This is another blog about our new puppy Charcoal (a little 10 pound Shnoodle).

 
Last weekend Joanne went out and I decided it was the perfect opportunity for me to take Charcoal out on a walk on the road. It was our first "road trip" and I was nervous.

From the start she was straining at the leash far more heavily than her 10 pounds.  Every time a car approached I conservatively stepped onto the grass and pulled her to my side.

 
After a while we found a bit of a rhythm and were able to walk around a grassy area. As we were three quarters around the circle she got tangled in the leash.

 
This is where my horror began.  As I reached down to untangle the leash and move it from one hand to another she got free and shot away at 100 mph and my heart was adrenalized. She was on the loose and receding into the distance and harms way!

 
There was nothing I could do but yell "CHARCOAL!" at the top of my lungs and, for a moment, she disappeared up the hill towards a main street. To my momentary relief she heard me and turned back and shot past me. It was happening so fast that I didn't know what to do. She wheeled around and began to accelerate past me again.

 
As she approached all I could do was dive onto the pavement towards her and the leash. Miraculously, I snagged the leash and despite my torn and bleeding knee and elbow I had her and was in rapture. I hugged her dearly as our hearts slowed.

 
This blog may sound silly or dramatic to you, but I will never forget the traumatic experience.

I love that puppy and I can't imagine what Joanne would've done to me if Charcoal wasn't home when she returned.