Labrador Retriever Lifespan – How Long Do Labs Live?
The average Labrador Retriever lifespan is 12 to 12.5 years. Although a recent study suggests chocolate Labs live shorter lives averaging 10.7 years, significantly less than black and yellow Labradors.
Factors influencing lifespan in Labs include diet, healthcare, management and inherited diseases. Changing these factors can enable you to help your dog live longer.
Contents
- Factors influencing Labrador lifespan
- Genetics, diseases and body shape
- Do pedigree Labs live longer?
- The coat color conundrum
Your Stories
There are over five hundred comments under this article, some are sad, some happy, all about much loved Labradors. Check them out at the bottom of this article, and have a tissue ready.
What Controls Labrador Retriever Lifespan?
Obviously ten isn’t a guaranteed Labrador lifespan for every dog. Some Labradors live a good deal longer than twelve. But some don’t make it to ten.
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.
How Long Can A Labrador Live?
Life span statistics for dogs are often wildly inaccurate, based on outdated information. Luckily, we don’t need to guess. Accurate Labrador life span information comes from data from scientific studies.
Labrador Lifespan Surveys
Two surveys were carried out in 2004 and 2013. The earlier study showed the median age of death in over 500 Labradors was 12.25. The later study gave a median age at death in a group of over 400 dogs as 12.5 years.
A bigger and more recent study published in 2018 looked at over 30,000 Labradors. This one found a median longevity of 12 years in Labradors overall. So the average Labrador lifespan seems to work out at around 12 years.
Is Labrador Lifespan Getting Longer?
The good news is there is evidence that Labrador lifespan might be increasing. One recent study, although it only looked at 39 dogs, suggested the average could be getting closer to 14 years. So our original question “how long do Labradors live” is changing!
The longest confirmed lifespan for a Labrador was 19 years. There are plenty of reports in the comments section below of readers’ Labradors living over 15 years.
You can help your dog to reach these high numbers, but nothing is guaranteed. Let’s look at the genes controlling how your dog looks and behaves. These set broad limits to the lifespan of your Labrador.
Genes & Labrador Retriever Lifespan
Your purebred Labrador inherits a number of Labrador characteristics shared with all other pedigree Labradors.
These genes don’t just control his coat color, the shape of his ears, and the length of his tail. They control aspects of his temperament and susceptibility to disease.
Labrador Body Shape
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 and Labrador Lifespan
Genes control some aspects of your dog’s behavior. And his ability to carry out tasks like running and hunting, or fetching things. However, temperament, including tendency to fearfulness, is influenced by 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.
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.
How Inherited Diseases Affect Labrador Retriever Life Span
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. Some of these diseases, hip dysplasia and CNM for example, we have tests that should be carried out before breeding adult dogs.
There are however no tests for diseases like cancer. A 2004 study showed 31% of Labradors die of cancer, slightly more than the average rate of cancer in dogs overall.
How Size Affects Longevity
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 in 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 toy poodle.
Labrador Lifespan and Inbreeding
Genetic diseases establish in pedigree dog breeds like that Labrador breed due to inbreeding dogs that are closely related. The average coefficient of inbreeding for Labradors is 6.5 %. We see adverse effects of inbreeding in dogs at over the 5% level.
Do Purebred Labs Live Longer?
Purebred Labradors outer limits on lifespan are set partially by their pedigree. Mongrels live on average 1.2 years longer than purebred dogs according to a study published in The Veterinary Journey in 2013. This doesn’t mean your Boxador will outlive your neighbors pedigree Lab however, it’s all about averages.
Comparing Pedigree Dogs
When we consider pedigree dogs as a whole, there are differences in longevity between the breeds. Not just in terms of size, though this is important.
There are also differences between different breeds of a similar size. Sometime shorter life spans are linked to poor conformation. Many very tiny dogs have hormone problems, brain problems through skull compression, and a range of other health issues. In comparison, Labrador conformation is pretty healthy.
Let’s take a look now at that topic we mentioned at the beginning of the article. The recent discovery that Chocolate Labs live shorter lives than their cousins.
Color vs Lifespan
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 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.
How Long Will My Lab Live?
Apart from your ability to be selective over the parents of your puppy, genetic factors are largely outside your control. But as your Labrador grows and matures, there will be life events that happen to him which may influence his life expectancy. Some of these are events that you can control. Let’s take a look at those now.
Accidents & Roaming Impact Labrador Lifespan
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 that statistic.
Neutering
It was believed neutering increased life expectancy. Older studies showed a higher death rate for unneutered dogs because they were uncontrolled. They had the urge to roam, the ability to leave the backyard, and therefore got into accidents.
Recents studies link neutering to health issues including joint disease and cancer, both leading causes of illness and death in Labs.
The neutering issue isn’t clear cut, but the principles of training and control will help keep your dog safe.
Vaccination
In parts of the world there are serious diseases that kill unvaccinated dogs and puppies. Vaccination enables your pet to avoid the infections that have the potential to kill them
Overfeeding Decreases Labrador Lifespan?
The biggest influence you can control regarding your dog’s longevity and enjoyment of life is his bodyweight. Obesity is increasingly common in dogs, and Labradors in particular. The direct result of over feeding.
Labradors are greedy dogs good at persuading people to hand over treats and refill the food bowl. Some Labrador parents struggle to judge quantities of food fairly in the face of puppy dog eyes.
Don’t slavishly follow feeding guidelines on packets, but feed according to how your dog looks and feels.
What Do Studies Say?
Studies show reducing calories intake in dogs increases life expectancy a significant amount due to the health impact of obesity. Labradors are all capable of maintaining a consistent lean body mass through their lives, according to a 2003 study. Dog owners just need to be vigilant.
Hungry Labrador Eyes!
Your Labrador does not have a tendency to get fat from their breed. Only to eat a lot and be good at persuading their family to provide food. You have the keys to the larder, and you can resist your dog’s charms.
Slim dogs live a longer, more comfortable life. They defer the onset and impact of conditions like arthritis in older dogs, when they retain a youthful waistline. Be firm about the amount of food your dog eats to ensure the benefits of his company for longer.
(paid link)
Is Longevity In Dogs Inherited?
To a certain extent longevity is inherited. Some dogs have an inherently higher potential for long life than others. But this isn’t the whole story.
Line breeding and size go against your dog in terms of life expectancy. But being fit, friendly and well proportioned go in their favor. So the average Labrador has a medium range life expectancy compared with other dog breeds.
You Can Help Your Labrador Live Longer
There are some dog breeds that are longer lived than our beloved Labs. And quite a few that are much shorter lived.
You can help to influence your dog’s longevity to a certain extent. If you are choosing a puppy, choose his parents wisely. Make sure that they are health tested and bred by a responsible breeder. Look for a co-efficient of inbreeding that is below 5%. Consider choosing a black or yellow Lab. And make sure the parents have great temperaments, and have been well cared for.
Socialize your puppy thoroughly when you get him home. So that he is confident and views the world as a happy, friendly place. Above all, keep your dog slim. Really slim. When you look into those pleading eyes, make sure you don’t give in to your dog’s request for second helpings.
Free Labrador Updates!
Get my training tips, news, reviews, and the latest from The Labrador Site delivered to your inbox
My son’s chocolate lab, Charlie, lived to be 15 years old. He had such a happy disposition. One of his testicles never grew outside Charlie and he died of testicular cancer.
My Sophie is 13, We adopted her at 18 months, so we don’t know what other breed she is mixed with. She was spayed and never had puppies. She has stayed between 70 & 74 pounds as long as we have had her. She isn’t pure bred as her hips are a bit thinner than a lab and her coat isn’t quite as thick, but otherwise she looks a proper classic black lab and has that lab personality. She is a great swimmer and retriever but those activities have slowly ceased as she has gotten older. She’s slowing down now but still socializes with other dogs 4 hours a day and we think that keeps her young at heart. She rules the roost at doggie daycare and at home in our hearts. For most of her life she had a sister a half beagle half collie named Chloe. Chloe died two years ago and Sophie misses her.
My Angel Chance just passed away on 9/16/2022, I adopted him in 2006, the Vet said he was 2 to 2+ years of age. So Chance was just over 18 years old when I lost him. He was a beautiful pure breed English Lab, white coat and Carmel dipped ears. I kept his weight at 70 pounds forever, until the end when he started loosing weight. I prepared all his meals, no commercial food, and we walked everyday rain or shine. He was a super athlete when he was younger and tore his CCL when he was 12. He kept going after his TPLO Surgery. Chance was a sweet calm dog, and had various health issues, but always bounced back, he was the comeback kid. His will to live was so strong, my heart is broken. I think the most important thing I gave him was Love, and lots of it, with exercise, healthy high quality food, always slept inside, and gave him his time every day with all his dog friends at the Park, and Human ones as well. Love on your Labby every Chance you get, because one day you will loose them….He will be with me forever, when he died a part of me died. I Love my Angel Chance.
I Have A Beautiful Amazing Black Mix Labrador She’s is Now 12 Yrs OLD Laila is Her Name. She Is My World My Everything .
I saved her life last year when I felt a lump and took her to the Vet immediately to have it removed. Thank God The Vet was able to remove all of it and she’s doing great.
Sadly, our sweet chocolate lab crossed over the rainbow bridge yesterday at the age of 17. We are devastated but she lived a happy, full life.
My female labrador was 15 on 15 March 2022. She’s been a beautiful, loyal pet and I love her dearly. She sleeps alot nowadays but she still wags her tails for me and waits for my attention. Everyday I have her is a bonus and a joy.
My black lab is 15.3! Hope he gets tob16!
On your recommendation I started feeding my yellow lab Piper twice a day and it worked like a charm. She went from 106 to 96 lbs. We play fetch at least 3 times most days and she’s happy and healthy. My vet was impressed.
My black lab / Pit mix died today. He was 16 years old. He ate like a pig his whole life and spent a whole year living off McDonald cheeseburgers. Still most of his life he was strong and muscular and not fat. That changed a bit after he got arthritis. He couldn’t walk and work out like he used to. His heart gave out on him. He laid down on the deck on a beautiful sunny day and never got back up. I’ll always miss him. Funny today is March 2nd, maybe the third now, but anyway a month ago I saw him struggling and told him to make it past winter and see the spring. He did I suppose. Happy trails.
Our golden lab Lizzy is 16 and going strong! She is 62 lbs in great shape. We adopted her from the American lab rescue. She Loves her walks on trails, beaches and runs and plays like a pup with her lamb chop by her side. She is on meds for an irregular heartbeat and Paramount hip and joint drink with her meals. We feed her twice a day kibble, with 2 spoonfuls of pumpkin, 1/2 cup of salmon or chicken mixed in. And plenty of fresh water.
My little girl,April. A black lab she was my , our , everything.she never showed aggression or her teeth to any thing or any body. very loving. my wife told me a few times, ” you love the dog more than me !:” (sometimes very much so). and don’t call her a dog, she’s more than that. we had to put her down Aug. of 2021,at the age of 10.5 years . due to a heavy mass of spleen cancer. as of this month, Feb. we still have sadness, not quite ready yet to start another bonding friend relationship.
My 🐕 is very lazy ,when she sit .
My chocolate will be 14 end of this month. Recently she hasn’t been eating like normal. All test came back fine. The vet thinks she has tooth pain and want to remove.
My yellow lab has larynageal paralysis causing him great distress when he becomes excited about eating and walks. How can I help him?
Wow, so many people commenting that their Labs have lived beyond 13! This is heartening. My yellow Labrador, Maya, just turned 14 at the end of August. Just a couple of months prior, I thought we’d have to say goodbye to her. She got very sick. Nothing the vet did or prescribed seemed to help. Two days before the scheduled in-home visit for euthanasia, she showed signs of recovery. You bet I cancelled that appointment. She was still off and on for a few weeks, but had more good days than bad. By her 14th birthday, she’d been feeling good every day.
My black Labrador is 14 1/2 years old and weighs about 140lbs; the only problem is he arthritis in hip from past injury when he was an pup in field trial training…love his big head!!!
I have a 18 yr old yellow lab, has back leg problems, eyes are cloudy, and hearing impaired. He still goes out the pet door as needed. Have him on pills 2x day that seems to help. Will lay on floor and play with grandsons puppy, is so funny. Used to traveled all over the nation with us. With the corona we do not travel and of course he can’t go anyway. In 2 weeks we will be getting a yellow lab puppy so he can train her some. He had trained our 7 year old yellow lab and did a good job. Love your labs you all.
I have a labradir aged 17 years named jimmy😃
My Leo passed away yesterday. He was 14 years, 10 months and 8 days old. He was my everything. Now, I feel so lonely
Dear Bharath.
I feel your pain and sadness, it truly is heartbreaking.
We had to have our beautiful black lab (Roxy) put to sleep on 26th June after she was diagnosed with a stomach tumour. We still feel huge emptiness and sadness, I cry most days. She was 11, she would have been 12 on 30th October. She was our 2nd lab that we have had to have euthanized, it doesn’t get easier.
We are trying to recover from her passing before starting to consider getting another labrador. We will never forget her.
My boyfriend’s black lab was close to 17 years old but he contracted tapeworms and got a stroke within 24 hours. :/
Poor boy. He was deaf and blind for more than 5 years but lived happily in the garden outside. He loved eating walnuts because he lived under the walnut tree. We almost never fed him store-bought food and he only went to the vet every 3-4 years (don’t judge us, we live in a third world country so vet is very expensive and in a different city) … The lab still lived a very fulfilled life and he was always happy to be outside. He hated bathing and would hate being indoors. 🙂
No judging, he lived a long life and sounds like he was very happy and loved.
My beautiful girl Sadie lived to be 17. We had to say goodbye to her a few weeks ago. She was beginning to really struggle with bathroom issues and moving around. The vet said it was time. Over the course of the last year and a half, she had cooked chicken and rice for every meal, feeding her twice a day. She lived a pretty pampered lifestyle in the last few years, having a couch in the living room designated just for her. Most of her life was spent with a companion dog (a beautiful mutt) who passed away several years ago after a cancer recurrence. We never let Sadie get over weight. And in the past 3-4 years, we stopped using a traditional collar on her. Sadie had laryngeal paralysis (lar par) which we found is common in labs. Using a traditional collar made it much harder for her. Once we switched to a harness, it improved her quality of life a great deal. We miss her more than words and hope to honor her memory by adopting a shelter dog soon.
I have a 13-year-old black lab almost 14
My previous black labrador lasted till he was 17.5 years old even after operable cancer at 15, sadly at 17.5 he passed with a stroke whilst my last black lab passed from cancer at 13 my tip on their longevity has been to keep the weight off and they enjoy life far more
My purebread chocolate lab, Willie, had an English father and an American mother. He was tall, long, and lean at 77lbs. I had to put him to sleep 2 days ago after a long, 4 year battle with degenerative myelopathy. He was an amazing, kind and loving dog until his last breath. Born on 05/05/2005, he was just 3 weeks shy of his 16th birthday. I miss him so much.
I’m so sorry for your lose. You must have loved him very much. What a blessed dog.
I’ve just had my chocolate Labrador missie put to sleep today she was 12 on the 27 March she was my best friend and I don’t know what I will do without her she had a bladder problem
My Golden Lab (pedigree) is currently 16 years and 3months. He’s on meds for arthritis and full medical checks every six months. Besides old age he’s content in his retirement.
Hi, I am new here and wanted to share about the life span of my Chocolate Lab.
I am sad to say, I just retired my Chocolate female Lab(Daisy)over 14 1/2 years old, due to a stomach growth that presented complications to her quality of life.
She was a hunting Lab for 7 years and injured one of her hocks.
Daisy had the proper medical treatment and became a fine watch dog and support companion.
On top of all this, just to let you all know, she was the runt of the litter and had to be bottle fed.
So I am very thankful for this fine specimen and she will be missed.
Now my 4 1/2 year old Chocolate Male Lab is incharge and is doing a fine job!
I’m broken hearted, soon I’ll be forced to put down my darling Chocolate Lab, she’s suffering from kidney failure, I just can’t get her to eat much at all but she is still drinking water and is still walking to go potty. Kelly is 17 years, 4 months old, not old enough for me, I was hoping to celebrate her 18th birthday. We have only a couple days left and taking her into the vet is destroying me. She’s not in pain and I’ve bought every food possible to entice her to eat. Losing her is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with…
Put my dear Black Lab companion down this week at 15. He had no health issues during his long life, specifically no joint issues. He succumbed to a mass on his liver that caused him to stop taking food and water. Like others, my heart is broken. That said, the sadness will dissipate with the passage of time and engagement in ongoing life. There will be other Labbies. They are all uniquely wonderful.
My black lab lived to be 16 and a half, but we had to sadly put him down due to an back injury that he got when he was 10. It slowly paralyzed his back legs, but other than that he was 100% healthy <3. I definitely think that their so called life span should be changed to 12-15 since many labs reach old age.
My husband got our female black lab from a breeder as a puppy. She turned 14 this past February. She stopped doing the full stairs and “hopping” at feeding time over 2 years ago. About a year and a half ago we started her on cbd oil. We noticed shortly after starting cbd oil she was back to “hopping” and getting around better. Her breathing is more labored now when it’s hot, so we keep a/c on for her. She was hit by a car 7 years ago, but recovered quickly. She doesn’t get any fancy food (P1 lamb & rice), we live in a rural area so she has a nice area to walk around yard. She has always had the sweetest disposition, but she has slowed down and starting to get more white. Love this old girl to pieces.
Hello, I don’t own a Lab, but I love the breed. God bless all you dog lovers and parents and may your fuzzy kids ( how I refer to dogs!) be blessed as well. Just remember this.. The Greatest thing God Almighty did was send his only begotten Son to earth to show the Light and to die for our sins. ( He IS Risen!!) Second greatest was invent the Dog!
our black lab maggie lived to be 19ish. She had joint problems in her later years but she got a Bufferin and Glucosamine-Chondroitin supplement every day that helped immensely
I’m glad your dog could live a healthy long life. Can you please tell me the brands you used for her supplements? I want to buy good supplements for my Lab-mix.
We’ve had 2 chocolate labs over the years, one neutered, one not. both lived to 13.5 years.
My white lab was fat and obsessed with food , he ate chocolate aswell when he raided the cupboard, he was very well loved and lived to the age of 16
I just lost my yellow lab Cooper yesterday. He was 13.5. He had lumps all over, and all of his visceral organs were inflamed, and his belly was very swollen. After MRI, X-Rays, biopsy, and a small abstraction of fluid his seasoned vet could not diagnose Cooper’s problems.vShe gave him a wide range of meds, including a water pill that seemed to help the most. He had this problem a few months ago, and he was to the point where he couldn’t even stand on his own, and we were feeding him broth with syringes. Although, a few days of aggressive meds and peeing cleared everything out and he was seemingly back to his normal energetic self. A few months passed and we thought he was in the clear. Unfortunately his symptoms returned, and within a few weeks he passed in his sleep. No one was able to tell us what was wrong with him so I am curious if anyone has experienced similar issues? Was there anything I could have done to heal him?
I am so sorry for your loss. But I am a tremendous dog lover and I have had to put down every one. I pray every day that my so beloved Krynkles, when his time comes passes in his sleep. I know this is so hard to understand, especially at this time, but consider it to be a Blessing! The Lord who made him, and Blessed you with him, took him back. I truly understand your situation for I went through something very similar, only with a cat. Find the poem called the Rainbow Bridge, he’ll be waiting….
Hi Sidney. I am so sorry for your loss. I ironically just put my yellow lab Cooper down a week ago today. He was 10 years old. House is empty without him. Your boy sounds like he may have had what mine did. Mine had right sided heart failure. The vet said it may have been caused by the grain free food we were feeding him. Unfortunately the vet was the one who told me to put him on that diet because cooper had a lot of ear infections throughout his life. Studys are now showing that the grain free foods are not good for the bigger dogs for some reason. So seven days have gone by and today we are driving across the state to look at a new yellow lab pup. After I lost my lab Chevy prior to Cooper I found the best therapy for the pain and the loss of my best bud was to get another one right away. It works! Trust me.
My sweet old Yellow Lab Bailey is 17 years old and still going strong! She still goes for walks every day and amazingly has no issues what so ever with her bathroom breaks. She was twice rescued and we rescued her at 11 years old. I think she’s living extra long to enjoy her pampered life to the fullest! We thought we’d give her the best last year of her life when we adopted her and that was over six years ago. For the past three years we’ve had her on glucosamine pills and for the last year we give her CBD Oil which has made a huge difference. If she makes it to September 26th she will celebrate her 18th Birthday!
I have a chocolate lab/springer and she will be 15 years young next month
After reading all these story’s I find I have tears streaming down my face as I have always had labradors in my life and now breed from my 2 dogs. Labradors are love in abundance and I feel for people who never had the love of a Labrador in there life . Also you could never love anything more than that wonderful companion that is always by your side. I hope you all find another dog to give a home you sound wonderful.
Our Yellow Labrador lived 2 months short of 17 years. We made sure she was exercising everyday, the best food and always filtered or bottle water. When she was 8 years our Vet say she would live to 14 years.
She was always with us, vacations or trips to the market. Where ever we went she was with us. We even bought a car to accommodate her when she was 14 years.
Her life was Lake Tahoe or Carmel. Always ran free and was a strong swimmer. I credit her wonderful life to what we were able to give her. 💕🐶
My Chocolate Lab is 12 and 4 months. I love that boy to pieces. He is healthy, but he has hip displasia since he was 2 years old. But that has not slow down my boy. He runs, swims etc. i just dont run with him even though he would love it. I hope my boy stays with me at least to 16 .. i cannot imagine life without him. Everytime he gets sick i have a hard time containing tears at vet even though It end ups being not that serious
Nellie (Black Lab) will be 16 next month she had both knees replaced when she was 10. She walks 3 times a day and is strong as a horse-regular Vet visits and shots all her life. She is in better shape than me.
our dog has developed lumps all over were tested fatty lumps vet sad.
he now has one near anus . vet said its the causeof not being castrated.
im scared t do this as hes 12 in may.
hehas some artheritis butdoes well. aany ideas what else e could have
to help with these lumps
Just lost my yellow “Luke” 14 yrs 3 months. My best friend. We are totally heartbroken. Just got a new puppy black this time. Forgot the work involved with a baby. He’s perfect and will have a wonderful life
Paul S- Was it hard for you to get another puppy? How long did it take you to be able to do that? I lost my girl nearly 5 weeks ago, and I feel like I will never be ready to get another.
I lost my beloved yellow lab, Sonoma, on February 28, 2020, of lymphoma. She was 13 yrs, 7 months and 9 days old. She was amazing – my baby, my best friend and the most incredible companion anyone could ever ask for. She had the best temperament of any dog I have ever seen or known. I miss her terribly. My heart broke the day she died.
Hello Phyllis, Sending you love and strength! I hope you find some comfort in the fact that Sonoma is no longer suffering!
I have a 13 year and 10 month old labrador, Spike, who is suffering from an enlarged heart. He was diagnosed a year ago but has responded very well to medication. The thought of losing him gets more and more real by the day but I take pride and in the fact that we have been able to take care of him and give him a happy, long life! You should be proud too!
I understand your pain. I’ve just lost my chocolate lab Hollie. She was 13 and half years old. I’m so broken-hearted without her. I don’t think I will ever have another dog. They may fill the gap a little but you won’t get the same. I miss my girl so much
my black lab mix died of bone cancer at age six! She had no symptoms and I had no way of knowing how sick she was. I put her to sleep rather than subject her to amputations and chemo. I still miss her, but I believe in rescuing another dog as soon as possible. Cricket wouldn’t want me to be alone.i think dogs have limited life spans so that we can adopt at least three or four in our lifetimes. Imagine how many would be homeless if they lived 75 years. There’s a plan for everything, and this was her journey.
I lost my beautiful chocolate lab just a few weeks ago. She was 13 years 3 months and 1 day. I loved every minute of her life with us and am truly heartbroken she’s gone, but feel so privileged to have known her lovely, happy self.
My black and chocolate Labs were 15 years old I when they died two weeks apart last spring. They were loved, spoiled rotten and missed each and every day.
My yellow lab, Scooter, died a year ago at 18 years old! Truth! Best dog I have ever had. I miss him desperately. I bought him the best dry foods and made his wet food myself, using a book on that subject that had recipes. He thrived! I also walked him and his sister (who died the year before… She was Heinz 57 and lived to 16 years).
I lost my Black American male Lab last July. I never had a male dog before or such a devoted dog. My heart was broken the day he died. I haven’t gotten another Lab yet, but soon. I also have a female Golden Retriever, The two dogs were buddys. He was my first dog that i took to dog obedience school. He was easy to train. When my grandchildren were having there picture taken, Cody would go over and be by the kids to have his picture taken also. Cody was his name, Cody was 12 1/2 when he died. When i had to put him down, the Dr and nurses who helped me to get him inside, told me that he was very much loved and that Cody loves me very, very much. I new I loved him, i never thought about how much he loved me!!!!
What wAs the name of the recipe book may I ask?
My beloved Chocolate died at nearly exactly 10.7 years (he was short by about 15 days). That was 3yrs ago, & my heart still aches!
Why, oh why, Buddy, did you have to follow the charts when it came to longevity??
No longer by my side, forever in my heart! ❤️
Losing a beloved dog (even to old age) can be a very traumatic experience. In my view, there aren’t too many things worse than that. This experience influences my choice of a dog breed, given how I don’t want to be separated from my canine buddy.
However, the lifespan of over 12 years is fair enough for me.
Anyone else shares the same thought?
I’ve had many Labs over the years. One made it to 15 and another to 15 1/2. Both were pretty healthy their entire lives. Only age ran them down. I’ve also experienced some health issues with my other 3. Two were diabetic although it was controlled. The final one developed a brain tumor and made it to about 9 1/2. All 5 were yellow Labs. I’ve been fortunate in a sense that all of them made it to at least 9 years. I hope the next one I get will make that 15 year mark as well.