From shy to shredding, Austin dog Chloe thrives through skateboarding

Chloe, a King Charles Spaniel, now rides, barks and plays after discovering a hobby that helped her come out of her shell.

AUSTIN, Texas — In Austin, one dog is proving it’s never too late to pick up a new trick. 

Chloe, a King Charles Spaniel, isn’t just any family pet. For the past year and a half, she’s taken up skateboarding — and according to her owner, Jeanette Brown, she’s a natural.

“Alright, are you ready?” Brown called out before throwing the skateboard down and Chloe hopped on.

This story continues below.

More in Local

The wheels began to roll — and Chloe answered with a quick, excited burst.

“There you go, there you go,” Brown said, as Chloe let out a high-pitched bark, almost a chirp, while she rides.

Then, as Chloe found her rhythm, Brown cheers her on again: “Get on it, yay! Good job!” — Chloe yipping back as if she understood every word.

Those cheers from Brown sound like they’re meant for a kid learning a new hobby — not a dog finding her footing on four wheels.

“She’s going ‘Mom look at me, look at me’ and she’s really proud of herself,” she said.

Brown said the idea started at home. She grew up skateboarding, and later watched her son pick it up too.

“It was cool to see him do that and that’s what got me the idea of teaching one of my dogs.”

When she brought the board out, Chloe didn’t need convincing.

“She actually got on it without me telling her and she just sat like that. Would not get off of it,” Brown said, laughing. 

From there, things just clicked.

Now Chloe can hop on, steer with her body and even push herself forward — cruising along with confidence. But Brown said the biggest shift didn’t happen on the board, it happened in Chloe. She said she has four other dogs, but Chloe has always been the shyest. 

“My dogs are really good at barking when somebody comes by the house. Chloe would just stay in her crate,” Brown said. “She doesn’t like to do much and so when I found out that she liked to skateboard, I was really happy because it has given her a lot of confidence.”

Once the quiet one in a house full of dogs, Chloe now barks, plays and keeps up with the pack.

And she’s not just turning heads at home.

Brown started sharing Chloe’s rides online — where plenty of people are stopping to watch.

“This one has 501,000 views on it,” Brown said, playing a video from the social media page she made for Chloe. 

“It makes me feel really good because I know she brings a lot of joy when they see her. It’s something so positive for a change.’

For viewers, it’s fun to see a dog on a skateboard.

But for Brown, it’s something more.

A shy pup, a simple idea and a set of wheels — all coming together to help Chloe find her balance, her confidence and a whole new way to roll through life.