This dog deserves a round of a-paws!
A Czechoslovakian wolfdog made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, showing up near the finish line of the women’s cross-country skiing team sprint free race on Feb. 18.
As shown in video footage of the broadcast, the canine eagerly attempted to keep up with the skiers ahead. Though he didn’t finish in first place, the dog did cross the finish line before greeting the Olympic athletes who were catching their breath—and who were very confused by the animal’s unexpected appearance.
“I was like, ‘Am I hallucinating?'” Croatian skier Tena Hadzic told reporters after seeing the animal at the end of the race, per NPR. “I don’t know what I should do, because maybe he could attack me, bite me.”
Argentinian skier Nahiara Díaz González was also surprised, telling CNN, “He was super happy crossing the finish line. I was so focused on finishing the race [that] I didn’t look at the dog.”
