Washington (USA) - An older dog is making the internet laugh by running away from his owner. At 16 years old, he shows how fast he can still run. And when he does get caught, the clever four-legged friend has a charming excuse at the ready.

The dog's owner shared the entertaining video on TikTok . She filmed her nimble four-legged friend waiting for her in the hallway and then galloping down the corridor, tail wagging. He had previously sneaked out of the room.

When he noticed that his mistress was getting closer and closer to him, he changed his tactics in a flash. The four-legged friend stopped, but instead of admitting defeat, he raised his paw and pretended to have injured himself in the process of escaping - he probably didn't want to accept defeat.

In an interview with Newsweek, the owner revealed that her dog makes these "escape attempts" more often. As soon as she is not quick enough to put the lead on him and the door is open, he seizes the opportunity and puts in a little sprint.

When he then appears whining and hurt, she always falls for his acting tricks again. "At 16, he knows exactly how to play the game," she says, "and of course I always heal his 'bad injuries' with treats."

Users on TikTok are also delighted with the old furry friend's (runaway) performance. Within a week, the video collected over 1.8 million views and more than 320 thousand likes.

In the comments, many are amused by the dog's funny action: "When he started the little gallop race, he must have thought to himself: 'Hehe, she'll never catch me now'."