MEET MR.BREAKFAST!

Rescued from a dog-fighting ring, this lovable lug finds a forever home—and learns to surf!

The cards were definitely stacked against Mr. Breakfast, who was rescued from a dog fighting ring in San Diego, CA, and was almost completely deaf due to the close cropping of his ears and subsequent infections. With a couple failed adoptions behind him, no one could have guessed this fierce-looking, unwanted dog would turn out to be a sweetheart with a passion for surfing.

Mr. B’s life changed when he found a forever home with

Liz Nowell. Not trained to be a pet, he came with behavioural issues, but Liz, having worked with deaf dogs before, was up for the challenge.

With Liz, Mr. B learned sign language and developed an affinity for surfing, an activity that bolstered his confidence and strengthened their bond. The duo has fond memories of hanging ten at dog surf camp.

Having a deaf dog comes with unique challenges, mainly the need for a lot of patience. “It’s easy to get frustrated when he looks away from me and misses a sign, or when he gets into something and I have to get up, stop what I’m doing to tap him and redirect his attention,” Liz said on Instagram. Otherwise, she says having a deaf dog is not much different than having a hearing dog that just doesn’t listen. Most of all, she stresses patience and professional training.

Though his look might be a little intimidating, Mr. Breakfast is a softie at heart. He grumbles like an old man and makes “happy hippo noises” while enjoying scritches. Strangers comment on his happy-go-lucky nature. And he loves food— especially breakfast.

Thanks to Liz, Mr. Breakfast finally found the love he deserves, as well as over 33k adoring followers on Instagram.—Becky Belzile