Adorable video shows puppy waking deaf brother up so they can greet 'dad' at the door together

Sandra (@missyminzi), a proud mom to seven Poms, lives in a paradise of a home, surrounded by furballs all around. She loves all her babies and adores how they're always looking after each other. Her dog, Lio, is deaf, so when he's asleep, he can't notice what's happening around him, but that doesn't mean he misses out on fun things, because he has his buddy, Mattie, who runs to him every time something interesting happens. In a beautiful video, posted on August 19, 2025, Sandra gives a sneak peek into Lio and Mattie's heartfelt bond, leaving everyone in awe. Within the first 48 hours, the Instagram reel has received over 16 million views online. 

When their daddy comes home, everyone except a sleeping Lio gets alert and runs to him for some cuddles. So, Mattie, his brother, takes it upon himself to wake him up and inform him about Dad's return. "When Mattie nudges him, Lio gets up right away, because he knows Mattie wouldn't wake him for no reason," Sandra said. "Mattie never forgets Lio," she added, sharing how the loyal brother always ensures that his sibling doesn't miss out on anything because of his limitation. Sandra recalled how Lio slept clinging to his parents, but everything changed when Mattie entered his life. He is no longer scared to miss anything because Lio knows Mattie will come running to him if something happens. "You could say Matti is our little 'ambassador of inclusion.' Not only is he Murphy’s (our cerebellar hypoplasia baby) best friend, but he also makes sure Lio is never left behind. Hard to believe we almost didn’t adopt him — he’s such a gift to our family," Sandra wrote.

Animals that develop strong bonds with each other are found to benefit more than we think. According to a study, dogs feel less stressed when they have friendly relationships with other members of their species, just like Lio and Mattie. In simple words, friendship plays a crucial role in keeping dogs calmer and more secure. @kkcouture23 said, "This is beyond precious and such a meaningful reminder to reach out to others who need our love. Praise God for the Matti in our lives. Thank you for sharing!" Echoing the sentiments, @excited_.puppy wrote, "I love that he always double-checks to see if he actually woke up/is following; it's the cutest thing ever and such an amazing bond to see."

On the other hand, @jeff.dzr, a pet parent, shared, "My dogs did that too when the older one became deaf; he always went to fetch him when it was time to go on a walk or time to eat, but when he died, he continued to search for him around the house and didn't want to go on the walk before searching the whole house, realizing he wasn't there." A user who goes by @sweetsarahx0 on Instagram commented, "I have an albino Pom that’s deaf also! My terrier gives him the signal of what’s going on." @another_jennylu pointed out, "And he didn't even want to know what happened; he just straight followed Matti. Lio trusts Matti."

You can follow Sandra (@missyminzi) on Instagram for more dog-related content. 

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