All of Helen is supplies were in a sled which she pulled not Charlie! His job was to look out for bears.the first bears they met run away when Helen fired her flare gun but one day they met a bear that was not afraid of the gun. It ran at them. Charlie grabbed the bear is leg and wouldn't let go. The bear tried to bite the dog but Charlie moved out of the way. Eventually the bear ran away. Helen thanked Charlie by letting him sleep in her tent from then on.