'Chubby' Labrador Still Enjoying His Walk at 17 Melts Hearts in Viral Vid
Not all dogs enjoy their walks, but this 17-year-old Labrador who still loves his daily stroll has amazed many social media users.
The viral video of Chubby showed the senior Lab struggling to lift himself off the ground when it was time for his walk. But once he was up and mobile, nothing was going to dampen his enthusiasm or stop him from heading out the door.
Since the video of Chubby going for "a walk at the age of 17 years old" was posted on his dedicated TikTok account (@oldchubby06), it has been viewed more than 151,000 times and received over 13,700 likes.
Despite the Lab's advanced age, his tail immediately starts wagging as soon as he sees his owner pick up his collar and leash. Chubby's age might make him look stiff and quite slow, but he still loves going for a walk.
Being active at the age of 17 is no small achievement for a Labrador retriever. The American Kennel Club (AKC) estimates that the average Lab will live for around 11 to 13 years. At full size, a Lab can stand up to around 24 inches tall, and a male can weigh up to 80 pounds. It's important to keep them fit and active to avoid any excess weight.
Labradors are more than happy to eat whatever they can get a hold of, and they rarely know when to stop. So the AKC encourages owners to limit the number of treats and give the dog plenty of daily exercise as well. This could be a walk, swimming and of course lots of games of fetch.
If a Labrador doesn't get enough physical exercise or mental stimulation, it's likely to become hyperactive and engage in destructive behavior. However, given Chubby's mature age, he's much less likely to become overly energetic, and one short walk should be ample exercise for the old-timer.
Many TikTok users were impressed by the Labrador's willingness to go for a walk at his age. The TikTok account has over 56,400 followers, and many commenters were fascinated by Chubby's longevity, leading his owner to continue sharing clips of the senior dog.
Among the many adoring comments, one user wrote: "How lucky to have this beauty [for] so long, absolutely gorgeous."
Another commented: "Such a strong boy."
"He must have been raised perfectly to live 17 years. Great job," reads another comment.
Newsweek could not verify the details of the video and reached out to @oldchubby06 via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrK6enZtjsLC5jpyfrpqSrnqtrcGrmJ2nomKyr7bOsqCnn12srq23jJqenpxdZoRufZdqcG5tZw%3D%3D