3 min read
“He didn’t realize he was ‘free’ until we got back.”
Charlie hates wearing his leash — but he understands that it’s a necessary evil for his walks.
That doesn’t stop the 2-year-old beagle-Chihuahua mix from chewing on it relentlessly in protest.
“Charlie can’t stand his leash. He’s much happier without it,” Kendra Rubin, Charlie’s mom, told The Dodo. “But he loves going for walks, so he deals with it.”
Recently, Charlie was out for a walk with his mom and dad when his dream came true — his leash broke. But Charlie was so focused on his walk that he didn’t hear the snap.
Rubin had to think quickly so as not to scare him into the street. She decided to pretend like everything was perfectly normal — and Charlie bought the act.
“As long as I kept my arm out like I was walking him, he had no idea!” Rubin said. “He walked 3 feet ahead of me the whole way home.”
Rubin walked Charlie on an invisible leash for a half a mile and didn’t dare put her arm down until they reached the safety of their home 15 minutes later.
“He didn’t realize he was ‘free’ until we got back to our yard,” Rubin said. “I didn’t risk putting my arm down … I’m not sure what would have happened.”
Rubin was so happy that they all made it home safely after the leash malfunction. But even though Charlie managed to walk well on his own, they’re not letting him intentionally off-leash any time soon.
“Charlie is playful and loud, but he’s a good boy,” Rubin said.