Having a dog is not always about sweetness and sassiness. It takes true sacrifice to make a real home for one, especially when it comes to stray dogs or ones picked up from shelters.
Even though there are some cases that just seem hopeless – you can never underestimate the power of love.
The story of Brodie, the wonky-faced GSD Border Collie mix, is what I like to call the perfect example. He was adopted as a struggling dog with cranial deformity, but today, he serves as a true inspiration to millions.
The Story Of Brodie, A Dog With Cranial Deformity
Amanda and Brad, from Alberta, Canada, first saw Brodie online while he was still a little puppy. The unusual thing about this GSD Collie was that he had cranial deformity – the condition developed after he was bitten by his 10-month-old stray mom.
Unlike classical dental anomalies and otocephaly [1], his cranial deformation was not developmental, but acquired.
Brodie’s first hours in this world marked him forever. Animals respond differently under stress. But for Brodie’s dog mom, stress, combined with her young age and poor socialization, made her react with aggression.
The dog mom bit Brodie on the head, leaving the pup in agony.
Unfortunately, his dog mom attacked him in the shelter by biting him on the head. According to the staff, the attack was caused by her stress, and the fact that she was still a young dog with inadequate parenting skills.
Luckily, Brodie was saved in time as the shelter staff reacted immediately and separated the puppy from his mom.
Brodie Is Just A Normal Puppy With An Unusual Condition
The Old McDonald Kennel was asking for adoptions over Facebook, and that was the first time Brad and Amanda, from Alberta, saw this little boy. She immediately fell in love with him, and talked Brad into visiting the shelter.
“I couldn’t get over how cute he was, and I felt so bad, and I literally looked at the picture and would cry, and just be like: We have to go meet this dog!
As soon as they saw Brodie at the shelter, Brad and Amanda decided to adopt him!
“Spent an hour with him, and I had to take him home.”
Brodie is just a normal puppy that has an unusual deformity. He doesn’t have a problem eating, drinking, or playing.
“He eats fine. He drinks fine.”
The only thing that makes his life quite hard is the fact that Brad and Amanda have to choose small-sized kibble and appropriate food so he won’t choke. But, they manage that easily!
The Dog Park Is His Favorite Place
Brodie just loves playing in the park with his housemates! Just like all of his cousins from GSD and Collie families, he’s a playful dog that won’t say NO to a ball fetch or a simple frolic.
He spends most of his days in a local park in Alberta where he exercises, runs, and burns off his massive energy. And, believe it or not – his wonky face adds to his overall cuteness while he does all of that stuff!
This is where his happiness is! He can’t sit still!
Brodie Is An Instagram Star Now
You may think that Brotie lives a simple, self-deprecating life… but no! He, in fact, is an Instagram star! That’s right!
Right after Amanda and Brad adopted this cute, wonky-faced dog, dozens of people made numerous inquiries to the shelter’s Facebook page. They started asking about Brodie, his current situation, and his current parents.
That’s when Amanda and Brad knew that they had to make Brodie’s life a mission!
They created an Instagram page where they decided to keep people posted about Brodie’s life and daily activities. This way, they intended to raise awareness about dogs with malfunctions and disorders, stating that it’s okay to be different!
Brodie – A Therapy Dog In The Making
Amanda and Brad’s ultimate goal is to make a true therapy dog out of Brodie. This way, he could help other people with disabilities and those in need get better.
Everybody on Instagram always says: I’ve had a bad day, he makes me feel better.
So far, Amanda’s and Brad’s goal is to subject Brodie to a little more training as he’s still a young boy that requires a lot of work in this regard.
However, his sweetness, great intuition, and eagerness to spend most of his time around people make him great therapy-dog material!
