Feeding a Labrador Retriever puppy
Friendly, food-obsessed and energetic — Labs are working retrievers that genuinely love to eat. Growing puppys need more energy per kilogram than adults to fuel rapid development — but the goal is always a lean, steadily-growing animal, not a chubby one. The chart below uses the puppy growth lifestyle factor (×2.5) across a typical growth-weight range.
| Body weight | Daily calories | Dry kibble ~3,500 kcal/kg | Wet ~1,050 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 585 kcal | 167 g | 557 g |
| 9.429 kg | 942 kcal | 269 g | 897 g |
| 13.857 kg | 1257 kcal | 359 g | 1197 g |
| 18.286 kg | 1547 kcal | 442 g | 1474 g |
| 22.714 kg | 1821 kcal | 520 g | 1734 g |
| 27.143 kg | 2081 kcal | 595 g | 1982 g |
| 31.571 kg | 2331 kcal | 666 g | 2220 g |
| 36 kg | 2572 kcal | 735 g | 2449 g |
What to feed a Labrador Retriever puppy
Dogs are facultative carnivores: they thrive on meat-forward diets but can use carbohydrate and plant matter. A complete-and-balanced food (dry, wet, fresh, or properly-formulated raw) meeting AAFCO or FEDIAF standards should make up the vast majority of intake, with treats capped at 10% of daily calories.
Watch the growth curve
Labradors carry a genetic variant (POMC) that makes many of them perpetually hungry and highly prone to obesity. Weigh food, resist the begging, and keep treats within the 10% budget.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed a Labrador Retriever puppy?
Puppys need far more energy per kilogram than adults — often around double. Feed a puppy-appropriate formula to maintain a lean body condition (never fat), split across three to four meals a day, and use the chart above for their current weight.
How many times a day should a Labrador Retriever puppy eat?
Young dogs do best on frequent small meals — commonly three to four a day — because their small stomachs and fast growth need steady fuel.
Should a large-breed puppy eat puppy food?
Yes — large and giant breed puppies need a large-breed puppy formula that controls calcium and energy to slow growth and protect developing joints. Overfeeding a giant-breed puppy raises the risk of orthopaedic disease.