Retriever puppies.  If you are concerned with their lack of growth, make sure to take your puppy to the vet for a checkup. 

Underfed Puppies

Puppies that do not get enough to eat are likely to be smaller than the average Labrador Retriever.  If your puppy is not being fed right or is being fed unbalanced meals, the chances are that they will not grow correctly.

It is important to make sure that you are feeding your Labrador healthy and that you are giving them the right amount of food to help them to grow and to be healthy. 

Overfed Puppies

Puppies that are fed too much or that are being fed sugar or other unhealthy pet foods are most likely going to be heavier than the average Labrador puppy.  Having a puppy that is overweight is not a good thing, especially because Labrador retrievers have underlying medical conditions that they can develop at an older age, such as hip dysplasia. 

If your puppy is overweight, consider putting your puppy on a healthier diet or visiting your local vet to have them help you get your puppy on the right track.

Sick Puppies

Puppies that are sick or have diseases might not grow the way that they should grow.  If they have been sick for long periods, the chances are that they will be smaller than the average Labrador. 

Even though your puppy might be small due to sickness, the chances are that he or she will catch up later in life as long as they are getting the nutrition and care that is needed.  If your puppy has been sick and seems on the small side, take him or her to the vet for a checkup.

Can I Make My Labrador Retriever Grow Taller?

Just like people, it is important that you do not try to alter or change the growth of your Labrador puppy.  Your puppy will grow based on their genetic makeup, and it is important that you let nature take its course and allow your puppy to grow the rate and the height it should be.

If your puppy is growing too fast or too big, it can create problems that are not healthy for your puppy.  If you are considering feeding your puppy more to help them to grow bigger, your puppy might become overweight and face severe problems later in life. 

As we mentioned above, neutering or spaying your dog can help them to grow taller, but it is not good to neuter or spay your dog just so that they will grow taller.  If you neuter a young puppy, he might not be strong and muscular as other puppies that are his age.

Does It Matter if My Labrador Retriever Puppy Is Chunky?

If you are noticing that your Labrador Retriever is bigger than you think he or she should be, the chances are that you are overfeeding them.  If you are overfeeding your puppy, it can cause them to become overweight adult puppies and give them problems when they get older.

Also, if you are overfeeding your puppy, it will increase their growth rate, and this can cause their muscles, joints, and bones not to develop correctly and can cause issues with your puppy’s health.  It is best that you try to keep your puppy at his or her appropriate weight and not to increase their food intake to help them to grow faster.

When Will My Labrador Reach Adulthood?

When your puppy reaches its maximum height and weight, it does not mean that your puppy is now a full aged dog.  There are different aspects that determine when your puppy will become a dog, such as:

  • How Sexually Mature They Are.
  • Their Mentality.
  • Their Physical Features

Sexual Maturity

Even though most female Labrador retrievers are able to give birth while still being puppies, it is unhealthy for your dog and should not be allowed.  Most female Labrador’s become of age from 5 months to 10 months of age, while others will not wait until well after one year of age.

Most male Labrador retrievers will be ready to mate with their female companion before they are one year old. 

Mentality

Even though most of your Labrador Retriever’s are ready to reach sexual maturity well before they are a year old, they are still not mentally an adult dog. 

Most people that look into the age of dogs do not think that Labrador Retrievers reach adulthood until they are around two years of age. 

Even when your Labrador Retriever is around 2 or 3 weeks old, they are very dependent on their mothers, and they need her to help them to survive.  It isn’t even until they are around two weeks old that they begin to drink water on their own.

When your Labrador puppy reaches 4-12 weeks of age, they are loving their life and wanting to see the world around them.  This part of their life helps them to develop their personality of who they are and how they accept the world around them as being normal.

When your puppy reaches 12 weeks of age, he or she needs to be very socialized with people around them.  It is important to teach them different skills and try to help them learn which behaviors are good and which behaviors are not good.

Some believe that Labrador retrievers reach their teenage years when they are between 6 and 12 months of age.  During this time, you will see your puppy full of energy, and they will probably be less obedient than any other time in their life. 

Just like a person, though, you cannot completely identify when your Labrador Retriever will reach adulthood.  Some dogs will mature faster, while others will be slow at maturing.  A great rule of thumb is to wait until your dog is over two years of age before you consider them to be in adulthood.

Why Does My Lab’s Behavior Change as They Get Older?

Just like a person, your Labrador Retriever will change as they get older.  Not only will your puppy have physical changes such as growth, skin, and fur change, they will also have mental changes.  Much of these mental changes are because of their hormones.  A puppy’s hormones can cause them to be moody, just like a teenage person.

During this time in your puppy’s life, many changes are happening.  They are getting bigger, taller, and heavier, and things are changing around the house.  When they jumped on you when they were tiny, it was cute, now that they are 12 weeks old, it is harder for them to jump on you because they have gotten so much heavier.  This is a time when you have to begin to scold your puppy and help them to make different decisions.

Physical Features

Before you can even consider your dog to reach adulthood, you must look at their physical features.  Your dog must reach their maximum height and weight before they will even be considered to be an adult dog.

The AKC describes Labrador adult dogs to be 22.5-24.5 inches tall (male) and a female 21.5 and 23.5 inches tall.  As we stated before, this is not true for all Labrador Retrievers but is a rule of thumb for how tall they should be.

The AKC describes Labrador adult dogs to weigh 65-80 pounds (male) and 55-70 pounds (female).  But once again, this is just a rule of thumb.  If your dog weighs less or more, there are chances that your dog is just going to be different.  As long as your Labrador Retriever is healthy, that is the most important thing.

These changes that your Labrador will go through between birth and adulthood will be changes that you will be able to note as your Labrador gets older and older.  It is important to pay special attention to your Labrador to make sure that they are growing at the right rate and that they seem healthy and strong. 

Make sure to take your Labrador Retriever in for their vaccinations and their yearly vet checkups to make sure that they are growing at a steady rate and that they continue to be healthy.

Why Does My Labrador Retriever Look Like It Does?

Labrador retrievers are between medium and large dogs, and many of them are considered working dogs.  Since these dogs were bred to be working dogs, it changes much of their physical features compared to other breeds of dogs.

One interesting thing about the Labrador Retriever breed is that they have a dual coat.  This dual coat helps to not only keep them warm and cozy during the winter and cool in the summer, but it also helps to repel water and to keep them dry. 

Labrador retrievers are also known to have webbed feet. This “webbed” look is the skin between your Labs toes that is longer than other breeds of dogs.  These webbed feet help the Labrador Retriever to be able to swim and to enjoy the water.

The water repellant coat and their webbed feet help to make the Labrador Retriever a breed that is good in and out of the water.  Since these dogs are made to be working dogs, oftentimes, they keep growing, and it seems like they will never stop. 

Conclusion

Labrador retrievers are considered to be medium to large dogs.  Most of this breed of dog will reach a height of close to two feet and can weigh up to 80 pounds.  The Labrador Retriever will continue to grow until it is around two years of age.  When your Labrador reaches two years of age, then your Labrador is considered full grown and is considered to be an adult dog.

Even though this is a rule of thumb, all dogs are going to be different, and no dog is going to be the exact same as another dog.  If your dog is growing slower or faster than the chart says, but they are healthy, the chances are that it is okay.  If you feel that your dog is not growing fast enough or that your dog is growing too fast, go to your local vet for a checkup.