Couple thought their rescue dog didn’t understand English or Spanish — until a loud crash exposed the real reason behind his silence
A kind couple rescued a dog from a heartbreaking reality and brought him home to the UK. The pup, however, was not responsive to their commands. They figured he did not understand English and tried talking to the pup in Spanish. When that did not work, the couple found themselves in a dilemma, unsure of the right way to communicate with him, until a loud crash in their home revealed what was up.
The dog named Bruno was rescued from an euthanasia list in Spain. Initially, the couple had immense trouble communicating with him as he did not respond to commands in English or Spanish. “We tried to get his attention, but he just wasn’t responding,” said Skye, one of the owners, in a video shared by The Dodo (@thedodo) on Instagram on November 10, 2025. Bruno was flown all the way to the UK, his new home. The other owner, Daniel, recalled the event of a loud crash when Bruno did not even flinch. “We dropped something really heavy and he didn’t react,” he said. They realized their dog was deaf. “That’s when everything became solvable for us because we just needed to teach him sign language,” Skye noted.
Soon, things fell into place, and Bruno was no longer the silent dog they once rescued from a foreign country. The couple was relieved to have found a way to communicate with him. Sign language was no big deal for them. Daniel had used sign language to communicate with his deaf parents all his life, while Skye eventually learned it for them. Now, their furry pal was one of the pack. At present, Bruno has found his way around 10 signs, including sit, twist, and play dead.
The couple marveled at how “affectionate” and “cuddly” their dog was. It was a ritual for Skye to tell him the universal sign for “I love you” before leaving for work every day. The couple left no stone unturned to give Bruno the best life possible. “After everything he’s been through, and all the nights he was hungry, he deserves a chippy with us,” the dog mom shared. She recounted the rescue pup’s long and difficult journey from feeling abandoned and alone to being shipped to a different country to have a loving home. Bruno acted as the ring bearer for the couple’s wedding. As fate would have it, he finally got a second chance at life.
The post amassed 368,000 views and over 31,000 hearts from strangers touched by Bruno’s charm. “Bruno is so adorable! He was meant to be with you all!” wrote @sassyqueen51, and @thesideporchcottages noted, “The dog distribution system is working flawlessly.” People were surprised by the odds of the deaf dog landing in a home where the owners already knew sign language. “Can’t believe he found a home where Dad knows sign language already. Gives me goosebumps!” chimed @cindy.l.paige.
You can follow @thedodo and @brunothedeafdog on Instagram for more videos.