Last Updated: 17/06/2025
Best Dog Food for Labradors 2024 [Vet Reviewed]
Looking for the best food for your Labrador? See our vets selection of premium foods to suit your Labrador's needs.
Author: Dr Jacqui Victor BVSc MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats)
Reading Time: 53 minutes - long read
Labradors are friendly and sociable, making them fantastic family dogs. Labradors have a love of food, making them easily trainable, however this often results in an inability to regulate their food intake, making them more prone to becoming overweight or obese. Being a large breed dog, osteoarthritis is also unfortunately common in this breed, and this, coupled with being overweight, can lead to further pressure on the joints. Therefore, it's important that your Labrador is receiving a premium diet which contains adjusted calorie and fat levels for weight control, as well as added ingredients for joint support.
If your Labrador loves to inhale their food, then using a puzzle feeder or snuffle mat are great ways to help decrease their speed of food intake, helping them to feel fuller for longer, as well as providing some extra mental enrichment.
Choosing a premium diet specifically formulated for large breed dogs is a great option for Labradors that are not currently suffering from any health issues (such as obesity or arthritis). There are also specific weight control, joint care, and veterinary prescription diets available to suit your Labrador's specific needs. We have compiled a list of the best dry foods for Labradors to make your life easier, and to ensure your Labrador stays as healthy and happy as possible.
To read more about the traits and qualities of Labradors, check out our Labrador Breed Guide.
Four factors to consider when choosing a dry food for Labradors::
- Health conditions: Your treating veterinarian should be your first port of call when it comes to dietary advice if your Labrador has any underlying diagnosed health conditions. In many cases, there may be veterinary prescription diets which are the best option to help manage your dog's condition. For health support, there are a range of non-prescription, retail diet options to help prevent common health conditions that Labradors are prone to, such as obesity and osteoarthritis.
- Complete and balanced: In choosing a food, the most important consideration after any health factors is that the diet is complete and balanced for your Labrador's stage of life. Ensuring that it meets AAFCO or FEDIAF pet food control guidelines is crucial to ensure that your dog receives all the nutrients they require in the correct ratios.
- Age: Labradors of different ages have very different nutritional requirements. Labrador pups require energy-dense food to meet their growth rate, while senior Labs are often less active and have a slower metabolism which means that they require fewer calories and less fat, but an easily digestible diet, to help them maintain good body condition.
- Quality: The quality of the ingredients and the digestibility of the nutrients they provide should be a key factor in choosing a food. Premium dog foods are designed to be highly digestible (which means smaller, firmer stools) and do not change ingredients batch to batch like grocery type brands, which means less tummy upsets. They also tend to contain higher levels of added beneficial nutrients, such as omega fatty acids for joint and skin health, and some are backed by testing to ensure they deliver the results they promise. Learning how to read pet food labels and knowing the ingredients in your dog's food is a crucial part of knowing what is the best food for them.
In this article
- Best Overall: Royal Canin Labrador Retriever
- Runner Up: Advance Retrievers
- Best Veterinary Prescription Diet: Hills Metabolic and Mobility
- Best Natural Diet: Black Hawk Large Breed Chicken and Rice
- Best Puppy Food: Royal Canin Labrador Puppy
- Best Weight Control Diet: Advance Healthy Weight Large Breed
- Best Joint Care Diet: Royal Canin Maxi Joint Care
How We Review Our Products
Our Pet Circle Vet Squad comprises 30 vets with over 120 years of collective, independent veterinary expertise. Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.
Top Recommended Labrador Diets in Australia [Vet Reviewed]
Best Overall
Royal Canin Labrador
Pros
- Specifically formulated to support the unique nutritional needs of adult Labradors
- Features an adapted calorie content to prevent excess weight gain as well as an exclusive kibble design to slow down the rate of eating and promote the feeling of fullness
- Contains added chondroitin and glucosamine to help support healthy joints and bones
- Exclusive kibble design to slow down the rate of food intake
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
- Complementary wet food variety available
Cons
- Contains poultry which may not be suitable for dogs with food allergies or intolerances
- Designed for pure-bred dogs and may not be the best option for crossbreeds
- More expensive than all breed or large breed options
Dominating the market with their breed-specific diets, Royal Canin is backed by extensive scientific research. This breed specific diet is formulated to meet the unique nutritional requirements of Labradors, with an increased protein level and reduced fat level to help them maintain a healthy weight. It also contains borage oil and essential fatty acids to support your Labrador's skin and coat. The addition of omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), this premium diet also supports healthy bones and joints. As an added bonus, the kibble has a specific texture and shape to help reduce the rate of food intake to help maintain your Labrador at a healthy weight.
What our customers say: "Our labrador 'Jala' is almost 12 years of age and we have been blessed with her great health, vigour and energies. We contribute her excellent health to her always being on Royal Canin. We cannot speak more highly of this wonderful Labrador Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food"
What our vets say: "I like to recommend this premium dry food for Labradors for several reasons. It contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to promote a healthy skin and shiny coat as well as supporting bone and joint health. It contains an adapted calorie content to prevent excess weight gain (as we all know Labradors love their food)! And it has an exclusive kibble which encourages them to chew and slow down their eating as well as being highly palatable." - Dr. Angie
Runner Up
Advance Retrievers
Pros
- Specifically formulated to support the unique nutritional needs of Retriever breeds
- Contains additional Green Lipped Mussel to support healthy joints and bones
- Contains a tailored fat content to support a healthy bodyweight, as well as added L-carnitine to help burn fat and support a healthy metabolism
- Contains sustainably sourced Tasmanian salmon, high in contain omega 3 fatty acids to help strengthen the skin barrier
- 100% Australian made
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
Cons
- Contains chicken which may not be suitable for dogs with food allergies or intolerances
- Only available in one size bag (13kg)
- Suitable for all Retriever breeds, not specifically Labradors
- No wet food variety available
Advance pride themselves on providing high quality nutrition fueled by Aussie science. This nutrient-dense kibble is specifically tailored to to support health issues seen in the retriever family including a healthy bodyweight, skin sensitivities, and joint and heart health. It contains an adapted fat content as well as L-carnitine to help burn fat and support a healthy weight. Added chondroitin, glucosamine and omega 3 fatty acids help to manage joint health, whilst added omega 3 & 6 fatty acids along with zinc help to maintain a healthy skin and coat.
What our customers say: "Have used Royal Canin and Eukanuba before for my previous Labrador. For our new Labrador I chose Advance because it is Australian made and protein component is a combination of Australian Salmon and Chicken. The proof is in the pudding . My boy is lean, healthy, happy and has a shiny coat"
What our vets say: "Made in Australia, Advance Retrievers Adult Large Breed Dry Food is specially formulated to support common health conditions of retriever breeds. Enriched with Green Lipped Mussel for joint health, L-Carnitine to maintain a healthy body weight and vitamin B5 for healthy skin and a shiny coat." - Dr. Belinda
Best Veterinary Prescription Diet
Hills Metabolic and Mobility
Pros
- Contains the nutritional benefits of two diets in one, so you don't need to choose between weight loss or joint support
- Clinically proven nutrition to reduce body weight by 13% in 2 months and reduce pain in dogs with arthritis
- Contains therapeutic levels of joint support ingredients, meaning you don't need to give additional joint supplements
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
Cons
- More expensive due to being a combination veterinary prescription diet
- Wet food is only available in a Metabolic (Weight Loss & Maintenance) variety, not a combination with joint support
- Requires the recommendation from your dog's vet prior to ordering as it is a veterinary prescription diet
This veterinary prescription diet is specially formulated by Hill's nutritionists and veterinarians to support your dog's weight loss, weight maintenance and joint health. This diet has been clinically proven to help dogs naturally lose weight by activating their metabolism and improve mobility in as little as 21 days. It is enriched with with omega 3 fatty acids, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate and has been shown help dogs with arthritis walk and run better, play better, and climb stairs more easily. It maintains effective and safe rate of up to 1-2% body weight loss weekly during weight loss period when fed as directed.
What our customers say: "Miracle Food. Since I have had my 11 yo lab on this dry food I have managed to reach her goal weight, a loss of 6kg which was great as she has arthritis so cant do a lot of running/exercise. She has been on this food for a year now & the proof was when I ran out at one point & she went back to struggling to even jump onto the lounge & that was after 4 days without the food - soon as it arrived, she was back on it for a few days, she went back to normal running around, jumping onto lounge etc, so even with the high cost of this food its worth every cent!!!"
What our vets say: "Labs are famous for their love of food and this can often translate to a bit of extra weight which can unfortunately strain the joints. The Hill's Metabolic and Mobility is a veterinary diet perfect for both weight loss and joint support, making it one of my top picks for Labs" - Dr. Antonella
Best Natural Diet
Black Hawk Large Breed
Pros
- Natural holistic diet which is lower in fat and and energy to help prevent weight gai
- Rich in omega fatty acids and emu oil to support healthy skin and a shiny coat
- 100% Australian made and sourced
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
Cons
- Contains chicken which may not be suitable for dogs with food allergies or intolerances
- Only available in a 20kg bag
- No wet food variety available
Black Hawk is a a great Australian-made, holistic brand, which contains natural ingredients with known beneficial properties including blueberries, peppermint and rosemary. This large breed variety is lower in fat and energy to prevent weight gain, and is also rich in emu and omega fatty acids to maintain a healthy skin and coat.
What our customers say: "My labrador x golden retriever loves this food, he has more energy and is generally doing a lot better on his Black Hawk food"
Best for Puppies
Royal Canin Labrador Puppy
Pros
- Specifically formulated to support the unique nutritional needs of growing Labradors pups
- Targeted levels of calcium and phosphorus to support healthy joint growth
- Tailor-made kibble shape, size and texture adapted for Labrador pups
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
Cons
- Contains poultry which may not be suitable for pups with food allergies or intolerances
- Designed for pure-bred puppies and may not be the best option for crossbreeds
- More expensive than all breed or large breed puppy food options
- No exact wet food variety available (can feed Royal Canin Maxi Puppy pouches)
Royal Canin is backed by extensive scientific research, and this premium dry food is specifically formulated to support the health and wellbeing of Labrador puppies up to 15 months of age. It contains targeted levels of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus to support healthy bone and joint development as well as ingredients to support your puppy's natural immune defences and digestive health. It also has an exclusive kibble shape, size and texture adapted for your Labrador Retriever puppy.
What our customers say: "Royal Canin puppy food is a really great start for healthy puppies . My puppy transitioned onto this soon after I got him home without any problems and is thriving"
What our vets say: "Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy food is a great choice for Labrador puppies. It not only contains ingredients that boost your puppy's immune system, it also contains the correct levels of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus that your puppy needs to make sure their bones and joints develop correctly. I love that it has a unique kibble size and shape that encourages Labrador puppies to chew their food and slow down their rate of eating, which improves digestion and promotes feelings of fullness after meals, because we all know how labs love to eat!" - Dr. Jenny
Best for Maintaining Healthy Weight
Advance Healthy Weight Large Breed
Pros
- Premium diet that has the benefits of both a large breed and weight control diet
- Contains fewer calories for weight control as well as Green Lipped Mussel for joint health
- 100% Australian made
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
- Complementary wet food variety available (but is an All Breed formula)
Cons
- Contains chicken which may not be suitable for dogs with food allergies or intolerances
- More expensive than a general large breed diet
Advance is an Australian made, premium brand designed for Australian pets. This high quality dry food is made with fewer calories to support the health of less active or obesity prone large breed dogs. It is fortified with green lipped mussel powder to support joint health, as well as a unique blend of nutrients to support cardiac health and function. This formula also contains antioxidants to help strengthen the immune system, zinc and linoleic acid for healthy skin and a shiny coat, and well as prebiotic fibres to promote healthy bacteria in the gut for better digestive health and smaller, firmer stools.
What our customers say: "Our chocolate Lab actually chews the big pieces instead in just inhaling which is a bonus. It keeps his weight well within range for his oversized frame and he's a healthy happy Lab"
Best for Joint Care
Pros
- Premium diet that has the benefits of both a large breed and joint support diet
- Contains green tea polyphenols, hydrolysed collagen and chondroitin to help support cartilage during the ageing process and maintain healthy bones and joints
- Contains lower calories to maintain a healthy body weight and limit pressure on the joints
- Ziplock bag closure for easy storage
- No wet food variety available
Cons
- Contains poultry which may not be suitable for pups with food allergies or intolerances
- More expensive than a general large breed diet
- Only available in a 10kg bag
Royal Canin is a trusted brand by many vets. The Royal Canin Maxi Joint Care is fortified with scientifically proven ingredients including green tea polyphenols, hydrolysed collagen and chondroitin to ease movement and support joint health. This formula also contains fewer calories to support a healthy weight and limit pressure on the joints.
What our customers say: "My old dog was having difficulty walking with his back legs, some days couldn't walk at all. After 1 month of feeding this product to him daily he started to walk around more. After 2 months he now runs around and plays. Very grateful for this product. "
What our vets say: "This is an excellent option for large breed dogs with joint sensitivities, which can unfortunately be a common problem for Labradors as they get older. Royal Canin Maxi Adult Joint care is formulated with a powerful combination of ingredients to maintain and support joint health, as well as moderate energy levels to help safeguard against the famous Labrador pudge. It's my first choice for dogs with mild arthritis that do not yet need prescription joint diets" - Dr. Katelyn
What to look for in a Labrador Food
When looking for a diet for your Labrador, you want to make sure you are meeting their unique nutritional requirements whilst also providing prevention for their common health problems, including:
Tailored Large Breed Nutrition
Being a large breed (having an adult weight of over 25kg), Labradors require a diet that contains the ideal levels of lean protein to support strong muscles. Many large breed diets also contain added ingredients for joint health. Some also have controlled calories and additional ingredients such as L-carnitine to help maintain your Labrador at an ideal weight.
Weight Control
Unfortunately Labradors are prone to obesity, most commonly due to overnutrition. As we all know, Labradors love to eat and it's therefore important to look for a diet which is lower in calories and fat to prevent weight gain in this breed.
Joint Support
Being a large breed dog, Labradors are unfortunately prone to joint problems - most commonly osteoarthritis, as well as hip and elbow dysplasia. Therefore, ingredients to support healthy joints and bones such as glucosamine, chondroitin, green lipped mussel and omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are great additions to your Labrador's diet.
Skin Support
Labradors have a dense coat, and are prone to developing acute moist dermatitis (commonly known as 'hot spots'), particularly during warm weather or after swimming. Added ingredients to look out for in your Labrador's diet such as omega fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E and linoleic acid are great ways to support and nourish your Labrador's natural skin barrier function, and keep their coat shiny.
Further Reading
Want to read more? Check out our other articles:
Premium Pet Food: Is It Worth It?
History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
24 April 2025
Edited by Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)Dr Jacqui Victor BVSc MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats)
Veterinarian, MANZCVS (Feline Medicine)
Dr Jacqui graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2011 and has worked in various small animal practices around Melbourne. Dr Jacqui loves witnessing the human-animal bond, and feels privileged that she is in a profession which allows her to make a difference to so many people and their loved ones. Dr Jacqui has a special interest in Feline Medicine, and attained her Membership Qualification in Feline Medicine with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 2022.
