How long do labradors live

But new research suggests that potential owners should look past their color and focus on overall health when choosing a pup. Chocolate Labrador retrievers live significantly shorter lives than other labs, a finding that surprised researchers from Sydney and London who studied more than 33, British veterinary records from the breed.

When you first welcome your new labrador retriever puppy home, the last thing that may be on your mind is life expectancy. Saying goodbye to your furry friends is one of the most heartbreaking things any family will have to do. So the key is to help your pups mature into happy and healthy adult labradors who live as long as they can. In general, experts agree that labrador retrievers will live for around 12 years of age. With preventative care, your labrador retriever may even advance to 13 years of age.

How long do labradors live

Published: 22 Oct Last Updated: 10 Aug Chocolate Labrador Retrievers have a significantly shorter lifespan than their black and yellow counterparts, according to the results of the largest study ever done of the breed in the UK. The median lifespan for chocolate Labradors is just Chocolate Labradors suffer the most from ear infections, with Obesity and joint disorders were also found to be major afflictions for Labradors, with 8. Meanwhile, the most common cause of death was from musculoskeletal disorders, which lead to the death of The research will help breeders and vets to prioritise approaches for tackling health concerns within the breed and guide prospective owners to the top health issues they need to be aware of. Co-author Professor Paul McGreevy, from the University of Sydney, said the relationship between coat colour and disease came as a surprise to researchers. Because chocolate colour is recessive in dogs, the gene for this colour must be present in both parents for their puppies to be chocolate. Breeders targeting this colour may therefore be more likely to breed between only Labradors carrying the chocolate coat gene. It may be that the resulting reduced gene pool includes a higher proportion of genes conducive to ear and skin conditions. Menu search. Search Term. Home VetCompass News.

Black Labs have a solid black coat, while chocolate Labs have a rich brown coat. She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program Pippa's online training courses were launched in and you can find the latest course dates on how long do labradors live Dogsnet website.

The average Labrador Retriever lifespan is 12 to Although a recent study suggests chocolate Labs live shorter lives averaging Factors influencing lifespan in Labs include diet , healthcare, management and inherited diseases. Changing these factors can enable you to help your dog live longer. There are over five hundred comments under this article, some are sad, some happy, all about much loved Labradors. Check them out at the bottom of this article, and have a tissue ready. Some Labradors live a good deal longer than twelve.

Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Click to Skip Ahead. Whether black, yellow, or chocolate, Labrador retrievers are beautiful, friendly, and loving. They also tend to be fairly healthy breeds.

How long do labradors live

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. The general rule of thumb is that smaller dogs live longer than their larger counterparts.

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While chocolate Lab life expectancy is quite a bit shorter at However, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers had a higher success rate after going through longer training than the training required for Labrador Retrievers. The good news is there is evidence that Labrador lifespan might be increasing. For the region in Canada, see Labrador. Some Labs may also have white markings on their chest or toes. This narrows the gene pool and may result in a higher proportion of genes conducive to ear and skin conditions, he said, and could ultimately affect longevity. Archived from the original on 19 September The outer coat is dense and has straight hair covering the soft and waterproof undercoat. Next: Can Dogs Eat Pecans? He brings us so much joy, love , love bites and spity hands as he always has my hand in his mouth.

The average Labrador Retriever lifespan is 12 to

The heat cycles vary from breed to breed, including in Labradors but the gestation period is mostly the same for all dogs at about nine weeks. So it is likely that the results represent the wider Lab population as a whole. The median longevity for a Labrador is about 10 to 14 years. Australian Department of Defence. You may also be interested in:. What are common Labrador health conditions? Retrieved 17 September There are also differences between different breeds of a similar size. For a long time it was believed that coat color had no influence on Labrador life expectancy. Pet parents should be aware of these issues and take steps to prevent or manage them. Science U. The New York Times blog. Scientists might now know. Oh, I love the comments here!