For a Labrador, the joint habit that matters most is staying lean, and a joint supplement works best on top of that, not instead of it. Labs are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia and to cruciate ligament injuries in the knee, and some carry a gene that makes them hungrier than they need to be. Get the weight right, protect the puppy months, and then talk with your vet about adding daily joint support.
When a supplement makes sense, the serving of Everhound Hip & Joint follows your Lab's weight. For size, the AKC breed standard puts males at 65–80 lb and females at 55–70 lb. That means 3 chews a day for most Labs and 4 for bigger males.
What staying lean did for Labrador hips
A long-running study followed 48 Labrador Retrievers for their entire lives. Littermates were paired, and from 8 weeks of age one dog in each pair got 25% less food than the other.
- The leaner dogs had a significantly longer median lifespan, and the signs of chronic disease generally showed up later (Kealy et al., 2002).
- On hip X-rays, the median age at which osteoarthritis first appeared was 6 years in the dogs that ate more, and 12 years in the leaner dogs (Smith et al., 2006).
- Across the whole group, hip osteoarthritis on X-ray rose from 15% at age 2 to 67% by age 14. In these Labs, joint wear built steadily through life rather than appearing all at once in old age.
The practical lesson is simple. Measure every meal, adjust portions to the dog in front of you rather than the chart on the bag, and aim for a visible waist and ribs you can feel without pressing.
Why so many Labs act like they're always hungry
If your Lab seems permanently starving, it may be partly genetic. A 2016 study found a gene variant called a POMC deletion in about 22% of the 383 UK Labradors tested. It was linked to higher body weight, roughly 1.9 kg (about 4 lb) per copy, and stronger food motivation. It was also more common in Labs bred as assistance dogs than in pet Labs.
That doesn't make weight gain inevitable. It means a Lab often needs a plan rather than willpower:
- Feed measured meals instead of leaving food out.
- Count treats. The AKC notes that treats help with training but too many can cause obesity, so use pieces of the day's kibble when you can.
- Use food puzzles or scatter feeding so meals last longer.
- Weigh your Lab once a month and adjust before the extra pounds pile up.
Hips, elbows, and knees: the Lab's usual suspects
Hip and elbow X-rays that owners and breeders submit to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) feed its breed statistics. For Labradors, 11.3% of 325,373 hip evaluations were graded dysplastic, and 9.9% of 149,228 elbow evaluations were abnormal. Across all breeds, the figures are 14.2% for hips and 12.0% for elbows.
Labs come in below the all-breed average, and a 2013 analysis of the OFA database found steady genetic improvement in Labrador hips over 40 years of screening. The same study warned that voluntary reporting skews against dogs with poor results, so real rates are likely higher. Buying from parents with hip and elbow clearances, as the AKC's recommended health tests for the breed list, still counts.
Knees are the other big one. VCA Animal Hospitals names Labradors among the breeds at higher risk of cruciate ligament disease earlier in life and says excess weight can significantly increase the risk. Early signs are subtle: a "lazy sit" with one back leg kicked out to the side, or hesitating on stairs. A full rupture can make a dog suddenly unable to bear weight on that leg. VCA also notes that dogs that rupture one knee ligament face a higher risk in the other knee.
The puppy months: stairs, soft ground, and slow growth
A Norwegian study that followed 501 large-breed puppies, including 133 Labradors, looked at how they lived in their first months (Krontveit et al., 2012). Puppies that walked on stairs from birth to 3 months of age had a higher risk of hip dysplasia. Puppies that got off-leash exercise outdoors in that same window had a lower risk. The authors suggested keeping puppies under 3 months off stairs while letting them play on soft ground in moderately rough terrain.
A few more puppy basics from Cornell's guide to canine hip dysplasia:
- Overfeeding and rapid growth can worsen hip dysplasia in dogs already predisposed to it.
- Feed a large-breed puppy formula, and don't add calcium or vitamin D supplements.
- Timing matters if there's a problem. Cornell notes that one hip surgery for puppies has to be done by 12 to 20 weeks of age, and another works best before orthopedic maturity, around eight months for a Lab-sized dog.
So if your young Lab bunny-hops when running or struggles to get up, see your vet early rather than waiting to see if they grow out of it.
Retrieving, swimming, and the weekend problem
The AKC describes the Lab as an exuberant, very energetic breed whose favorite activities are retrieving and swimming. Both can be great for joints with a little care:
- Swimming takes body weight off the joints. Cornell lists it, with walking, among the low-impact options for dogs with hip dysplasia.
- Fetch means sprinting, braking hard, and twisting, over and over. Mix in rolling throws, find-it games, and walks instead of endless ball-launcher sessions.
- Consistency beats intensity. A Lab that does nothing all week and then retrieves for two hours on Saturday is the one most likely to come home sore.
One more thing to know. The AKC notes that exercise-induced collapse (EIC) can occur in some young adult Labs. OFA's DNA results show 0.7% of 9,589 Labs tested were affected and 12.1% were carriers. A Lab that wobbles or collapses during intense exercise isn't having a joint problem. Stop, let them cool down, and call your vet.
When Lab owners usually start a joint supplement
The Riney Canine Health Center at Cornell notes that some experts like to start around a dog's first birthday, roughly when growth stops, while others go by activity and risk. For a Lab, the risk factors to raise with your vet are weight history, how hard they play or work, and any past limp or knee trouble. Our step-by-step on when to start a joint supplement walks through the decision.
If your Lab is overweight today, put that first. Cornell points out that for overweight dogs, losing weight alone often brings a significant improvement in joint pain.
Everhound Hip & Joint is a chicken-flavor soft chew for grown dogs, with glucosamine HCl (200 mg), chondroitin sulfate (65 mg), and MSM (100 mg) in every chew. There's no corn, soy, or artificial flavor in it. Think of it as daily joint support alongside a lean diet, not a replacement for one.
How many chews does a Labrador need?
Go by what your Lab actually weighs today, and give the chews with food every day.
| Dog's weight | Chews per day | Typical Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 lb | 1 | A young puppy, too early for this chew |
| 25–50 lb | 2 | Young Lab still growing |
| 50–75 lb | 3 | Most females and many males |
| 75–100 lb | 4 | Large males, or a Lab carrying extra weight |
| Over 100 lb | 5 | Well above the breed standard |
If your Lab lands on a higher row than the AKC range suggests, use the real weight for serving and bring the gap up with your vet. A 120-chew jar covers 40 days for a 3-chew Lab and 30 days for a 4-chew Lab. For timing and missed-day tips, see our feeding guide for joint chews.
Comparing breeds? Golden Retrievers show higher hip dysplasia rates in the same OFA data. Our Golden Retriever joint guide covers what's different for them.
Frequently asked questions
What can I give my Labrador for arthritis?
Start with your vet, who can confirm it's arthritis and build a plan that may include weight loss, controlled exercise, prescription medication, and a joint supplement. Never give human pain relievers like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen unless your vet tells you to. Our guide to arthritis in dogs explains the options.
Why does my Lab sit with one back leg out to the side?
That "lazy sit" can be an early sign of a cruciate ligament problem, according to VCA, though hips can cause it too. It's worth a vet visit, especially if your Lab is also hesitating on stairs or getting up slowly.
My Lab collapsed after a hard game of fetch. Is that his joints?
Probably not. Collapse during intense exercise in a young Lab can be exercise-induced collapse, an inherited condition, or something else that needs a vet. Stop exercise, keep them cool, and contact your vet right away.
Do young, healthy Labs need a joint supplement?
Not necessarily. A lean body, smart exercise, and parents with good hip and elbow results do the heavy lifting. A good time to raise a daily chew with your vet is once your Lab is fully grown, especially if they're very active.
When you and your vet are ready to add daily joint support, Everhound Hip & Joint is here.