Older Labradors gain weight easily because activity falls before appetite does. Keep the dog moving at a level it tolerates, measure the food rather than estimating it, account for every treat, and book body condition checks with your vet twice a year rather than waiting to notice a change.
Why the weight creeps up in the second half of life
A Labrador's appetite is famous and it does not fade with age. What fades is the daily mileage. A seven year old Lab that used to swim for an hour now swims for twenty minutes, walks a shorter loop, and spends more of the day asleep. The food, however, has not moved since the dog was four.
That gap opens slowly. A dog carrying a small surplus each day gains imperceptibly, and because the change is gradual nobody sees it. Owners generally notice when something external prompts them: a vet comments, a harness stops fitting, or a photograph from two years ago turns up.
There is a second mechanism worth naming. Older dogs often lose muscle while gaining fat, so the scale can move less than the change in the dog would suggest. A Lab that has gained four pounds of fat and lost two of muscle reads as two pounds heavier and is in considerably worse shape than that sounds.
The two levers, in order
Owners reach for food first. It is usually the second lever, not the first.
The first is movement, adjusted rather than abandoned. Swimming is the obvious one for this breed and remains excellent for an older dog because it loads muscle without loading joints. Short walks several times a day are better tolerated than one long one. Sniffing walks, where the dog sets the pace and the route, burn more than they look like they do and are well suited to a dog that cannot do distance any more.
What the dog can tolerate is a veterinary question, especially if there is any stiffness or reluctance. Ask before adding exercise, not after.
The second lever is the food, and it has two parts that are easy to conflate.
Work through that list before reducing the meal. In a lot of households the meal is correct and the total is not.
Making a reduction that actually works
If the meal genuinely needs to come down, do it as a plan rather than as a gesture. Ask your vet for a target body condition, a sensible rate of change, and a date to review. A reduction with no target and no review date drifts back within a couple of months.
Reduce in small steps and hold each step long enough to read it, at least two to three weeks. Weigh the dog on the same scale at the same time of day, and keep a written note, because memory is unreliable and four separate small changes are easy to lose track of.
Expect the dog to complain. A Labrador that has had its portion reduced will act as though it has never been fed. Splitting the same reduced total across three meals rather than two, and adding bulk through a slow feeder or a puzzle toy so the meal takes longer, both help more than they sound like they should.
What to feed, and where the numbers are
Keep the recipe constant while you change the amount. Fish is a gently cooked adult recipe from My Perfect Pet built on fish including salmon, haddock and Alaska pollock with vegetables. Whether it suits your individual senior dog, particularly one with any diagnosed condition, is a decision for your vet.
Amounts are where this article has to stop short. My Perfect Pet does not publish calorie content, guaranteed analysis or feeding directions on its site, and there are no dog weight bands either, so there is no honest way to print a figure for a nine year old Labrador that needs to lose weight. In any case a weight reduction target should come from a vet who has examined the dog.
What you can get yourself: the printed pack, the Nutrition Facts Sheet PDF linked on the product page, and the weight calculator on that page. If you need a number that is not in any of those, ask the brand in writing.
The American Kennel Club's nutrition resources cover body condition scoring and senior feeding in general terms and are worth skimming before your appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Why do Labradors gain weight as they get older?
Activity typically declines with age while appetite does not, so the same daily portion that maintained a younger dog now creates a small surplus. Because the gain is gradual, owners rarely notice until something external prompts a comparison. Twice yearly body condition checks with your vet catch it far earlier.
How do I know if my senior Labrador is overweight?
Feel for the ribs under a thin layer of cover without pressing hard, and check for a visible waist from above and a tuck from the side. Ask your vet to give you a body condition score at each visit and tell you the target, since an objective score is more reliable than your own impression over time.
How much exercise does an older Labrador need?
Enough to maintain muscle without causing soreness the next day, which varies widely between individuals. Swimming, several short walks and slow sniffing walks generally suit older Labradors better than one long outing. Ask your vet what this dog can tolerate before increasing activity, particularly if there is any stiffness.
Should I put my senior Labrador on a diet food?
Any weight reduction plan should be set by a vet who has examined the dog, including the target, the rate and the review date. A plan without those three things tends to drift back. Do not start a reduction based on a website, and do not switch foods for weight reasons without veterinary advice.
How much should I feed a senior Labrador?
There is no published figure to give, as My Perfect Pet carries no feeding directions, calorie content or weight bands on its website. Use the weight calculator and Nutrition Facts Sheet on the product page for a starting point, check the printed pack, and have your vet set the amount for your dog.
Related reading: Feeding a Basset Hound Who Eats Anything: Weight Control for a Low Rider and Feeding a Senior Border Collie Who Will Not Slow Down