Labrador Lifespan: Science-Backed Ways To Help Your Lab Live Longer
When you have found the perfect friend, you want to know that they are going to be around for the longest time! So today we are going to talk about what you can do to help your dog enjoy as many healthy years as possible.
Most Lab parents know that a lifespan of ten to twelve years is considered normal for the breed. But of course some Labrador don’t reach the ten year milestone while others go far beyond it. In fact, there is a confirmed report of a Labrador living to the remarkable age of 19.
Of course, genes play a part, but research shows that the daily choices you make as an owner can have a major impact on your Labrador’s longevity. And some of the latest research is very encouraging!
What We Know So Far
We don’t have to rely on guesswork when it comes to Labrador lifespan. Several large studies have given us solid data. If you are used to talking in averages, median is simply the middle number in a sorted list of numbers!
- A 2004 survey of over 500 Labradors found a median age at death of 12.25 years.
- A 2013 study of 400 dogs placed the median slightly higher at 12.5 years.
- A more recent 2018 study of over 30,000 Labradors gave a median longevity of 12 years overall.
So, the weight of evidence now suggests that the average Labrador lifespan is roughly 12 years.
Encouragingly, newer research hints this may be improving. A small study published in 2020 suggested Labrador life expectancy might now be closer to 14 years. And of course, countless owners have stories of their Labs thriving at 15 or beyond.
You’ll find a selection of them in the comments at the foot of this article. Along with many heartwarming stories from those that have shared their lives with these exceptional dogs.
How Lifespan Is Influenced
There are two key categories of factors that influence your Labrador’s life expectancy, and the lifespan of any dog.
- One is the genetic information your dog inherited from his parents.
- The other is the events that happen to your dog during the course of his life. Through puppyhood to old age. Things like accidents, injury and disease.
So we’ll look at these two main factors separately below. But if you are a science nerd, here’s a peek at the latest from researchers working at the cutting edge of dog genetics
New Insights from Canine Research
We all want to help our dogs reach these big numbers, and while nothing is guaranteed, there are things you can do to influence them. Let’s look first at the genes controlling how your dog looks and behaves. These set broad limits to the lifespan of your Labrador.
Genetics and Labrador Lifespan
Your dog’s genetic inheritance sets broad limits on their lifespan, not just through the aging process, but through the physical attributes and susceptibility to disease that are passed on from parents to puppies
Body shape and fitness
To some extent Labradors are lucky. They inherit a basically sound conformation or body shape. They don’t have very long spines or short legs that can cause back problems. Their bodies are nicely proportioned and designed for athletic ability, running and jumping.
Labradors have not been bred with shortened faces that can cause breathing problems, or small skulls that can damage their brains. Nor do they have excessive skin or a massive amount of fur. This is great because a good body structure makes a dog naturally healthier than a dog with poor conformation.
Temperament
Genes control some aspects of your dog’s behavior. And their ability to carry out tasks like running and hunting, or fetching things. However, temperament, including tendency to fearfulness, is influenced by both genes and the environment.
One study showed that fear and anxiety has a negative effect on lifespan in pet dogs. Some dogs are euthanized for aggression or behavior problems. So temperament is a factor in life span.
Disease
Some dogs inherit a number of genes that improve their chances of good health. Reduced risk of cancer for example. These genes are passed onto their puppies.
Labradors are relatively healthy, but there are diseases in the breed that can influence how long your Labrador will live and how healthy your dog will be during their lifetime. For some of these diseases, hip dysplasia and CNM for example, we have tests that should be carried out before breeding adult dogs.
There are currently no tests for diseases like cancer. A 2004 study showed that sadly, 31% of Labradors die of cancer, slightly more than the average rate of cancer in dogs overall.
Size
Little dogs live longer than big dogs. A quirk of nature we don’t entirely understand. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. But in general the longevity of dogs is strongly linked to body size.
This is the reverse of what we find when comparing species of mammals, like the long lived elephant and the short lived mouse.
Looking at individuals that belong to the same species, in this case the domestic dog, being large is a disadvantage.
As a medium dog size is a limiting factor for your Labrador. The average Labrador won’t live as long as the average toy poodle.
Color
For a long time it was believed that coat color had no influence on Labrador life expectancy. With the exception of color dilution alopecia in silver Labradors, it was thought that inherited diseases were not linked to any particular color or type of Labrador.
A recent study of over thirty three thousand dogs has thrown that assumption into doubt. It shows us that black Lab life expectancy and yellow Lab life expectancy is around 12.1 years. While chocolate Lab life expectancy is quite a bit shorter at 10.7 years.
The Chocolates in that study were more prone to ear and skin problems. This included self-inflicted “hot-spots” as a reaction to irritants like fleas. And we don’t know if the two main Labrador ‘types’ differ. So we can’t tell you if English Lab life expectancy differs from that of American Labs.
The study was a very big sample of dogs. So it is likely that the results represent the wider Lab population as a whole.
What you can do – Genetic issues
Right now, there is nothing you can do to change the genetic information of the dog in front of you. But if you are planning on getting a puppy there is a lot you can do to avoid bad genes and therefore increase their chances of living a longer life.
- Health checks: The first and most important step is to choose a responsible breeder that has health tested her breeding stock AND to ask for copies of the certificates that prove the results are good.
- Avoid inbreeding: Many diseases are carried by recessive genes, and inbreeding increases the risk of those pesky recessive genes getting together, so picking a puppy with a co-efficient of inbreeding below 5% may also help. Choosing a puppy with an older father may help increase your pups chance of avoiding genes that drastically reduce lifespan, and if you are aware of potential problems, you can sometimes mitigate them with good lifestyle management strategies. We’ll look at those below.
- Color: If you have no strong personal preference, the evidence suggests that choosing a yellow or black puppy may give your dog a better chance of longevity
Lifestyle and Management Factors
While genes set the stage, the way you manage your Labrador’s life is critical. Here are the factors that make the biggest difference:
Obesity
The biggest influence you can control regarding your dog’s longevity and enjoyment of life is their bodyweight. Extra weight is one of the strongest predictors of shortened lifespan in dogs. Studies show that lean dogs live significantly longer and suffer fewer health problems. Yet obesity is increasingly common in dogs, and Labradors in particular.
Labradors are famously food-driven, so keeping them slim requires vigilance — but it is the single most powerful way to extend their life. I know it’s tough but you have the keys to the larder, and for their sake you need to resist your dog’s charms.
Accidents
Hundreds of dogs die each year in avoidable accidents when unsupervised outdoors. Secure fencing around your backyard and a good recall training command will help you keep your dog from becoming a part of those statistics
Vaccination and health care
Veterinary treatment isn’t cheap, but it is important. Vaccination protects against infectious diseases that are still deadly in many parts of the world. And there are still regular outbreaks in most regions of potentially fatal diseases like parvovirus. Routine health checks, parasite control, and early veterinary intervention for problems all contribute to a longer, healthier life.
What about neutering?
It used to be believed that neutering increased life expectancy. Older studies showed a higher death rate for unneutered dogs but this was partly because they were uncontrolled. They had the urge to roam, the ability to leave the backyard, and suffered a higher rate of accidents than neutered dogs.
Neutering early does reduce the risk of mammary cancer, but more recent studies have linked the procedure to an increased risk of some other forms of cancer, some of which may be harder to detect. And also to joint disease. So the balance of benefits vs risk for neutering is no longer clear cut
(paid link)Training
A majority of dogs that are surrendered to animal shelters and rescue centers are untrained, or have minimal training. Most shelters cannot support all the dogs they rescue and euthanasia is a possibility for many dogs that are surrendered. And there is no doubt that training improves a dog’s chances of remaining with their loving family throughout their lifetime.
What you can do – Lifestyle Management
The good news is that while you can’t change your Labrador’s genetics, you can tip the odds heavily in their favor by focusing on the areas you can control:
- Less calories = more years. Keep your Labrador slim throughout their life.
- Provide daily exercise and mental stimulation.
- Ensure regular veterinary care and timely vaccinations.
- Socialize puppies thoroughly so they grow into confident, well-adjusted adults.
Every choice you make adds up. While we can’t guarantee our Labradors 19 years, we can give them the best chance of a long, comfortable, and happy life.
And if you’d like reassurance, take a moment to scroll through the stories owners have shared below. Some are heartbreaking, many are inspiring — all of them remind us how deeply these dogs are loved.
References
- Creevy KE et al. (2022) An open science study of ageing in companion dogs. PMC article
- Herzig S et al. (2025) A biological age based on common clinical markers. Springer
- O’Neill DG et al. (2023) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports. Nature
- Korec E et al. (2025) Identification of genes associated with longevity in dogs. ScienceDirect
- Guelfi G et al. (2024) Dog Aging: A Comprehensive Review of Molecular Aging. PMC article
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I would be very interested in hearing what the average lifespan is for a Labrador once the dogs that have died due to accidents (RTA, etc) & those euthanised due to bad owners not socialising them properly so the dogs develop behavioural issues that the owners can not be bothered to deal with have been removed.
This would give responsible owners a better idea of how long their Lab might live.
I also find it hard to believe that it is only now that any-one has realised that Chocolate Labs have recessive genes for health issues as well as colour. Pet plan was high-lighting that problem over 20 years ago.
Our chocolate Lab lived to almost 16. We kept him slim and active almost to 13 years.
Great fully trained Hunter.
Our Chocolate Lab will be 13 in 2 months. He’s not obese but a little chunky. I wish he could make it to 16, but he has a severely enlarged heart…probably genetic. So sad.
Hi Mel, sorry to hear your lad has heart problems. If his vet advises a little weight loss, you might find this new article of Pippa’s helpful. I hope it’s useful. ❤️
Try carnivore diet for health and weight loss. It works!
Hi to all Lablovers 🙂
My chocolate Lab Tico turned 15 in March (short living chocolate, huh 😉 He is still going strong, only a little bit slower. One of my favorite photos was taken when he was just 5 months old at the Italian beach of my hometown in southern Italy, it was already published on this website at time in 2010. I am so happy and grateful he is still with me and hope he will stay very much longer.
Sending lots of love to all Labs and their families all over the world <3
Good day everyone,
I have grown up with Labs ,from the age of 12, I am now 58.
It all started when my grandmother bought Candy ,( Sandylands line). They had litter , and we had a Boy and Girl from Candy litter. My Grandmother kept a puppy as well. As time past ,as Beauty got to the age to breed , she was lined with another Sandylands champion. The brother of Beauty ,we had to get him neauted, it was tournament for him, every time she was in season. When Beauty litter was born, we kept two girls . The years, the six graced the earth ,they brought pleasure to our family . All were well trained , people would comment ,how do you get them all to walk together ,with none of them not pulling or reacting to another dogs which walked past them.
Candy lived to 12, Candy litter Beauty & Bruno were 12, the litter from Beauty , sadly we lost Gemma to cancer @ 6. Tess lived to 13 .
When I left home and Joined British Army , and eventually got married and lived in army quarters, even though my mother still had Tess at the time. I missed the presence of Labrador in the house . My youngest was born , when he was six months, I was posted to unit to unit close to Hadleigh.
As a family , we decided to buy Boy Labrador, and named him Bruno . When he turned one , he was fully trained , he was very intelligent and loved my youngest, we eventually managed to get posted back to the Northeast of England closer to our family . We had further two children, the kids adored Bruno , the kids would cycle around area we called quadrangle, which was across from our garden . Bruno would watch them , and if they strayed out of sight , he would come to kitchen window and bark.
When Bruno was nearly nine, we decided to buy female Labrador, local to where we live. We named her Bonnie ,Bruno accepted her, Bonnie had just over year with Bruno. We had to put him to sleep ,due to chronic arthritis. The pain in his eyes ,when he refused to go for a walk . At the time there was limited anti inflammerty drugs on the market, having him put to sleep was hard to let go. Bonnie character changed ,she became very clingy, and she developed depression. My daughter loved her to bits,they did every thing together . The only thing, to over come her depression, we would have to buy another Labrador. We decided on Rescue, we found Roxy @ 4 month . She had been miss treated by previous owner . With our family love ,we got her back to being Lab, full of character and playfull pup. Bonnie accepted Roxy, and tjey became soul mates.
We decided to add to our family, it was year before lock down, and we decided on buying another Labrador. We picked Boy, and his name was Marley.
Bonnie and Roxy were not sure at first,but gradually accepted Marley . Bonnie adopted Marley ,as if she had pups. Roxy would put him in his place,when he crossed the line. When Marley was two ,during lockdown ,he developed Epileps and he had his fair share of seizure. With the correct drugs ,we eventually got his levels right.
The latter years of Bonnie life , Bonnie developed stage 4 heart disease, she was 12 & 1/2 when we had to put her to sleep, her kidney were not working ,and she refused to eat ,and all the years Bonnie was unwell ,she always wanted her meals. It was hard for me as I was working offshore ,and my family had to take he to the vets to let her go over the 🌈. We all ways said ,she was almost human in character , she gave so much love ,and most placid nature, and would of been the perfect mother if she had pups of her own. My daughter who was 17 ,it had big effect on her , they were joind at the hip for so many adventures they did. Roxy and Marley, thought she was spending few days at vets . Her memories are never forgotten ❤️. Moving forward seven months on from passing of Bonnie . My daughter wakes up one Sunday morning and said ,I want to buy pup. So went and founder breeder in the Northeast of England, and brought Ruby home. Marly adopted Ruby with in few weeks ,it took Roxy couple of months .
Ruby puppy days, she played hard with Marley,but he’s so soft , he has never went for her . It’s like roles were reversed ,he gave Bonnie such hard time when he was younger . Ruby is nearly three in few months time. Roxy is 11, and Marly 6. The good news , Marley has been 590 days seizure free. We’re unsure what age Roxy will live to, she has arthritis, managed with Youmove and managed with out door activities, she does. The good news her heart is good . We’re hoping that Marley continues to stays seizure free and hopefully is around until 11-12 . The medication not good for his liver ,however he takes milk thistle to help protect his organs. We are looking at Ruby. Having litter in two / three years . My 18 yrs old ,wants to keep a Boy puppy and name the pup Sandro ,after the footballer player who is currently playing for Newcatle.
I hope you have enjoyed my story of owning Labrador. The Number one pet ,to be around children .
Thanks for sharing your Labs’ story, Martin. It sounds like they gave you and your family a lot of love 🙂
Manikka, our white Lab, will celebrate her 15th birthday in 4 weeks. She’s of great weight, hard of hearing and has arthritis in her back and knees but still plays with our younger 5yr old Lab Mailee. Happy almost your birthday Nikka!!
Manikka&Mailee will celebrate her 15th birthday in 4 weeks. She’s of great weight, hard of hearing and has arthritis in her back and knees but still plays with our younger 5yr old Lab Mailee. Happy almost your birthday Nikka!!
Happy upcoming birthday to Manikka!
Bournville, was a couple of weeks over 14 when we lost her. She’d slowed down in the weeks before and had gone off her food, a sure sign something was up for the dog that used to do a comedy tap dance to try to win a chip! 14 years of amazing love, my shadow, great with our kids as they grew up and even tolerated the appearance of Coco a few years in. Both mischievous, but loving in nature; we have many funny stories of what each got up to over the years. Coco will be 15 in a matter of weeks, she still loves a good walk, but somedays a stroll is better than a long walk across the moors for her hips. Coco loves to sit outdoors and watch the world go by, preferably with a human by her side to hug her. Chocolate Labs are the best! Glad they’ve both outlived the above listed average life expectancy.
Yesterday we put down our beloved boy, chocolate lab Rico. He lived 15.7 years which is pretty good. Rico was such a good dog. He loved to retrieve a ball; to run and of course to eat. I miss him very much, but I know he is in a better place now. I will cherish his memories forever…
I’m so sorry for your loss. It always feels too soon, no matter how long we have with them. I hope your memories of him bring you moments of joy for many more years to come ❤️
My first lab was a black lab Samoyed mix. He was a big boy. He came to me when he was 4 yrs old I think and lived to be almost 15, he was 4 months shy of his 15th, but I should have put him down sooner because his hips had gotten so bad that at the end he was not active. HE would come outside with the other dogs but he would stop and lay down just after getting outside where he could watch me and the other dogs. It’s bringing a tear to my eye now as I remember him at the end. It was very selfish of me to keep him around that long and will never do that again. HE was a happy boy and I think happy dogs live longer too. My current boy is all lab, he’s black with a soft brown color on top of his feet, not sure if he was bred with black and brown parents or not. HE was found wandering around in the woods with his brother I think. HE is now 3 months shy of his 14th bday and is now having hip issues, so what I learned from the first boy with hip problems will guide me in determining Charlies near future. Charlie is also a very happy boy so I have to weigh his happiness and his hip problems to determine his longevity. That is by far the worst part of parenting dogs at the end of their life.
I had a Lab/Shepard Mix her name was Ebony. Ebony just crossed the rainbow on August 19, 2023. Ebony was 16 years old, some believe she was closer to 17 years old. She was the best dog ever. At the end she suffered from seizures and had hip and joint pain. She was a trooper until the end.
Oh, I love the comments here! Just looking up stuff on Black American Working Labs out of further curiosity about them. I have a Black American Working Lab from a breeder that is now 3.5 years old. He is the love of our lives, although sometimes, a lot of work! Work in that if I had known how much they shed and require exercise wise, may have thought about a different dog, but given that, I wouldn’t trade him for “all the tea in China”… He is intelligent, well mannered (except when he gets his little defiant moments when he doesn’t want to stop playing ball or coming from the outside) and never “runs off” or leaves our sides. We take him EVERYWHERE we go, on EVERY trip, EVERY hotel that allows pets -he takes to nice white hotel beds like a “duck takes to water”… LOL. He is an indoor dog when it comes to sleeping (has two dog beds, one in our bedroom, one in our living room), but has a HUGE backyard and nice front yard… We’ve spoiled him in that he gets everything we do… NO FOMO here!! LOL! He’s a “rock star” wherever we go, people want to pet him, love him. He’s a jewel -so loveable and so darn smart! He communicates to us about everything… When his water bowl is low, he makes a certain sound about that, when he wants more food (of course, with Labs, always MORE FOOD), he’ll take his paw and pound on the floor to tell us that, when he wants to go outside, he’ll pound on the floor or scrape door to tell us that!! When he wants attention, when we are watching TV, he’ll steal the controller to make us chase him… or steal the couch pillows… When he wants to cuddle, he’ll do that too and/or do what we call a “funny bunny” (which he knows what that means) where he lies on his back and puts his feet up… A real character! I love him more than I can say even though I’ve spent nights having to get up at 12 midnight to wash him because he chased our neighborhood skunks and got sprayed!! Anyway, the only thing I want to express here for people considering a black lab… great dog, one you and your family will love forever, but just be aware that they take some work!! They need exercise daily, they will chase skunks and get sprayed, they will shed heavily (get your vaccum ready!), but given all that, they will be the most loving, memorable companion/family member you will ever have in your lifetime!
PS To Joan: I feel for you and know what it is like to have to put down a buddy, I’ve had to do it in my lifetime and it SUCKS!! I had a Beagle, 14 years old, that had congestive heart failure, I was ready to lay my visa down to pay for a $10k surgery… I had a wonderful Vet that explained to me (and he could have made that money), he may not even make it through the surgery and if he does, it will be a horrible situation for him going forward, you will literally have to lift him every time he needs to “go outside”… He finished it by saying… “you keeping him alive is not for him, but for you… It would be horrible to perpetuate his pain”… I revere this Doctor! Most would have taken the money as I was more than ready to pay it, but his comment brought it in to perspective for me! G
Hello, I have rescue and adopted a yellow mix which I call “Butter Boy” nickname or Muggies his given.He was a dream come true as I had always wish for and wanted a lab for a pet and companion. Now I have one! He is the love of my life. We have fused, kissed, played, tickled, chased, and slept with our little boy. He is a one year old grown dog now but still is bouncing around the house. He brings us so much joy, love , love bites and spity hands as he always has my hand in his mouth. He hugs me and hugs me with a love bite on my ear lobes. I have the rest of my life with him and my husband and I can not stop kissing him. He loves the pool and on 4th of July this year, made his maiden voyage into our pool and swam successfully. We are so proud of him. He has be watching our two Dalmatians playing jump and fetch the doggie foot ball. Now he brings back the other side of the football along with his adopted sister, dolly. So precious!I’m looking forward to the years that I will spend with my beautiful boy, Muggies or Butter Boy.
Have had several Lab mixes, now have a purebred. I prefer the mixes overall, but would not exchange my current Sofi for one, for sure. The longest living Lab so far was about 18 and was unable to walk or squat, so it became necessary to have the vet do euthanasia – but even then, my Bobby sat up and leaned into my hand. It took a second dose to ease his psin for good. Even the Vet was upset. The second one was a mix we got from a neighbor when their smallish, shaggy-haired terrior-mix had “unexpected” pups. BJ, short for Blackjack, turned out to have definite Great Dane features – he was waist high to me (5’6″) at a year old, and didn’t stop there. He was mostly an outside dog (we live on a farm), but we had a special “bed-shed” for him in the garage, with a “run” to an outdoor pen for his nighttime potty needs. I used to dance with him, his front paws on my shoulders, around the garage before putting him to bed at night. Unfortunately, BJ got a small tumor on his rump at age 7; the Vet removed it and he seemed fine until almist 2 years later, when he went downhill very fast and died. We picked up our current lab, Sofi, 9 weeks later – and learned she had been born the same day BJ died.
I like to think a part of his spirit lives on in her.
Looking forward to a big reunion at the Rainbow Bridge when it’s my time.
My last Labrador, a full-blood black American Labrador, lived to be 16.5 yers old. His son, my current Labrador, is now 11 and he is plenty active and filled with fun and games, tho he loves to sleep in my lap whenever he gets the chance. My current Lab was sired when his daddy was just 16 years old