Ears, Eyes and Noses

You see - I am a hound. I have a very good nose. I can smell everything. People marvel at my nose. I do tricks finding things with my nose and visitors are most impressed. I can hear stuff too. I can be at the bottom of the garden but can hear when me Dad's toast pops up. No point in doin' anything when it goes IN. I can hear the farm dogs at the end of the lane and we have late night chats. Now then - me eyes. Well I don't use 'em really and me parents get frustrated when they shout "Squirrel" and I go off and smell exactly where it's been by which time it's gone up a tree. I know which tree it's gone up because I can smell it. ANYWAY we had an incident in the garden yesterday. I was almost totally inside the Pampus Grass thingy going mad. Me parents thought there might be a shrew in der and were encouragin' me. WELL apparently (coz I missed it) a HUGE rat ran out and ran over the garden and into the field. Me Muther shrieked and me Farder said some words I didn't understand. By the time it reached the field I was still in the Pampus grass - BUT - now this is what I don't understand, mates. Me Muther was trying to get me back inside the house. She was saying a rat might hurt me. I didn't want to go in the house - I was trackin' it. Smelt exactly where it had been and did me hound noises (impresses the locals). But I'm confused. Can anyone help me out here? Are rats dangerous? Why was me Muther shrieking? What's it like usin' yer eyes instead? If you use yer eyes does that mean your nose is rubbish?

To Be Or Not To Be? - What is der question?

Ralph