10 best dog foods for Labradors to chow down on in 2024

Adopt a sensible approach to food to stop your Lab from scoffing the lot.

Best dog foods for Labradors

by Natalie Knowles |
Updated on

The best dog food for Labradors should be a well-balanced blend of protein, carbs, fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals from high-quality ingredients. Following the feeding guide of your chosen dog food, it can be tailored to suit your dog's age, weight and activity level. It's also important to factor in any underlying health conditions, such as food intolerances or hip dysplasia (which Labs are prone to as a larger dog breed), to ensure your dog is getting the right kind of diet.

From sausage dogs to Great Danes, our canine companions come in all shapes and sizes but trust a Labrador to be the UK's leading dog breed. Whether this affectionate and popular dog is black, chocolate or gold in colour, quality meat, grains and vegetables form their diet. This loveable and loyal breed also has a genetic quirk that means they eat without knowing they are full. Trust them to snaffle anything that's vaguely edible! Therefore, it's important to monitor their portions and make sure your Lab gets lots of exercise. Labradors need at least an hour of exercise every day and they have a large appetite so lots of activity is needed to counter their hearty food intake.

Best dog foods for Labradors at a glance:

It's important to provide fresh water and ideally offer a diet that combines wet and dry food. The wet dog food offers additional hydration which is essential to maintain good kidney health. Dry food or raw dog food is great for removing plaque and tartar buildup on dogs' teeth. Whether you choose a commercial or homemade diet for your Lab, it's a great idea to use a puzzle feeder and portion their food into smaller meals throughout the day.

And, if your Lab is a little older, you may want to consider joint supplements, or a complete food for senior dogs that's packed with protein to help preserve their muscle mass even as they move less in their old age. But for now, here's our pick of the 10 best dog foods for Labs to buy in the UK.

Best dog food for Labradors

Best overall

Royal Canin Dog Food Labrador Retriever Dry MixRoyal Canin

Royal Canin is well-known for being a brand that offers many recipes tailored to specific needs of breeds, which is why we think this Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food is the top dog of foods for your Labrador. The kibble has a distinct shape and size that's designed to slow down your Lab's food intake to stop them wolfing it down too quickly and causing themselves digestive issues. As Labrador Retrievers have a tendency to gain weight, the food has an adapted calorie content to help them maintain a healthy weight and body condition. This food also contains all the nutrients, such as glucosamine and chondroitine, your pup needs to keep their joints health too along with Omega 3 fatty acids and borage oil to keep their skin and coat loooking and feeling great, too.

Customers with greedy Labs that love their food have stated that this food has certainly helps them to slow down, which has in turn aided their digestive health. Improved coat condition and joint health are also things that crop up in the reviews time and time again. Maize and rice are the main ingredients of this food and is listed before the dehydrated beef and pork protein, which means there's a higher percentage of those than the meat in this food. For this reason, you'll want to make sure you're keeping an eye on the serving you're giving your pooch to ensure they don't gain too much weight, but luckily there is a feeding guide on the packaging to help you work out how much your Lab needs.

Pros

  • Distinct kibble shape and size designed to slow down your Lab's food intake
  • Improves skin and coat health with added Omega 3 fatty acids and borage oil
  • Kibble has adapted calorie content to help prevent weight gain

Cons

  • Maize and rice are listed as main ingredients before the protein so make sure you're regularly monitoring portion size to ensure your Lab doesn't gain weight
Food weight:12kg
Flavour:Beef and pork
  • Ingredients: Maize, rice, dehydrated beef and pork protein*, dehydrated poultry protein, hydrolysed animal proteins, animal fats, vegetable fibres, beet pulp, maize gluten, wheat, yeasts and parts thereof, fish oil, minerals, soya oil, psyllium husks and seeds, fructo-oligo-saccharides, hydrolysed crustaceans (source of glucosamine), borage oil (0.1%), marigold extract (source of lutein), hydrolysed cartilage (source of chondroitin). 

Best dry food for Labradors

Eukanuba Complete Dry Dog Food for Adult Labrador RetrieverViovet/Eukanuba
Price: £40.75

Eukanuba Complete Dry Dog Food for Adult Labrador Retriever is designed to help your Lab maintain a healthy weight and keep their joints healthy. It contains a blend of chicken and turkey, vegetables, other proteins and healthy fats from natural sources to offer nutrition that is specifically tailored to the needs of an adult Labrador Retriever. Also, this kibble contains a prebiotic to maintain good gut health, with Omega 3 and 6 to keep their coat looking nice and shiny, plus Vitamin E to support their immune system.

It comes highly rated by customers on Amazon with over 3,500 reviews, with many appreciating the improvement in their pup's coat quality since switching to the food and how digestible it is too. It does have maize and wheat as main ingredients so if your Lab has allergies or sensitivities to these ingredients you may want to consider another option, all in all though, this is a great choice for a complete and balanced dry food.

Pros

  • Designed to help your Lab maintain a health weight and keep their joints healthy
  • Added Omega 3 and 6 to keep their coat looking nice and shiny
  • Includes Vitamin E to support your Lab's immune system

Cons

  • Maize and wheat are main ingredients which some Labs could have allergies/sensitivities to
Food weight:12kg
Flavour:Chicken and turkey
  • Ingredients: Dried Chicken And Turkey, Maize, Wheat, Sorghum, Barley, Animal Fat, Dried Beet Pulp, Hydrolysed Animal Proteins, Dried Whole Egg, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Fructooligosaccharides, Linseed, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulphate

Best vet-approved food for Labradors

Excellent skin and coat condition and good digestive health are what every owner wants for their Labrador and this AVA Breed Health Labrador Retriever Dry Dog Food will help you to acheive that. This breed-specific formulation from AVA is made with a source of good quality chicken protein, which is gentle on tums along with prebiotics for digestive health and added glucosamine and chondroitin to aid with skin and coat health.

A naturally hypoallergenic recipe with no added grain, wheat, wheat gluten, beef, pork and soya, this recipe is also a source of slow-release carbohydrates to help your Lab maintain their energy levels until their next mealtime. Although this AVA food follows a stirct wheat free recipe, it's produced in a factory that handles wheat so there is a small chance that traces may be present so whether this food is still suitable for a Lab with a wheat allergy/intolerance/sensitivity will all depend on how severe it is.

Pros

  • Made with a source of good quality chicken protein
  • Recipe is naturally hypoallergenic with no added grain, wheat, wheat gluten, beef, pork and soya
  • A source of slow release carbohydrates to help your Lab maintain their energy levels until their next meal

Cons

  • Although the recipe is strictly wheat free, it is made in a factory that handles wheat so there is a small chance that traces could be present
Food weight:12kg
Flavour:Chicken
  • Ingredients: Chicken 42.0% (Chicken Meal (21.0%), Chicken (18.8%)), Brown Rice (18.8%), Maize (9.2%), Beet Pulp (6.8%), Flaked Oats (6.4%), Sorghum (6.4%), Chicken Fat (3.0%), Salmon Oil, Brewers Yeast, Chicken Gravy (2.2%), Minerals, Egg, Potassium Chloride, Chicory Root Extract (a source of Prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides (0.2%)), Yeasts (as a source of Beta-glucans and Prebiotic Mannanoligosaccharide) (0.14%), Glucosamine (0.07%), Chondroitin Sulphate (0.055%), Yucca Extract (0.025%), Cranberry Extract (0.018%), Pomegranate Extract (0.009%), Green Tea Extract (0.009%)

Best dog food subscription for Labradors

Butternut BoxButternut Box
Price: £3.98+ per day

butternutbox.com

For fresh dog food delivered straight to your door for your Labrador, consider Butternut Box. It's designed to offer human-grade, quality ingredients with plenty of vitamins and minerals that are tailored to the exact needs of your doggo. All you need to do is fill out a form online with your Lab's age, weight, activity levels and any allergies and Butternut Box will recommend the best recipe to address any concerns you may have. Each recipe contains at least 60 per cent meat to give your Lab a much-needed protein boost and is gently cooked before being frozen to lock in the nutrients.

As we've mentioned, Butternut Box's fresh dog foods are delivered frozen for you to store in the freezer so ensure you've got plenty of room in yours to store them when they arrive. You also need to remember to take them out of the freezer in plenty of time to defrost, ready to serve to your Lab at their next mealtime.

Pros

  • Portions specially tailored to your Lab's age, weight and activity level
  • Fresh food from quality, human-grade ingredients
  • Each recipe contains at least 60 per cent meat to give your Lab a protein boost

Cons

  • Arrives to your door frozen so make sure you've got plenty of freezer space to store them
Food weight:Varies
Flavour:Varies
  • Ingredients: varies

Best dry food for Labrador puppies

Royal Canin Dog Food Labrador Retriever Puppy Dry MixAmazon/Royal Canin
Price: £69.98

Just like the adult version, this Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy Dry Dog Food has specially designed kibble to ensure your cuddly pup doesn't gobble their food. At a stage where they are growing fast, this complete dry dog food ensures healthy development. It has a specially formulated blend of meat, vegetables, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals to support your puppy's immune system, healthy growth and digestive health.

Customers online say this food is highly palatable and lures their Lab puppy to their bowl and they also appreciate that it aids tummy health while keeping their coat in lovely condition. One thing to note is that rice is the main ingredient of this food so you'll want to make sure your monitoring your pup's intake to ensure they're not gaining weight too quickly.

Pros

  • Specially shaped kibble for Labrador puppies to prevent them from gobbling up their food too quickly
  • Ensure healthy development by ensuring your Lab puppy has everything they need while growing
  • Supports your puppy's immune system, healthy growth and digestive health through its blend of meat, vegetables, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals

Cons

  • Rice is main ingredient so make sure you monitor your pup's intake to ensure they're not gaining weight too quickly
Food weight:12kg
Flavour:Poultry
  • Ingredients: Rice, dehydrated poultry meat, vegetable protein isolate, maize, animal fats, maize gluten, barley, hydrolysed animal proteins, minerals, fish oil, vegetable fibres, vegetable oils, egg powder, beet pulp, fructo-oligo-saccharides, psyllium husks and seeds, L-lysine, sodium polyphosphate, yeast extract, hydrolysed crustaceans, taurine, DL-methionine, marigold extract, L-carnitine, hydrolysed cartilage

Best wet dog food for Labradors

Harringtons Grain Free Hypoallergenic Wet Dog FoodAmazon/Harringtons
Price: £19.12

Harringtons Grain Free Hypoallergenic Wet Dog Food range caters to dogs aged eight weeks and older, so a great option if you're looking for a food that you can feed to your Lab from puppyhood into their adult years and beyond. This Harringtons variety pack offers four delicious flavours – Beef, Turkey, Chicken and Salmon – for dogs with hearty appetites to enjoy while ensuring they don't get bored by offering them a different flavour in their bowl each day. Harringtons employ a unique FreshCook method, using human-grade meat freshly prepared and gently cooked to retain nutrition and flavour, supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals.

This food is good value for money while also being tasty for their pooch, according to reviews. Customers online also appreciate that the recipes are grain-free and hypoallergenic. There are some comments about dogs (and their owners) disliking the texture of the food inside these trays.

Pros

  • Variety of flavours to stop your Lab from getting bored of what's in their bowl at mealtimes
  • Suitable from eight weeks so you can feed this food from puppyhood into adulthood and beyond
  • Food is gently cooked to retain nutrition and flavour

Cons

  • Some customers comment that their dogs disliked the texture of this food
Food weight:16 x 400g
Flavour:Beef, Turkey, Chicken and Salmon
  • Ingredients: Chicken: Chicken, Vegetables (Potato, Peas and Carrot), Vitamins and Minerals, Salmon oil, Sunflower oil, Dried Tomato, Seaweed, Green Lipped Mussel, Chicory, Parsley, Basil, Green Tea, Rosemary, Rosehip
  • Beef: Beef & Chicken, Vegetables (Potato, Peas and Carrot), Vitamins and Minerals, Salmon oil, Sunflower oil, Dried Tomato, Seaweed, Green Lipped Mussel, Chicory, Parsley, Basil, Green Tea, Rosemary, Rosehip
  • Turkey: Turkey & Chicken, Vegetables (Potato, Peas & Carrot), Vitamins and minerals, Salmon oil, Sunflower oil, Dried Tomato, Seaweed, Green Lipped Mussel, Chicory, Parsley, Basil, Green Tea, Rosemary, Rosehip
  • Salmon: Salmon & Chicken, Vegetables (Potato, Peas & Carrot), Vitamins and minerals, Salmon oil, Sunflower oil, Dried Tomato, Seaweed, Green Lipped Mussel, Chicory, Parsley, Basil, Green Tea, Rosemary, Rosehip

Best wet dog food for portion size

Pooch & Mutt Wet Food MultipackPooch & Mutt

Offering a good size portion for large breed dogs, such as Labradors, the cartons in the Pooch & Mutt Wet Food Multipack offer 375g per carton so it should help you to keep an eye on portion control and help you work out exactly what your pooch needs when it's time for din-dins. Each recipe, whether you opt for Turkey & Duck, Chicken & Beef, Chicken, Pumpkin & Pea or Turkey & Chicken for your pooch is bursting with natural ingredients that are gently steam cooked to keep the freshness in as well as nutrient dense vitamins and minerals to ensure your Lab has everything they need to stay happy and healthy.

Dogs will lick their bowl clean every time they're served this food, say reviewers online. Customers also appreciate that the cartons make it super easy to serve and portion out, as well as being made using 100 per cent recyclable packaging. Some reviewers point out this food has a strong smell, which you might not love but your pooch won't be able to get enough of.

Pros

  • Comes in packaging that is easy to serve from and portion out
  • Four flavours for variety to ensure your pup licks their bowl clean with every meal
  • Bursting with natural ingredients that gently steam cooked to keep in the freshness

Cons

  • Some reviewers didn't like the smell, but dogs love it!
Food weight:12 x 375kg
Flavour:Turkey & Duck, Chicken & Beef, Chicken, Pumpkin & Pea, Turkey & Chicken
  • Ingredients: Chicken, Pumpkin and Pea: Fresh chicken, pumpkin, green peas, carrots, seaweed extract, yucca extract, fructooligosaccharide prebiotics
  • Turkey and Duck: Fresh turkey, fresh duck, green peas, carrots, seaweed extract, yucca extract, fructooligosaccharide prebiotics
  • Turkey and Chicken: Turkey, chicken, potato, carrot, broccoli, blueberry, apple, yucca extract, chicory root extract
  • Chicken and Beef: Chicken, beef, carrot, potato, broccoli, yucca extract, chicory root extract

Best supermarket dog food for Labradors

Pedigree Adult Wet Dog Food Pouches Mixed Selection in GravySainsburys/Pedigree

For your convenience, you can grab these Pedigree Adult Wet Dog Food Pouches Mixed in Gravy at the same time as your weekly food shop. Designed to be served either on their own as a complete and balanced meal or served as a tasty topper to dry food, these pouches contain natural fibres to keep your Lab's insides healthy to maintain their digestive health as well as Vitamin E and selected minerals that are known to bolster your dog's natural defences. There are also four different flavours in each multipack which are bound to get your pup's tail wagging the minute they hear you open the pouch.

The portion size of these pouches is 100g, which you may find to be on the small side for a Lab-sized portion so you may end up going through this box of 12 more quickly compared to a pet owner with a smaller breed that doesn't require as much food.

Pros

  • Four flavour varieties
  • Can be served as a complete meal on their own or as a topper to dry food
  • Contains natural fibres to keep your Lab's insides healthy

Cons

  • Small quantity in an individual pouch so you may find you go through the box more quickly compared to pet owners that don't require as big portions per meal
Quantity:12 x 100g
Flavour:Chicken, Beef & Liver, Turkey, Beef & Lamb
  • Ingredients: Meat and Animal Derivatives, Cereals, Vegetables (Carrot and Pea Mix, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin (including Dried Beet Pulp), Minerals

Best dry dog food for overweight Labradors

Credit: Rosie Floyd/Take a Break Pets
Price: £73.70

Weight gain is a common concern for Labradors, so if your Lab is starting to look a little on the heavier side, Royal Canin Satiety Dog Food might be the perfect solution to help them shed those extra pounds. This special formula is packed with natural fibres, designed to keep your dog feeling full and satisfied between meals, helping to curb begging and over-snacking. Its high protein content also ensures that as your Labrador loses weight, their muscles remain lean and strong. However, like many other Royal Canin recipes, this food contains wheat as a primary ingredient. If your Labrador has a sensitivity or allergy to wheat, this may not be the best option for them.

Our Senior Writer, Rosie Floyd, had great success using this food for her Labrador mix, Barney, who needed to lose weight before undergoing surgery. She shared her experience: “Barney had to drop a significant amount of weight, but despite increasing his exercise and adjusting his portion sizes, we weren’t seeing the results we needed. Our vet recommended this Royal Canin formula, and I gradually transitioned him to it over the course of a month. Within a few months, Barney lost the 12kg necessary for his surgery. He’s now much more energetic, and it’s clear he feels better overall. The packaging also includes a handy chart that helps you figure out the proper portion size based on your dog’s target weight, making it easy to feed them the right amount.”

Pros

  • Full of natural fibres to keep your Labrador feeling full
  • High in protein to keep your Lab's muscles strong as they lose weight
  • Formulated for overweight dogs, which is likely to be the case for Labradors

Cons

  • Has wheat as a main ingredient which some Labs may be allergic to
Food weight:12kg
Flavour:Poultry
  • Ingredients: Vegetable fibres, dehydrated poultry meat, wheat gluten***, tapioca, maize gluten, maize, hydrolysed animal proteins, animal fats, wheat, beet pulp, minerals, fish oil, Fructo-Oligo-Saccharides (FOS), L-tyrosine, soya oil, psyllium husks and seeds, sodium polyphosphate, hydrolysed crustaceans (source of glucosamine), taurine, marigold extract (source of lutein), Lcarnitine, hydrolysed cartilage (source of chondroitin).

Best wet food for overweight Labradors

Lily's Kitchen Lean MachineLily's Kitchen/Amazon
Price: £13

Lily's Kitchen Lean Machine is a delicious, low-calorie option for Labradors who need to shed a few pounds while still enjoying a flavorful meal. With only 85 calories per 100g, this recipe features freshly prepared turkey and squash, making it a satisfying yet light choice for your Lab. Packed with natural ingredients, it offers added health benefits - kale delivers essential vitamins A and C, as well as minerals like manganese and potassium, while goji berries provide a rich source of vitamins C, E, and K.

Both we and online customers are impressed with the quality of this food, especially its high meat content, with 50 per cent turkey providing a vital source of protein to help your Labrador maintain muscle strength during weight loss. The premium natural ingredients make this food a top pick among dog owners, even though it’s considered a more high-end option. Reviewers often note that the quality and taste are worth the price. However, some do mention the food has a strong smell when you open the tin, so be prepared for that.

Pros

  • 100g of this food is just 85 calories, great for Labradors that needs to lose a few pounds
  • Recipe is made up of 50 per cent turkey for a good source of protein
  • Made with natural ingredients so your Lab gets only the best, even when trying to lose weight

Cons

  • Some reviewers mention this food has a strong smell when you first open the tin
Food weight:6 x 400g
Flavour:Turkey
  • Ingredients: Turkey (50%), Squash (8%), Kale (4%), Goji Berries (1%), Cranberries, Chickpeas, Quinoa, Minerals, Sunflower Seeds, Parsley, Mint, Goldenrod, Nettles, Aniseed, Rosehips, Marigold Flowers, Cleavers, Chickweed, Alfalfa, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root, Celery Seeds.

How we chose the best dog food for Labradors

All of these Labrador dog foods have been hand-selected by our team of Take A Break Pets shopping experts. We carefully considered ingredient quality, nutritional value and taste in our selection of the best. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching dog foods for Labradors to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in.

With pets big and small on our team, where possible we'll share the best products that have been tried and tested by our own furry friends who have given their paw of approval. And, with help from veterinary experts, we share their knowledge to ensure everything we choose is paw-fect for your pet.

FAQs: Best dog food for Labradors

How much do Labradors need to eat?

The amount of food a Labrador needs to eat can vary depending their age, weight, activity level, metabolism and overall health. Male Labradors can be up to 57cm tall and weigh between 27 and 34kg. Females can be up to 56cm tall and weigh between 25 and 32kg. Prodog Raw advise that a Labrador Retriever that's 25kg–36kg needs 500–720g of food per day. However, this can vary based on individual factors and the specific nutritional content of the food.
Always refer to the feeding guide on whatever food you (and your Lab) decide on.

What are health problems associated with Labradors?

Labradors have a genetic predisposition to overeating. In new research by the University of Cambridge, it was found that a quarter of Labradors have a genetic mutation which means they eat without feeling full. The POMC gene (Pro-opiomelanocortin gene) is associated with regulating appetite and metabolism in mammals, including dogs. According to research at the University of Cambridge: "Around 25 per cent of Labradors and 66 per cent of Flat-Coated Retriever dogs have the POMC mutation, which researchers previously showed causes increased interest in food and risk of obesity."
Therefore, it's important for Labrador owners to monitor their dog's food intake and provide appropriate portion control and exercise to maintain a healthy weight.
Labradors are susceptible to certain health issues, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, obesity and eye conditions like cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. In Purina's guide to Labrador health problems, it's advised to source Labrador puppies from reputable breeders. Ensure screenings and tests have been done so that puppies don't carry gene defects.
Finally, regular vet check-ups, a balanced diet and exercise can help mitigate health issues associated with Labradors.

How much exercise do Labradors need?

Labradors are an active breed and require regular exercise to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing. They typically need at least an hour of exercise per day, which can include walks, runs, swimming or playing. Adequate exercise helps prevent obesity, promotes muscle tone and prevents behavioural issues stemming from boredom or excess energy. Labradors are intelligent and easy to train, therefore it's a breed that can benefit from dog agility equipment.

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things cats and dogs. In her other life, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.

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