Gunnar
Available
- Age 1-2 years
- Sex Male
- Size 62 lbs
- Fixed Yes
- House Trained Yes
- Foster Parent(s) Thanks to Tom, Eleanor, Anna and Will for being great fosters to Gunnar!
WAKE UP, WORLD!!! IT’S TIME TO PLAY!!!!
Gunnar is a food-motivated, fetch-loving teenage Lab who is more than ready to be DONE with bedrest! Gunnar is excited to enjoy all that Colorado has to offer with his forever family.
Gunnar would thrive with an active family that enjoys adventures, training, and involving their dog in everyday life. He will need both physical exercise and mental stimulation to be his best self.
Gunnar loves games of all kinds. Whether it’s puzzle toys, “find it” (scatter kibble in the grass and let him sniff out his dinner), or a classic game of fetch, Gunnar is happiest when his brain and body are engaged. Check out his kibble-ball video to see him in action!
While Gunnar loves to play, he also enjoys quietly observing the world around him. Some of my favorite mental snapshots of him include inquisitively watching a groomer blow-dry and trim a Bernese Mountain Dog and leisurely supervising my husband doing lawn work. Loud noises don’t seem to bother him.
Gunnar is polite and friendly with all people. He greets strangers without hesitation; “NEW FRIENDS!” He doesn’t play favorites and happily shares his affection with all family members.
Gunnar settles quickly in his crate and can sleep through the night in a crate.
Like many teenagers, Gunnar can make questionable decisions. He tends to match the energy of his environment: in a calm home, he settles beautifully; in a busy home with teens, he may up the ante in an effort to join the fun and draw attention. He has discovered that stealing pillows, counter-surfing, or helping himself to a bag of treats is a very effective way to get human attention. Gunnar is still learning appropriate ways to ask for engagement and interaction.
For now, we’ve found that Gunnar does best with structure and supervision. If I’m taking a shower, for example, I’ll have Gunnar hang out in the enclosed bathroom with me instead of free-roaming the house. He’ll stay out of trouble and snooze on the floor while I shower. With continued training, consistency, and maturity, we expect him to keep making great progress.
Gunnar has the softest rose-petal ears and absolutely melts for chest scratches. He’s lucky he’s so darn cute and squishable, because he uses those good looks to get away with his hijinks.
Other Dogs
Gunnar likes all dogs, but not all dogs like Gunnar. He can be enthusiastic, clumsy, and a little “in your face” during introductions and play. Because of this, we recommend confident playmates who match his energy! He is looking forward to getting back to full health so he can return to living his best life with canine friends.
We introduced Gunnar to a friend’s well-adjusted black Lab (featured in the video). Gunnar treats him like a cool older brother, following him around and mimicking his behavior. One thing we’ve noticed is that Gunnar tends to model the energy around him, so a confident, patient, and well-mannered dog could be a wonderful influence.
More info about Gunnar
Other Dogs ▼
Gunnar's leash skills are still a work-in-progress, but he is highly food-motivated and an extremely fast learner. He has already improved a lot and we continue to practice good leash manners. Gunnar benefits greatly from walking with well-behaved dogs on pack walks. When not on a pack walk, Gunnar will bark excitedly and pull toward other dogs because he is excited to make new friends! He is friendly and social, but because he recently completed heartworm treatment, we have not been able to allow the enthusiastic greetings he would prefer.
Cats ▼
The shelter reported that Gunnar became overly excited and hyper-focused around cats. Based on what we know so far, he is unlikely to be a good fit for a home with cats.
Children ▼
Gunnar has shown no aggression toward children. However, he is a young Lab with a big appetite and lots of enthusiasm. Small children may find themselves accidentally losing snacks to an opportunistic lab. When he is excited, he can become a little mouthy. Gunnar also tends to feed off the energy in the home and can have difficulty settling when a lot is happening around him. While he appears to do well with children, we think he may thrive most in a somewhat predictable household that can help him continue building good habits.
Leash ▼
Not trained at all but not too bad! Highly food motivated and a very fast learner. Will bark at other dogs. Shelter suggested that he is friendly in their dog tests and just desperate to meet them, but given heartworm treatment we can't facilitate interactions right now as he would get too excited.
Where I'm from ▼
Gunnar came from Texas and eventually made his way to a shelter in Fort Collins. He was struggling in the shelter environment, so Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue stepped in to provide the quiet environment he needed to recover from heartworm treatment. The good news is that Gunnar has completed his heartworm treatment injections and is counting down the days until bedrest is officially over. He can start exercising again 6/6! He is looking forward to a long, happy, adventure-filled life with his forever family. In the meantime, Gunnar is enjoying pup cups, puzzle games, and attempting to take up gardening while he waits for medical clearance to resume full-speed lab activities.