45-60 lbs
20-22"
United States
Since being bred with poodles in the 1980s to create the Labradoodle, the Labrador Retriever has been one of the most favored canines for hybrid dog breeders.
Joining such crossbreeds as the Labraheeler and Sheprador is the Labrabull, a hybrid between a lab and an American Pit Bull Terrier.
Unfamiliar with the Labrabull? Read this Wag! guide, and you’ll learn that:
The Labrador Retriever and American Pit Bull Terrier might seem an odd combination for a hybrid, but the Labrabull — a Pitbull Lab mix — is an example of differences complementing each other.
In many cases, the Labrabull unites the renowned friendliness of a Labrador Retriever with the playfulness and loyalty of an American Pit Bull Terrier — while hopefully softening some of the latter’s more aggressive tendencies at the same time.
We generally wouldn’t recommend a lab pit mix for first-time parents, as they need firm authority to bring them into line. However, those with a little bit of canine experience already under their belt should find this hybrid to be immensely rewarding company.
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Although different canine varieties will have been bred together for as long as dogs have been by humans’ sides, the demand for hybrid dogs — or designer dogs as they’re more cynically known — really took off in the 1980s.
This was the decade in which dog breeder Wally Conron bred together a Labrador Retriever and Poodle after a customer wrote to him needing a hypoallergenic guide dog.
In the years since, dog breeders across the planet have created a wealth of new hybrids, everything from the Havamalt and Pomchi to the Alusky and Shollie.
The Labrabull is another crossbreed that has emerged recently, although the exact origin is a little uncertain. However, we know plenty about the parent breeds.
The first half of the Labrador Retriever’s name refers to the Canadian region in which members of the English nobility in the early 19th century first spotted St John’s Water Dogs at work — although it’s likely to actually have been neighboring territory Newfoundland instead. They were impressed by this canine’s intelligence and ability to jump into the water to fetch dropped goods and fish.
A select few were brought back to England and they were bred with English hunting dogs. Over the ensuing decades, the Labrador Retriever — so named for their talent forretrieving shot animals during hunts — emerged as a distinct breed and was standardized by the turn of the 20th century.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) first recognized the breed in 1917 and their sharp acumen has meant that they’ve since been trained in contraband-detection and seeing-eye roles.
This isn’t just a working dog, however — families across the globe have welcomed Labrador Retrievers into their home and even to this day, they consistently find themselves in the top five most popular US dog breeds in the AKC’s annual survey.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is itself a hybrid breed. It’s thought that Bulldogs were mixed with terriers in 19th-century England and the resulting dog found its way across the Atlantic where they were forced to take part in fights. US breeders sought to make their competitors larger and stronger, which led to the distinctively muscly American Pit Bull Terrier emerging over time.
The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1898, but the AKC didn’t want to associate itself with dog-fighting and has never set standards for the breed — that being said, the organization has welcomed a close relative, the American Staffordshire Terrier, into its ranks.
Opposition to dog fighting in the USA grew in the 20th century and led to laws banning the barbaric practice in many states. Outside of the ring, American Pit Bull Terriers found a new purpose — some were trained to be farm dogs, while others became companion dogs in family homes. Although this is a breed that still has a reputation for aggression, they can be soft and affable when trained and socialized well.
As with many hybrid breeds, the appearance of a Labrabull can vary depending on which half of the gene pool is more dominant. This is particularly true when it comes to height and weight — most will be medium in size however, reaching between 20 and 22 inches in height and somewhere in the region of 45 and 60 pounds in weight.
Most Labrabulls will have short hair and this comes in a variety of colors, including white, gray, brown, yellow, or silver — white markings are not uncommon either, especially on the chest or face. Often, a Labrabull will be a bit more muscular and sturdy than your standard Labrador Retriever and the tail will be long and straight.
When it comes to the head, medium-sized ears hang either side and eyes are typically hazel or brown. The nose is usually brown or black.
In many ways, a pitbull lab mix is a low-maintenance dog. For a start, their short coats require nothing more than a weekly going-over with a bristle brush to get rid of dead hair. Bathing should only be done when absolutely necessary and it’s possible to use dry shampoo if they have a bit of an odor that needs addressing.
Along with coat care, the ears of a Labrabull should be checked regularly for signs of infection and cleaned with a damp cotton ball fortnightly. Nails should be trimmed every two to three weeks (or whenever you can hear them clicking on the floor). Teeth should be brushed two or three times a week as well to ward off bad breath and dental disease.
Next up, there’s the matter of exercise. This is a dog with a lot of energy to burn and they should get at least an hour’s activity a day — if you can’t guarantee this, it would be unfair to bring them into your life as they might get bored or overweight. A large backyard helps let them run around while parents are otherwise occupied.It’s thought that crossbreeding dogs can make the resultant offspring a little healthier — a scientific theory called hybrid vigor. While that may or may not be true, one thing that can be said for sure is that a lab pit mix (or any hybrid breeds for that matter) aren’t immune from inheriting health conditions from their parents.
Those conditions that a Labrabull parent should be wary of include:
American Pit Bull Terriers are one of the canine varieties that are more predisposed to developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Just as with humans, this manifests itself in repetitive and excessive behavior that begins to take over a dog’s life.
The behavior in question could be anything from licking to drinking, but Bull terriers tend to spin or chase their tail. While this quirk might appear largely harmless, it’s best to get a vet involved as soon as you spot it happening so they can try to deduce the cause — sometimes, it can be the symptom of a neurological disease.
After a diagnosis of OCD, a vet might prescribe medication to inhibit serotonin uptake, but they will almost certainly recommend consulting with an animal behaviorist to break habits and set up new routines.
Labrador Retrievers are one of the breeds more prone to suffering from epilepsy, so it makes sense that the same is true of a lab and pit mix.
This neurological disorder leads to seizures involving tremors, drooling and even collapse if left untreated. Thankfully, there’s medication available that epileptic dogs can take every day to ward off seizures. Regular blood testing will also be required.
Bloat — or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) if you want to impress your vet — tends to affect deep-chested dogs, which is often the case with a pit mixed with a lab. It usually occurs after mealtimes when the stomach starts to fill with air. This can force the organ to twist and block blood supply to vital parts of the body. It might surprise you to learn that bloat can often be quickly fatal.
The symptoms to look out for include a painful abdomen, anxiety, retching and difficulty breathing. It’s important to get a vet involved even if you’re not certain it’s bloat, as rapid treatment is necessary to prevent a dog with an extreme case from dying. Yes: it can be that serious.
Parents can also decrease the likelihood of bloat from happening in several ways. One key preventative measure is to space meals throughout the day, rather than feeding your dog huge quantities in one go. Another is to buy a food bowl that encourages your dog to eat at a slower pace.
Both Labrador Retrievers and American Pit Bull Terriers have genetic predispositions for hypothyroidism, so this can also happen when you’ve got a Labrador mixed with Pitbull. This happens when the thyroid becomes underactive and the hormones are out of balance.
One big symptom is a slowed–down metabolism, which can lead to lethargy, weight gain and poor coat and skin health. Many of the other signifiers are quite general and can be confused with other health conditions. Your vet will need to run several tests to confidently make a diagnosis of Hypothyroidism.
When it comes to treating Hypothyroidism, the condition cannot be cured outright, but a thyroid hormone supplement can be administered to alleviate the worst of the symptoms. Most dogs will see an improvement in health once treatment starts and they will need to undergo regular check-ups at the veterinary clinic.
Regular testing can help spot nasty health conditions at an early stage — this is one of the major perks that comes with a wellness plan.
As the Labrabull is one of the more athletic canines, they need plenty of food every day to replenish their energy supplies and this should ideally be high quality.
What does this mean in practice? Parents should look for recipes with good levels of high-quality protein and plenty of vitamins and minerals. At the same time, anything with an excessive amount of bulky carb ingredients or miscellaneous meat byproducts should be avoided.
Although the Labrabull is a hybrid, we have recommendations for best food for both its parent breeds, which provides useful research. You can read our choices for best dog food for Labrador Retrievers here, and best dog food for Pit Bulls here.
Searching high and low for the perfect dog food? Our partner Dog Food Advisor can help — here’s their list of the best dog foods on the market today.
It cannot be ignored that American Pit Bull Terriers have a reputation for aggression. To what extent this is warranted is up for debate, but remember, this is a dog that hails from fighting stock. However, one of the proposed benefits of mixing them with a Labrador Retriever is the hope that some of their partner’s renowned friendliness will help soften this trait and have a positive effect on its temperament.
In many cases, this is often the case, especially when a Labrabull is trained and socialized effectively at a formative age. They’ve been noted to be gentle and protective around other pets and young children, although these encounters should still be supervised. Occasionally, a Labrabull can display anger around strangers if they feel threatened.
Most of all, however, the Labrabull loves to please their parents, which makes the training process quite easy. They’re always up for playtime, as well.
Written by Joe Holyoake
Published: 10/24/2017, edited: 12/05/2023
More articles by Joe Holyoake
My labrabull is very thin and all of his ribs are showing. I feed him about 1 cup and 1/2 of food once a day. He’s 60 pounds. Should I consider feeding him twice a day?
Is a Labrabull a breed?
Do Labrabulls make good working dogs? I'm curious if it takes after both parent breeds and can make a good service dog for someone who needs light mobility work and medical alerts on a regular basis.
How do i get him to stop pulling so aggressively?
