Who needs eyes when you can smell a sausage a mile away?
Facebook page raises charity cash
As he scampers up the stairs and fetches a toy from a deep pond, you would never guess that black Labrador “Bear the Braveheart” is blind.
The loveable pooch, whose eyes were removed when he was a pup, has never let his disability get in the way and manages to navigate the world using his other senses.
Four-year-old Bear, who figures out his surroundings using his nose and a heightened ability to hear, has become an internet sensation with 3000 friends following his daily antics on Facebook.
The plucky canine lives with owners Colin and Marie Southon on a croft near Dornoch in Sutherland.
Marie has cashed in on his popularity by raising more than £ 30,000 for abandoned dogs.
The 51-year- old said: “Bear is a one-off and I feel truly privileged to have him in my life.
“He’s the bravest and most amazing dog I have ever owned and he continues to amaze me every day.
“We got him when he was just eight weeks old. Vets discovered he had been born with retinal dysplasia and developed painful glaucoma. They were forced to remove his eyes but did not want to put him down because he was so beautiful.”
Marie, who has six other dogs – Tara, Shadow, Maisie, Charlie, Lupe and Lady Fiona – added: “I fell in love with Bear the minute I saw him.
“He was so full of life and really affectionate.
“At first, he would bump into things quite a lot but it wasn’t long before he started mapping out his surroundings in his head and pretty soon he could navigate anywhere we took him.
“He must count the stairs because he never misses a beat and is up and down them all the time.
“He can also retrieve objects from the water. He just listens for the splash and then dives in.”
Mar ie, who moved to the Highlands from Kent with husband Colin, 53, a photographer, 13 years ago, says Bear’s other senses are sharper due to his blindness. She added: “Luckily a dog’s first sense is not its sight, it’s its smell. Bear can smell a sausage from a mile away. His hearing has been heightened and he can hear a sweetie wrapper from the other side of the house.”
Marie set up Bear’s Facebook page so she could share his antics with the world.
She said: “It wasn’t long before there were hundreds of followers and I thought it would be a good idea to start a fundraising drive for abandoned dogs.
“I now hold regular auctions with items donated by Bear’s Facebook friends and local craftspeople.
“These have raised more than £ 30,000 for rescue shelters in Scotland, England, Sri Lanka, Spain and Italy and I can’t thank them enough.
“Bear’s courage and bravery is inspirational and thanks to him, other abandoned animals are being given a second chance at life.”