Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a big dog that is high-energy, sheds heavily and needs very little grooming. Fine alone for a few hours.
The numbers
| Height | 22.5–24.5 in (male), 21.5–23.5 in (female) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 65–80 lb (male), 55–70 lb (female) |
| Life expectancy | 11–13 years |
Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.
What Labrador Retrievers are actually like
The Lab was a fisherman's dog before it was a family one. In Newfoundland it swam lines and hauled nets out of freezing water, and almost everything about it still says so — the thick water-repellent coat, the webbed toes, the thick "otter" tail it steers with, and the total absence of hesitation about jumping into anything wet. That working history is also why the breed is so relentlessly cheerful and so hard to tire out. The complaint you hear most from Lab owners is not about temperament, it is about adolescence: a Lab stays mouthy, bouncy and enormous-but-puppyish until around three, long after it has reached full size. Families who love them are usually the ones who expected that and planned for it.
Day to day. High-energy — this is a dog that needs a real outlet every single day, not a stroll. Skip that and you get chewing, barking and digging, which is not naughtiness, it is boredom. The clever ones are hardest to tire out on foot alone — something to solve at dinner time takes more out of them than an extra mile. On noise, it is about average.
The coat, honestly. This breed sheds heavily and needs very little grooming. That is the opposite trade: almost nothing to do to the animal, but hair on the sofa, the car and your school uniform, all year.
Being left alone. Fine alone for a few hours. A full working day, every day, is asking a lot.
Training. Eager and easy to train. That makes it a forgiving choice for a family training their first dog, as long as everyone is consistent. If it is a puppy, measure for the adult — this one ends up in the biggest crate made.
Get one if…
- You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
- Someone in the house genuinely wants to run, hike or train most days
- You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
- You have room for a big dog and a car it actually fits in
- This is your first dog and you want one that makes training feel possible
Think again if…
- Your daily walk is really a quick trip round the block
- You cannot live with hair on the sofa, the car and your clothes
- You are in a flat, or nobody can physically hold this dog on a lead
What it costs to keep one
Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because it is a big dog, so food, medicines and anaesthetics all cost more.
Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.
Looking for one? Start at a shelter
Rescues do have Labrador Retrievers and Labrador Retriever crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.
Often compared with
❓ Common questions about Labrador Retrievers
Is a Labrador Retriever good with kids?
Yes — Labrador Retrievers have a strong reputation with children. As with any animal, an adult should supervise young kids and the dog together, and children need to learn to leave it alone while it eats or sleeps.
Do Labrador Retrievers shed a lot?
Yes — heavily, and all year. If hair on the sofa and in the car would bother you, this is not the breed.
Can a Labrador Retriever be left alone during the day?
For a few hours, yes. A full working day every day is asking a lot of any dog.
Is a Labrador Retriever a good first dog?
It is one of the more forgiving choices. Easy to train and tolerant with families — the usual caveats about exercise and grooming still apply.
Should I get a Labrador Retriever?
Labrador Retrievers suit a home that moves a lot, can work around the animal's day, and can live with the hair. Meet the dog itself before deciding. Get one if: You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children; Someone in the house genuinely wants to run, hike or train most days; You want a dog whose coat looks after itself; You have room for a big dog and a car it actually fits in; This is your first dog and you want one that makes training feel possible. Think again if: Your daily walk is really a quick trip round the block; You cannot live with hair on the sofa, the car and your clothes; You are in a flat, or nobody can physically hold this dog on a lead.
📚 Where this comes from
We check our care advice against vets, animal charities, and government health guidance. Here is what this page is built on.
Vets, charities & official guidance
- Breed standards & vital statistics — American Kennel Club
- Preventing dog bites — AVMA
- Brachycephalic dogs policy — British Veterinary Association
- Puppy socialization position statement — AVSAB
- People foods to avoid feeding your pets — ASPCA
- Spaying and neutering — AVMA
Keeper & species-community guides
Checked August 2026. These are other people’s websites, and none of it replaces your own vet — if a pet seems unwell, call one.