Labrador Retriever: The Complete Nutrition & Health Guide

Labradors have been the UK's most-registered breed for over 30 years - and for good reason. They're friendly, trainable, and genuinely people-pleasing. But that same relentless appetite and willingness to eat anything you put in front of them (plus a few things you didn't) creates the specific health profile this breed is famous for.

If you're a Labrador owner, three words will shape your entire feeding approach: weight, joints, and allergies. Everything in this guide comes back to those three.

Labs are a large, active, muscular breed with a famously efficient metabolism - which is a polite way of saying they gain weight easily. Here's what good nutrition looks like for a Labrador:

• High-quality protein for lean muscle - Omni Adult Dry Food delivers 30% protein to maintain strong, lean muscle without excess calories
• Controlled fat to manage calorie density - 9% fat in Omni Adult Dry Food to keep weight healthy; 7.5% in Omni Senior Dry Food, formulated for weight management in older dogs
• Slow-release carbohydrate sources - brown rice, sweet potato and oats, all core Omni ingredients
• Omega-3s from microalgae for coat, skin and joint health - DHA from algae features across Omni's recipes and supplements
• Glucosamine and chondroitin from age 3+ for joint maintenance, found in our Joints & Mobility Supplement
• Limited allergens - chicken, beef and dairy are the most common canine food allergens, and every Omni recipe is free of all three

Around 1 in 2 dogs in the UK are now overweight - and Labradors, with their POMC-driven appetite, are among the most affected breeds. Excess weight doesn't just shorten lifespan, it compounds every other health issue Labs face, from joint pain to diabetes to heart strain. Keeping a Lab lean can delay the onset of osteoarthritis by up to two years.

Feeding a Lab for healthy weight

1. Choose a high-protein, lower-fat food. Protein and fibre drive satiety; fat drives calorie density. Omni Adult Dry Food (30% protein, 9% fat) is built exactly this way - and Omni Senior Dry Food drops to 7.5% fat for weight management in Labs aged 7+.
2. Feed to target weight, not current weight. Use the quantity guide on the pack, but base the amount on what your Lab should weigh. A Lab that should weigh 28kg but weighs 34kg should be fed for 28kg.
3. Weigh food, don't eyeball it. A standard cup varies by 20–40% depending on how you scoop. Use kitchen scales.
4. Count treats into daily calories. Even healthy treats add up. Swap high-calorie training treats for carrot sticks, green beans and cucumber, all Lab-safe and calorie-light.
5. Use a slow-feeder bowl. Reduces gulping, increases satiety, buys your Lab 5–10 extra minutes of mental stimulation per meal.
6. Get a body condition score, not just a number. You should feel ribs easily under a thin fat cover and see a waist from above. Unsure? Every Omni subscription includes free vet consultations - book a weigh-in and BCS check.