# Ideal weight for labrador puppies



## Sarah88 (Aug 8, 2013)

Looking for some advice on what Labradors should weigh? 

When I had my bitch as a puppy she was 6.6kg at 8 weeks old and I was told she was overweight. I have a litter of puppies who are 5 1/2 Weeks old and are all weighing just over 4.1kg.

Just looking to see what ideal weights they should be?


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

It simply depends on the size of the parents, they come in a lot of different weights and sizes, what is right for one litter may be too large/small for another.


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## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Just had our 2nd litter and there was a big weight difference in both litters. Not from birth weight butwweaning weights. We fed royal canin in previous litter and they were all big chunks by the time they were going. This time we fed burns. ....which is our usual food and pups were a goid kilo to 2 smaller but still healthy and happy.


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

Depends on so many factors - breeding, feeding, illness, health of the dam, worm burden. Difficult to say without actually seeing the pup.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

Sarah88 said:


> Looking for some advice on what Labradors should weigh?
> 
> When I had my bitch as a puppy she was 6.6kg at 8 weeks old and I was told she was overweight. I have a litter of puppies who are 5 1/2 Weeks old and are all weighing just over 4.1kg.
> 
> Just looking to see what ideal weights they should be?


There really are no hard and fast rules for Lab pups - I usually look to my pups gaining around a kilo a week - so at 8 weeks - they would be around the 7/8 kilo mark - I've had some a little less and I've had some a little more - and they've all cleared their vet checks with no comments on their weight.

The weight of your pups for their age sounds fine - I would probably be looking a teeny bit higher - but it depends on their frames etc and to a certain extent (from experience I can tell you not always) the build of their parents

How do the pups look visibly? are they nicely rounded pups without being too tubby? Also have they been wormed as this can contribute to bigger tums.

With Labs - you should be able to feel but not see their ribs and as they grow - you want to see a waist - but it's too early for that yet -

Aim for a well rounded but not fat pup - if they are quiet and content - they are getting enough food - if they are now up on their feet and charging about - then they aren't too heavy.

I can't speak for other breeds - but I've got a bitch here who is 26.5kg - and a related bitch here who looks MUCH bigger than her - but is actually only 1kg heavier but she has a much heavier bone-set.

Use common-sense - unfortunately, you are going to have to live with some vets who have an obsession with Labrador weight.

My friends girl is a tad overweight - which is now coming off nicely - but one of her vets told her owner that she should be 24kg - if she was - she would almost unquestionably look malnourished and neglected -

The aim is to get her down to around 30kg and then re-assess - she's lost just over 2kg so far and the difference in her visually and behaviour wise is quite noticeable already.

Too many vets are seriously hung up on weights for Labs - probably with some justifiable cause because of the extra pressure on their joints - but you really can tell much more about a lab visually and by going hands on - including assessing the thickness of its coat than you will ever get from any vets weight chart - mine get weighed for worming purposes and if I have a concern one of them looks like they are gaining / losing weight.

Some of mine have coats so thick that when they drop them - they look like waifs - but I know if I put extra weight on them - when the coats come back - they would resemble tanks.


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

swarthy said:


> Too many vets are seriously hung up on weights for Labs


And with good reason - the number of fat labs that waddle through a vet surgery on a weekly basis is just appalling.


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## ackerleynelson (Feb 14, 2013)

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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

shamykebab said:


> And with good reason - the number of fat labs that waddle through a vet surgery on a weekly basis is just appalling.


Bearing in mind with unregistered dogs there are around 70K Labradors born every single year - yes - you will see some overweight - but you will see many more that are super fit as well and loads inbetween.

Nevertheless - Labs cannot be measured against charts - none of mine are in the slightest bit overweight - their weights range from 26.5kg to 36.2kg (the heaviest could do with more weight even according to my vets).

A friend with a show-bred Lab was told she should weigh 24kg - she would be positively anorexic if she did.

It is one breed where eye and touch can tell you a lot more about it than a et of weighing scales


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