Why Is My Labrador Always Hungry? The Science Behind the Appetite, and How to Keep Your Lab Lean

Why Is My Labrador Always Hungry? The Science Behind the Appetite, and How to Keep Your Lab Lean

The Dog Life Blog

Quick answer: For many Labradors, the constant hunger is partly genetic. Cambridge University researchers found that around a quarter of Labradors carry a variant in a gene called POMC, which makes them feel hungrier between meals and burn roughly 25% fewer calories at rest. It isn't a life sentence, though. A long-running study found that Labradors kept lean lived a median of 1.8 years longer, so a few simple feeding habits can make a real difference to how long and how well your Lab lives.

This is the latest in our breed health series. If you haven't read them yet, see our Large Dog Breed Health Risk Profiles and our guide to joint supplements for large breeds.

A breed with a big appetite, and a big fan club

The Labrador's story starts on the other side of the Atlantic. Its ancestors were the St John's water dogs of Newfoundland, working dogs that helped fishermen haul nets and retrieve anything that went overboard. From the 1830s, some of these dogs arrived in Britain on ships trading with Poole in Dorset, where they caught the eye of shooting estates. The Earls of Home, the Dukes of Buccleuch and the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury developed the breed through the 19th century, and the Kennel Club formally recognised the Labrador Retriever in 1903.

A dog bred to work all day in cold water needed plenty of fuel. That hard-wired enthusiasm for food has followed the breed from the fishing boats to our sofas, and it has made the Labrador one

 of the most loved, and most trainable, dogs in history. A few of its most famous fans:

  • Queen Elizabeth II. The Sandringham strain of Labrador was founded in 1911, and the late Queen was a hands-on gundog enthusiast rather than a figurehead. Her first working dogs were two black Labradors, Snare and Sabre, and under trainer Bill Meldrum the Sandringham kennels went on to produce seven field trial champions, including FTCh Sandringham Sydney, a three-time winner at the Game Fair.
  • Endal, the Labrador who saved a Navy veteran. Allen Parton, a former Royal Navy Chief Petty Offi
    cer, was left with serious head injuries after the 1991 Gulf War. His assistance dog Endal, a yellow Labrador, learned to respond to more than 100 commands. In 2001, when Allen was knocked out of his wheelchair by a car, Endal moved him into the recovery position, retrieved his mobile phone, covered him with a blanket and raised the alarm at a nearby hotel. Endal received the PDSA Gold Medal in 2002, often called the animal equivalent of the George Cross.
  • Buddy, the White House Lab. Bill Clinton's chocolate Labrador, Buddy, joined the family in December 1997. He was named after the President's great-uncle, Henry "Buddy" Grisham, who trained dogs for 50 years.
  • Marley. John Grogan's 2005 memoir Marley & Me, about his chaotic, food-obsessed yellow Labrador, became a bestseller and a 2008 film starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. If your Lab has ever eaten something that wasn't food, you'll recognise Marley.

There's a thread running through these stories. The same food motivation that makes a Labrador so eager to please is what makes them such brilliant assistance and working dogs. Guide Dogs UK describes the breed's love of food as a great asset in training, while warning owners to manage that enthusiasm to prevent stealing and over-eating.

The 'hunger gene': what the science says

In 2016, a team led by Dr Eleanor Raffan at the University of Cambridge studied 310 Labradors and found a deletion in a gene called POMC. The gene plays a key role in the brain's syste

m for regulating appetite and body weight. The researchers found:

    • Around 23% of Labradors carried at least one copy of the variant.
    • Dogs carrying it weighed on average 1.9kg more for each copy of the gene.
    • The variant was more common in Labradors selected as assistance dogs. The researchers suggested that dogs more motivated by a food reward may be more likely to succeed in training.

    A follow-up study, published in Science Advances in 2024, explained why the variant has such an effect. Dogs with the mutation weren't any less full after a meal, but they were noticeably hungrier between meals and more determined to get to food when it was offered. They also burned around 25% fewer calories at rest than Labradors without it. In effect, their brains send a signal that they're short of energy even when they aren't. The same study found the variant in around 66% of flat-coated retrievers, too.

    So if your Lab stares at you through every meal, it isn't greed or bad manners. For many dogs, it's biology.

    Why keeping your Lab lean matters so much

    Weight is the single most controllable factor in a Labrador's long-term health, and the evidence for this is unusually strong:

    • Lean Labs live longer. In a 14-year Purina study of 48 Labradors, dogs fed 25% less than their paired littermates lived a median of 13 years, compared with 11.2 years for the control group, around 1.8 years longer. The lean-fed dogs also developed chronic conditions later in life.
    • Healthier joints. In the same study, 83% of the control-fed dogs developed hip osteoarthritis visible on X-ray, compared with 50% of the lean-fed dogs.
    • It's a common problem in UK Labs. A Royal Veterinary College VetCompass study of 33,320 Labradors under UK vet care found obesity was among the most commonly recorded conditions (8.8%), alongside ear infections (10.4%) and osteoarthritis (5.5%). A later VetCompass study found Labradors were 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with obesity, and 2.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with arthritis, than other breeds.
    • Colour makes a difference, too. The same research found chocolate Labradors had a median lifespan of 10.7 years, 1.4 years shorter than black and yellow Labs, and a higher rate of ear and skin problems.

    Is your Labrador a healthy weight? A 30-second check

    PDSA recommends a simple hands-on check you can do at home:

    • Ribs: run your hands along their sides. You should be able to feel the ribs easily under a light layer of fat, without pressing hard.
    • Waist: looking from above, there should be a visible waist, a slight 'hourglass' shape behind the ribs.
    • Tummy: from the side, the tummy should tuck up towards the back legs, not sag or bulge.
    • Tail base: there shouldn't be a build-up of fat where the tail meets the back.

    If you can't feel the ribs or there's no waist, speak to your vet or veterinary nurse. Many practices run free weight clinics.

    How to keep a hungry Labrador lean (and happy)

    • Weigh their food. Use kitchen scales rather than a scoop. Small overfills add up quickly for a dog that may already burn fewer calories.
    • Count every treat. Treats, chews and scraps from the table all count towards the day's food. Setting aside part of the daily kibble to use as training treats is an easy win.
    • Make meals last longer. Dr Raffan's team suggests spreading each day's ration out, for example with puzzle feeders or by scattering food in the garden, so eating becomes an activity rather than a 30-second event.
    • Split the ration. Two or three smaller meals can help a Lab who's hungry between meals, as long as the daily total stays the same.
    • Don't read begging as hunger. For a POMC-positive dog, the hungry look is always on. Stick to the amount your vet recommends for their ideal weight, not the amount they ask for.
    • Keep them moving. Regular walks, swimming and retrieving games suit the breed's working heritage and help burn off calories.
    • Weigh in regularly. A monthly weigh-in at the vet, or on the bathroom scales (weigh yourself, then yourself holding your dog), helps you catch gradual gain early.

    A healthy weight also takes pressure off hips and elbows, which matters for a breed already prone to joint problems. Our joint supplements guide explains which ingredients have the best evidence, and our dog nutrition guide covers fresh food, kibble and safe human foods.

    For the Labrador lovers

    If you share your life (and your sofa) with a Lab, have a look at our Labrador range, from embroidered sweatshirts and T-shirts to art deco mugs and cosy dog beds.

    You'll also find our Dog Health Supplements collection for joint, digestive and skin and coat support.

     

     

    FAQs

    Why is my Labrador always hungry? Labradors were bred as hard-working retrievers with a strong drive for food, and around a quarter also carry a POMC gene variant that makes them feel hungrier between meals and burn fewer calories at rest. The appetite is real, but it doesn't mean they need more food.

    Can I test my Labrador for the POMC gene? Yes. DNA tests for the POMC variant are available through some canine genetic testing providers. Whatever the result, the advice is the same: measure food carefully and keep your dog lean.

    How long do Labradors live? In a large UK study, black and yellow Labradors had a median lifespan of about 12 years, and chocolate Labradors about 10.7 years. Keeping a Labrador lean has been shown to add around 1.8 years to median lifespan.

    How can I tell if my Labrador is overweight? You should be able to feel their ribs easily, see a waist from above and see the tummy tuck up from the side. If you can't, ask your vet to check their body condition score.

    Are chocolate Labradors less healthy? UK research found chocolate Labradors lived around 1.4 years less on average than black and yellow Labs, and had higher rates of ear and skin conditions. Researchers think this may be linked to the smaller gene pool used to breed the chocolate colour.

    This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for veterinary advice. Before changing your dog's diet or starting a weight-loss plan, speak to your vet.

    Sources:

     

    White 11oz Ceramic Mug | The Dog Life - Hobbster

    Enjoying this blog?

    Why not join 'The Dog Life' family with this 11oz ceramic custom mug

     

    Back to blog

    Leave a comment