This dog not only survived a vicious attack as a puppy - his 'flaw' now inspires millions

An adorable dog, a heartbreaking past, and a brighter future. This is the story of Brodie, a 6-year-old mixed-breed who was born at a rescue home where he suffered a lifelong injury. Well, it seems less of an injury and more of a charming flaw that has attracted a wide fan base on social media. Brodie is an internet star with 1.5 million followers on his Instagram (@bestboybrodie) and TikTok, where he flaunts his daily life with mom Amanda Richter, a Canadian photographer. She fell in love with him at first sight when the rescue home shared Brodie’s pictures on Facebook, showcasing his off-kilter snout, as reported by PEOPLE.

“He was born at a rescue called Old Macdonald Kennels, and his dog mom was a 10-month-old stray,” said Richter. Back in 2019, his dog mom bit Brodie on the head at 2 weeks old, and the repercussions only started showing as he grew. Though the caretakers presumed the incident would not affect his physicality, little did they know. “They thought he was going to grow normally, and maybe it was wishful thinking — but as he got older, his face just started to get a little twistier,” she added. Brodie grew into a handsome young dog, but was partially blind in one eye with a lopsided jaw. 

By the looks of it, it was clear Brodie required “extra care” from his owner. Interestingly, his unique twisted snout is what caught Richter’s interest when she stumbled on an adoption post for Brodie on Facebook that year. “The moment I saw his picture on Facebook, I fell in love with his face. It’s clearly hard not to because the whole world seems to have fallen in love with it,” the 35-year-old pet owner chimed in. She flew in to meet Brodie and could not resist adopting him the same day. Hinting at his twisted snout, Richter believes her pet dog is a work of art and correlates him to Picasso’s artwork. 

“Everything's slightly out of place and different and crooked and just, you could literally put him next to one of those paintings and it looks like him,” Richter emphasized. While his facial quirk has attracted viewers, Brodie’s cheerful personality and “zest for life” are what make him extraordinary. Amidst her love for her pawed pal, Richter noticed how people were willing to know more about the dog and requested updates from the adopter. So she did. Today, Brodie is followed by celebrities like Amanda Seyfried, Leona Lewis, and President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. Once she started posting pictures of Brodie, Richter could not believe the exhilarating response from viewers. “It just blew up...It’s hilarious to me.” 

The pet owner believes Brodie is a “beacon of light” for people, and they love him regardless of his appearance. “He has so much love from around the world, and people do think he's beautiful, even though he is so not the typical-looking dog.” Eventually, Richter added another family member in 2022 and adopted a dog with a similarity to Brodie. After one of Brodie’s followers messaged Richter, she flew to Texas to adopt a 4-year-old mixed-breed, Raven, who also had a twisted snout from abusive former owners. Brodie and Raven are best friends and have taken the world by storm with their unique twist. 

You can follow @bestboybrodie on Instagram for more of Brodie's videos.