Hannah Brown and her family jetted off for a well-deserved holiday in paradise, heading to the Turks and Caicos Islands, near Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
On the agenda: white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, relaxation... and a dog!
When they arrived at their holiday cottage, Sail Away Cottages, the family found Soldier waiting for them: a blind senior dog with bags of charm.
The family were delighted to have the dog around, but they had no idea just how big a role he'd end up playing in making their holiday so special.
He guides them to the beach
Every morning, the brave dog carried out his mission: leading the family down to the beach. Once he'd shown them the way, he'd treat himself to a little swim in the crystal-clear waters of this dream destination. An absolute picture postcard!
Soldier has had this little routine down to a tee for years now. He first turned up around the holiday complex back in 2011 and clearly took a liking to the place. Far from being bothered by this, the owner decided to adopt him and give him a proper home. Soldier now even has his own leaflet telling his story, so every tourist who visits can recognise him and give him the appreciation he deserves.
Thanks to his tour-guide services, Soldier has no trouble being everyone's favourite. When he leads guests down to the beach, he even offers a bit of a concierge service, keeping watch over swimmers' belongings while they take a dip!
Soldier's story is currently doing the rounds in the media, and thanks to this adoption and the kindness shown towards this former stray, it's safe to say Sail Away Cottages has landed itself the best marketing tool it could ask for!