A pet owner's worst nightmare has been caught on security camera in a TikTok video with over 1.6 million views.
In the video, user @jordanbarkerporter is in her driveway with a Dachshund on a lead and harness, when the sneaky dog wriggles free and takes off down the road before its owner realizes.
Jordan Barker-Porter lives in Newcastle, U.K. with her 2-year-old Dachshund Vinnie.
Captioned "If you think my week couldn't get any worse, I lost the dog," the footage then shows the mischievous puppy reappearing, running right past the two women multiple times until one of them manages to catch it and reattach the harness.
Barker-Porter told Newsweek: "I went to walk the dog and then I needed to go back to the front door, but I didn't realize the dog had escaped the harness."
No more than 20 seconds later, she was shocked to turn around and find that the dog had disappeared.
"I realized there was no dog in the harness and panicked. He was only running up and down the street thinking it was a game," she laughed. "Luckily we got him back safe."
Dachshunds were bred into their iconic cylindrical shape so they could flush out badgers and other large burrow-dwelling animals, while miniature Dachshunds were bred to hunt small animals such as rabbits. It's understandable then, that a classic dog harness might not work so well for a dog with such an unusual shape.
The sausage dog's unique shape can also cause back problems. Thedogclinic.com reports that "sadly, the dachshund's long spine and short legs makes it prone to back injuries. These are particularly common during exercise, which is why a properly fitted harness is vital."
Hundreds of years of selective breeding have unfortunately created a condition called intervertebral disc disease or IVDD. Thedogclinic.com reports that IVDD affects around 24 percent of Dachshunds, more than any other breed.
"IVDD is a degenerative condition that affects the discs in the spinal column," it says. "Symptoms may go undetected for years, until a fall or sudden impact causes a disc to burst. This results in pressure on nerves, which can cause stiff limbs, pain, reluctance to exercise, weakness, incontinence, and difficulty walking. A burst disc can even cause paralysis in severe cases."
Dog harness company Julius-K9 says on its website: "Dog harnesses are designed to guide the dog in a gentle, neck-sparing way on the leash, to hold the dog, and to make it possible for the owner to hold it back in case of an emergency. A dog harness is not a coercive tool! When facing the dog, do not pull the leash towards you, and never pull the dog after you on a leash because it will hurt them. Improper leash treatment can cause the dog to try to escape. The owner would be responsible for the dog pulling loose from the harness should this happen."
"I post a lot of content on TikTok," said Barker-Porter. "I never thought I'd go viral so quickly."
User Hannah said: "No the way you carried on walking with the lead set me OFF".
User Lauryn commented: "The way you walked back with the harness. I love this."
User _thesheshack wrote, "hahahahahaahahahahahaha it's when he realises he's free".
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
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.
About the writer
Leonie Helm is a Newsweek Life Reporter and is based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on all things ... Read more
