Living with a teenage Lab

Another week with Charlie the Chocolate Lab Pup

Puppy Play

Charlie finally talked Gigit into some fun and had her playing with him for a few minutes. They zigged an zagged in circles around the yard. Gigit can make much tighter circles than long legged Charlie. Then Gigit got tired, but Charlie didn't and being a teen he didn't want to take no for an answer which made Gigit mad and she had to do some snapping and growling to get through to Charlie that playtime was over and it was time for him to leave her alone.

Poor Charlie wants to play with my dogs most of the time and they being older dogs really get a bit tired of his constant play nagging. He has put his nose under Gigit and has lifted her back legs off the ground. He tried to do the same with Logo, but 95 pound was too much to lift.

Charlie barks in their faces, licks their faces, rolls around on the ground and kicks them with his feet, and does anything he can think of to try to get one or more of them to give him some attention and play with him. He has managed to get Gigit to play with him a time or two and has cause BooBoo to get mad enough to chase him for a short distance. He even aggravated Logo until he growled at him.

From Charlie

Toy Time

Charlie is slowing learning how to play with dog toys. I guess whomever owned him didn't introduce him to toys so he was not sure what to do with them. He likes a small stuffed toy that squeaks and today I got him to play tug-a-war with me for a while. He may never be a gun-ho retrieving fool like some Labrador Retrievers are, but with a little more time I think he will really look forward to playtime with dog toys. That will make my three older dogs happy.

Bicycle Running Time

Image via Wikipedia

I have started bicycling with Charlie running alongside the bike. I have a special attachment for the bicycle that has a short lead that I attach to Charlie's slip collar. He was a bit scared of the bike at first and the tug on him when he tried to move away from it. But I walked the bike along for a while and then rode it slowly at first. Now I can ride it much faster and Charlie gallops alongside the bike.

Biking with your dog is a good way for you both to get needed exercise and biking is so much less trying than jogging with your dog. I really thing more people should give it a try. But do not try it by just holding on to your dog's leash or you could end up hurt.

There are a few different bike/dog products around. I have the K9 Cruiser Bicycle Leash http://snipurl.com/sqpd5 and I like the way it keeps your dog towards the back of the bike where he has less chance of getting in the way of the moving tires.

There are some other dog bike leash attachments, like: Springer, WalkyDog, Bike Tow Leash http://snipurl.com/sqpl4 and others.

You might also want to use a special dog harness with your dog bike leash. EzyDog Dog Harness is a comfortable padded dog harness. http://snipurl.com/sqqgd



And there are other options, two of them shown in this video...
Terra Trike and Dog Powered Scooter, Willie

Some people with large, active dogs really like the scooter where the dog is pulling you. The dog gets more exercise this way and you don't have to work peddling a bike.

Bicycle leashes comparison Compares the K9 CRUISER and the SPRINGER http://snipurl.com/sqp8f