Gordon was left to fend for himself on the streets of London. In such a big city, and with no one to care for him, his chances of survival were already slim. It didn't help that, on top of his troubles, Gordon was totally deaf.
Miraculously, The Mayhew Animal Home found Gordon and took him into its care in November 2014. But then the search for a suitable home for the deaf dog began.
Because of his deafness, his chances were slimmer than those of other shelter dogs. Still, Gordon got to work learning to read sign language so he could find a family who would love him as he was.
Days and weeks and months passed. A year went by. And Gordon was still in the shelter, waiting.
Finally, all that hard work and patience paid off. "I first saw Gordon on Facebook. A friend of mine had shared The Mayhew Animal Home's post, and I just kept clicking, discovering more pictures, videos and stories about him," Josanne Griffin-Mason, an aspiring dog owner at the time, told The Dodo. "I showed my partner and we booked an appointment to meet him."
The moment Griffin-Mason and her partner, Richard Neenan, met Gordon, they loved him. "He had a huge smile, such a waggly tail and he leapt on our laps for a cuddle," Griffin-Mason recalled.
The couple adopted Gordon in August 2015.
"He's already very attached to us and settled in so well," Neenan told The Mayhew Animal Home soon after adopting him. "We've got a garden and a huge golf course nearby where he goes for a walk every day. We have a very confident house rabbit and they've rubbed noses a few times."
Then Mookie, another dog, was rescued and joined the growing home. Gordon took to his new sister immediately. "They're very fond of each other, loving nothing more than a good play, followed by a cuddly nap on the sofa," Griffin-Mason said.
They even share a Facebook page dedicated to them - and their adventures. And there have been quite a few adventures already.
Since his rescue, Gordon's people have been showing him the world.
Gordon went on his first adventure last December. A tour through the English countryside included a stay at a little medieval inn and a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, the town where Shakespeare lived.
In February, Gordon visited the picturesque castles of Scotland.
"Gordon loves going on holiday, and he's already got his paws into Brighton, Bath, the Cotswolds, the Peak District and Scotland," Griffin-Mason said.
Gordon's proving that he can do everything Mookie can do. He's even expanded his knowledge of sign language. "His sign language repertoire is really impressive now," Griffin-Mason said. "We even taught him to speak (bark) on command, which is quite a feat, considering he can't actually hear himself barking."
Gordon's story shows the potential of rescue dogs everywhere - especially ones who have had a setback, like deafness, that hurts their chances at landing in a loving home.
"If anyone is considering adopting a deaf dog, I'd highly recommended doing so because deaf dogs really do struggle to find homes," Griffin-Mason said. "Plus, it's highly rewarding as their carer. The deafness is manageable with sign language and a vibration collar for recall in the park, simply buzzing it when we need him to heel."
Now that Gordon's got the love he needed for so long, nothing slows him down.
If you're ready to add a loving and furry family member to your home, check out Adopt-a-Pet.com.
Check out a video on another very special rescue dog below: