Woman Introduces Her Super-Rare Blue Wolf Pup and She's Already a Sensation

Ever seen a blue wolf? Not many people have, but Ocean, a rare 6-month-old blue wolf dog, has been making waves on social media for her unique appearance in recent weeks, with over 157,000 followers on Instagram.

Ocean is 30 percent timber wolf, also known as a gray wolf. These animals inhabit Alaska, northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, western Montana, northern Idaho, northeast Oregon and the Yellowstone area of Wyoming.

She is also a mix of German shepherd, Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky, and her unusual breed as well as her distinctive coloring have intrigued people on Instagram.

Wolf dogs typically weigh between 70 and 100 pounds. Wolves weighing up to 140 pounds or more have been found in the wild, but these are "very few and far between and are considered an abnormal occurrence," according to Wolf Paws, a Tennessee sanctuary for abandoned wolf dogs.

"She's only 6 months old but has a bit more growing to do," Anneka Svenska, Ocean's owner, told Newsweek. "I expect she will grow to a full-sized wolf, about German shepherd size but with longer legs."

Svenska is a British presenter, actress, journalist and environmentalist who hosts a YouTube channel, Animal Watch, that educates viewers about different species.

Wolves have long been depicted as scary animals in films and fairy tales, giving them an undeserved reputation not unlike sharks and snakes.

Despite Ocean's wolflike appearance, "people flock around her wherever we go," Svenska said. "She is always the center of attention. I haven't met one person who is scared of her yet. It's incredible how interested people are in her. Our Instagram page has grown to over 150,000 followers in just three months. She's so sweet and cuddly. Very sensitive and clingy. Very trainable."

Ocean would make "an excellent film and modeling campaign wolf, not only because of her temperament but also her very unique look," Svenska continued. "She can look both cute and menacing, and the German shepherd in her means she's very easy to train, and has had a lot of experience shooting social media videos with me."

In the U.S., there are no federal laws that regulate ownership of wolf dogs, meaning that they are considered domestic animals and are therefore legal. But depending on the percentage of wolf DNA in the animal, it could be classified as a hybrid and subject to regulations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Some states have laws regarding wolf dogs, while others—Hawaii, Connecticut, New York, Louisiana, Wyoming and Illinois—have banned the breed altogether.

"It's perfectly legal to breed and own a multigenerational wolf dog in Canada and in some parts of the U.S., and the U.K.," Svenska said. "Multigenerational means that she is already several generations removed from the original wolf. She is not a direct cross with a wolf. In the U.K., there are no restrictions and she can go everywhere."

It's important to understand that owning a wolf dog is a large commitment. To reduce the number of these animals entering shelters or being abandoned, prospective owners should do sufficient research to determine whether they are up to the challenge of owning a wolf dog.

Colorado-based wolf dog enthusiast Phillip Young previously told Newsweek, "I wish that people knew these are not a dog for the normal household. You don't change their lifestyle to fit yours, but you have to change yours to fit them."

Users on TikTok loved Ocean.

One commenter said, "If I saw Ocean coming, I would not think 'eeek it's a wolf' it'd be more like 'it's soooo fluffeeee, can I hug it.'"

Another said, "So beautiful and mesmerizing. She looks more like a wolf than a wolf dog."

Correction, 5/30/23, 7:06 a.m. ET: This article has been corrected to amend the name of the OP.

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