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Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retriever Dog Breed

Aliases: Lab, English Retriever, St. John\'s Dog, Black Water Dog

Life Span: 10-12 years
Litter Size: 8 puppies
Group: Sporting Dog, Gun Dog
Recognized By: CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Color: Black, Yellow, Chocolate
Hair Length: Short
Size: Large
Shedding: Moderate Shed
Male Height: 22-24 in (56-61 cm)
Male Weight: 65-80 lbs (27-36 kg)
Female Height: 21-23 in (53-58 cm)
Female Weight: 55-70 lbs (25-32 kg)
 General info courtesy of terrificpets.com. Additional information about this breed can be found on their website.

Thyroid Disease - Medium Risk

The Labrador Retriever ranks #71 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. While this is not a high risk breed, there is still a good chance of disease transmission through breeding. Therefore, all dogs intended for breeding should be tested first. 

 Rank Among Breeds  Number of Dogs Tested  Percent of Dogs With Disease
 #71  41,447  5.7%

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

Although generally healthy, Labrador Retrievers are still prone to the same hip and joint problems that plague most large dogs hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. They are prone to a few eye disorders as well Progressive Retinal Atrophy being the most serious. They also have large appetites and a tendency toward obesity which needs to be carefully checked by owners in order to keep the Lab generally healthy.