Labrador Retriever Life Span: How Long Do Labs Live?

Everyone wants their Labradors to live healthy forever, but is it possible in the real world?

Anything that is created is meant to be destroyed; similarly, every individual who took birth will face death as well. The lifespan of humans, animals, plants, and basically all living things is extremely different. For instance, dogs, the average lifespan of a dog is between 10 to 15 years, depending predominantly on their breed.

Labrador Retrievers, the popular worldwide pet, comes under the large dog category. The average lifespan of a Labrador Retriever is between 10 to 13 years. However, that is for Black or Yellow Labradors. Whereas Chocolate Labradors have a comparatively shorter lifespan, an average of 10.7 years. According to the American Kennel Club, lifestyle and genetics play an important role in determining a dog’s life. Putting together the proper nutrition, enough physical and mental stimulation, a lovable environment, and preventative care aids in increasing a dog’s life with a few more happy-healthy years.

Labrador Life Expectancy And How To Prolong It

The Life expectancy of a Labrador Retriever is between 10 to 13 years on average. Given a bad lifestyle and uncountable health problems, their life expectancy can drop to as low as 5 to 7 years. However, with a happy and healthy lifestyle, Labradors can live longer and healthier. Not only physical but mental well-being as well contributes towards adding those extra years to a dog’s life. 

Predicting or prolonging your dog’s lifespan is extremely tricky, but you can though plan up for that. No one in the world knows for how long a certain individual is human or dog lives. However, that shouldn’t stop you from efforting to provide your pet with a healthy lifestyle since it may increase a few years of his life. 

For Prolonging your Labrador’s Life Expectancy:

1. Feed the dog a healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet. A well-balanced diet for Labradors must include the right proportion of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Penning down more precisely, your Labrador’s daily diet must include 20 percent fruit and vegetables, 30 per cent complex carbohydrates, and 50 percent animal protein. This percentage definition can definitely move slightly up and down depending on how active your Lab’s lifestyle is. 
2. Ensure daily exercise and maintain your Labrador’s weight to a healthy mark. An adult Labrador should weigh 63.3lbs to 85.3lbs (males) and 49.4lbs to 76.7lbs (females). Exceeding the upper limit means your dog is overweight and unhealthy. What contributes to a healthy weight isn’t just exercise but also a well-balanced diet, timely meals, enough water, a happy environment, and no health problems.
3. Ensure regular Vet visits and medical diagnoses twice a year.
4. Ensure up-to-date preventive vaccinations.
5. Ensure precautions and lifestyle according to breed standards.

As you put together a plan, your Labrador Retriever will achieve his golden age undoubtedly. 

What Is The Maximum Age Of Labrador Dog?

There is no ‘Maximum’ estimation for how long a dog can live. Given a healthy lifestyle, Labradors can make it up to 15 to 17 years quite easily, even though their average lifespan is around 10 to 13 years.

Labrador is a relatively healthy dog breed, and if these dogs manage to avoid health problems and complications, nothing can stop them from living long and healthy life. 

What Do Labs Normally Die From?

Labradors commonly die due to the predispositions of nearly 70 different diseases and disabilities. It is very dominant that your Labrador may not die of aging but due to one or another health problem. The most common health complications that can result in Labradors’ death include Cancer, Degenerative Joint Disease, Otitis externa, Obesity, Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia, and Musculoskeletal disorders.

Knowing about your Labrador’s health and diseases well in advance can help you ensure your dog’s healthy and happy life. Since diseases commonly start showing symptoms at some stage, it is always important to pay great attention to them. As and when you notice something unobvious with your Labrador’s health, instead of ignoring it, make sure you go under Vet’s help as soon as possible. 

What Are Labs Prone To?

Labrador Retrievers are prone to different unhealthy habits and health problems, including,

• Heavy Shedding throughout the year.
• Eating junk or even things that are inedible.
• Exercise-Induced Diseases
• Bone and Joint disabilities, including Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia, Osteochondritis Dissecans
• Weight Gain, Boating, and Obesity
• Head shaking and Head tilt
• Ear infection and odor/ redness in the ear canal
• Eye Disease
• Epilepsy – seizures
• Heart Disease and Tumors
• Environmental Allergies

At What Age Do Most Labradors Die?

Most Labrador Retrievers die by the age of 12 years, given it is the median longevity for this breed. Unfortunately, Labs die too soon for their value especially given the ideal physical build a dog can have.

With the perfect height, ideal fat and bone composition, and toughness, Labs should naturally live longer and healthier. However, despite that, Labrador retrievers are still one of the longest-living pet dog breeds in the world. 

Can A Lab Live 20 Years?

Twenty years is a very long lifespan for dogs, and it isn’t probably possible for Labrador to touch this mark. Only a few very rare Lab dogs may have been alive till touching their 20, though it is less likely. 

How Long Does A Lab Mix Live?

Labrador Mix/ cross can have a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, slightly better than purebred Labs. Their lifespan will dominantly depend upon their other parent, lifestyle, genetic influence, and other environmental factors, though. 

Who Lives Longer- Male Or Female Labrador?

Both Male and Female Labradors have an average lifespan of 12 years. Who lives longer has nothing to do with Labrador’s gender but a healthy lifestyle.

Why Don’t Chocolate Labs Live As Long As Other Labrador Retrievers?

Chocolate Labradors have a short life expectancy compared to other color Labs, be it Yellow or Black. According to Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) VetCompass program, Labradors who have Chocolate Coat are more prone to ear infections, obesity, and joint disorder. 

Where Chocolate Labradors live 10.7 years on average, Black and Yellow Labradors live 10 to 14 years.

How Old Is The Oldest Labrador?

According to the birth certificate given by Guinness World Record 1966, Adjutant was the oldest known Labrador. Adjutant was born on 14th August 1936, and he lived until 20th November 1963. He originally belonged to Lincolnshire, and at the time of death, Adjutant was 27 years and 3 months old. 

DO YOU KNOW? Adjutant was allegedly the 3rd oldest known dog in history whose age was verified. 

However, there are many claims across the internet that Bella, a 29-year-old Labrador, was the oldest ever existing Labrador Retriever.

Bella belonged to Derbyshire, England, and spent her 26 years with David Richardson and Daisy (Couple); they adopted her at the age of 3. However, there aren’t enough records to claim the same.

Wrapping up…

That’s all, folks. The thing with having a pet is that no one wants them to go away. However, because every living thing has to die, you can’t have your pet for always.

But if you are looking for dogs with longer lifespans, Labradors are undoubtedly a fine choice. These dogs live 10 to 13/ 14 years on average, and that’s a good age count concerning dogs in general. Given a healthy lifestyle, Labs can even stretch it to 15 to 16 years easily. Train, socialize and supervise your Labradors and ensure they provide them with a livable environment.

Remember, the key to a long life is a healthy home, good food, and daily an hour of exercise.