‘Blind and fearless’: Brave dog doesn’t let his lack of vision slow him down for a second

Stop the presses, abandon your work stations, and alert your friends, neighbors, and mortal enemies; the internet has a brand new protagonist, and his name is Peter the Beagle-Boston Terrier mix. Never in all of human history has this planet played host to such a fearless go-getter in the realm of suburban petship. Every blunder is a stepping stone and every success is an anthem in the making. Go Peter Go!

Our introduction to Peter is a masterclass in visual storytelling from the man behind TikTok‘s @littleblindpeter (at least, we assume it’s not Peter himself running the account, as he’s visually impaired and is also a dog). A series of headpats eventually lead the owner’s hand to the tag attached to Peter’s collar, displaying not just his name, but also some important information in the form of “I am blind.”

After playfully disbelieving the collar for the purpose of dramatically ironic misdirection, the video then cuts to what’s presumably a day in the life of Peter; loudly smacking his head into walls, getting tangled in phone chargers, running into his adoptive brother, and, against all odds, mastering the stairs. We are all Peter and Peter is all of us, his example is the way forward, progress cannot be stopped with Peter among our ranks.

It must be mentioned that, despite the bumbling sweetness of the video above, enthusiastic trotting plus an inability to see plus jagged ground-level objects and corners, is not an ideal equation for Peter or any other blind dog.

It’s important, then, to make sure that, if you’re parenting a blind pup, you have the tools and resources necessary to support them. American Kennel Club suggests maintaining routines for your pup and moving furniture around as little as possible so that they can internally visualize their routes. If any changes do happen, it’s important to slowly introduce them to their new surroundings so that they can adapt their inner compass as needed. Fences and gates to protect them from stairs and swimming pools are helpful as well, as are dog bumpers, which are vests equipped with a halo-like ring positioned around the dog’s head to prevent direct impact with obstacles, and to telegraph what a sweet angel your dog is.

So kudos to you, Peter, for making us smile with your relentless approach to life, for raising awareness for blind dogs everywhere, and for proving that even if life passes you by visually, you can still live it to the fullest in your heart.