While it might not be a huge surprise for an Airbnb host to show a guest around, no one would anticipate their local guide to be a friendly neighborhood dog. But this was a sweet, unexpected perk for Hannah Brown and her family.
Brown had booked a stay at Sail Away Cottages, nestled right along the coast of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Little did she know that a surprise amenity would be morning guided walks to the beach, led by Soldier, a deaf and blind dog who lived on the property.
Brown posted a video of their daily ritual to TikTok, showing Soldier confidently strolling along the stone path, effortlessly moving through the sand and finally making it to the water for a refreshing dip.
Soldier quickly became famous online, as the video racked up over 12 million views with thousands praising his concierge skills.
“I would follow that dog anywhere it wanted to take me,” one person wrote.
Several even chimed in with their own experience of having Soldier as a tour guide. One person shared, “I took my family there in 2019…he hung out with us the whole time. Best Airbnb ever!” This pup has certainly earned a good reputation.
Watch Soldier in action below:
@notalabamahannah We get so scared that Soldier is going to fall off the front walkway every single time #airbnb #vacation ♬ Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Sail Away Cottages quickly hopped on Soldier’s virality to share his backstory, writing on their Instagram page that he arrived one afternoon with a pack of roaming feral dogs (as is customary for the area) on Canadian Remembrance Day, hence his name.
By the way—the mixed breed dogs found on the Turks & Caicos Islands are called potcakes. How adorable is that?
Although the other potcakes chose to leave the next morning, Soldier stayed. And in doing so, he gained not only a new home but a new brother named Skipper.
“This is how Soldier started his walks to the beach – he went every day after his morning walk with his brother Skipper for a quick cool down before the day starts 🐾” Sail Away Cottages wrote.
Skipper has sadly crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, but Soldier continues their tradition with each new friend he meets through Airbnb. Sail Away Cottages playfully notes that in addition to accompanying folks to the beach, he even “guards” their stuff. As much a blind, deaf dog could, anyway. He’s also quite fond of sitting in his new friends’ lap while in the water.
Needless to say, guests adore him.
If you’d like to try to book this good boy host, you can do so through Airbnb or directly through Sail Away Cottages.
To follow along on more of Soldier’s adventures, you can find him on Instagram.
Plus follow Potcake Place K9 Rescue to learn about other potcake dogs just like Soldier who are still looking for a home (a resource shared by The Dodo).