Weight of labs and golden retrievers

Bob Peters

Well-known member
For these breeds in a hunting variety, is there standard weights? I hunt with a few different dogs, one golden she weighs 60, my buddy has a lab that is pretty big, gotta be around 85 pounds, my uncle's lab I'm guessing is around 70 +/-.
 
I prefer our dogs to be 50-70 pounds. When o was younger I had the 80+ dogs but it seemed like because of their size they tended to have joint problems sooner then the lighter dogs
 
Just got health certificates so know the exact weights of my Goldens. The two boys are 50 and 53, the young girl is 48, all are from field trial lines. The old girl from mixed lines is 56. I have had bigger ones in the past, up to 80 for the males. The field trial lines stay smaller usually. We run them in agility and all jump 20 inches so are under 22 at the shoulders.
 
My male lab is about 80lbs and looks muscular and healthy, I try to make sure the back ribs are always showing a bit. I think as long as they are fit, active, and in shape there is no right or wrong answer to this. Each bloodline will be a bit different. My next lab I would like to be in more of the 50lb range - no real reason other than I would just like one that is slightly smaller.
 
9 year old female british lab is 66 pounds. Vet says +/- 4 pounds with 65 is ideal. Overweight dogs often have joint problems so keeping an ideal weight is very important to me.

The genetics, male/female, and whether they have been spayed/neutered also play a role in an individual dog's weight.
 
No standard when it comes to dogs. My Benny is a big buck. Never actually weighed him but he must be pushing 100. Pure muscle. He hunts cattails way harder than smaller ones i hunted with.
 
I have a female that goes about 60 lbs , which is still on the smaller side for cbr’s. I’ve had a few including a couple great big ones , one a big Caitlin Jenner type. Most athletic dog of that size I’ve been around.
A small dogs going to handle heat better and have a shorter day to day recovery time.
If not already I’m sure someone out there is going to breed 35-40 lb retrievers
 
I have a female that goes about 60 lbs , which is still on the smaller side for cbr’s. I’ve had a few including a couple great big ones , one a big Caitlin Jenner type. Most athletic dog of that size I’ve been around.
A small dogs going to handle heat better and have a shorter day to day recovery time.
If not already I’m sure someone out there is going to breed 35-40 lb retrievers
My 91 lb male handled heat better than any dog I have ever owned. He could also hunt all day long for 3 or 4 consecutive days. He could have went more but I would have never asked that of him. In the world of hunting dogs, the only size that matters is that of the heart. Guys that have small dogs will claim smaller dogs are better. Guys with big dogs the opposite. I have had every shape and size the last 45 years. My 2 best were my 91 male out of Rik's Risky Raider and an 85 lb male out of Candlewood Nifty Nick. Choose a pedigree and breeder you like and it won't matter if it weighs 50 or a 100 lbs. I am growing quite fond of my 18 month old 65 lb male British lab out of FTW Morayglen Apache.
 
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I have a 13 year old chocolate Lab that hunted hard for me up until the last 2 years; his average weight was 75-80 lbs. and he was really a swamp-buster. Had a good nose on pheasants and was a great waterfowl retriever. His legs are giving him trouble and we won't be hunting him this year. I also have a 2 year old 77 lb. yellow Lab that is a retrieving machine! Broke him in late last fall and he retrieved maybe two dozen birds, ducks and roosters for me, my son and friends. He spent 2 1/2 months at the trainers' this summer and he is bouncing off the walls, ready to go. Can't wait to get him out there.
 
110 Lb. All muscle, We didn't duck hunt, but he was all in on pheasants, and what a nose, and he had the quirkiest point, more like a dance.
 

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