Wally, a Golden Retriever, endeared himself to viewers once again after becoming completely captivated by an Olympic skiing event on TV. As the athletes traversed the snowy course, the envious pup sat glued to the screen, ready to join them in what he perceived as pup-friendly playtime—and his idea of heaven.
“Wally, do you want to do that?” his mom asked as Wally remained entranced by the inviting imagery on screen. “You wanna go play in the snow? You think they’re playing in the snow,” she continued.
It’s clear that whatever Wally was thinking, he was trying his best to teleport himself to those Italian slopes.
“He’s locked in, ” commented one viewer.
“He’s enthralled,” agreed another.
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Several people reminded us that Wally’s desire to be a part of the action was justified: “I mean, there was a dog in the Olympics this year,” said one.
It’s true: Nazgul, a local dog, made his own bid for Olympic gold after wandering onto the cross country ski course and sprinting his way to the finish line alongside competitors.
The 2-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog became one of the breakout “athletes” of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics — and he didn’t even have a bib number.
His family was away for the day, attending a different Olympic event, and they believed Nazgul was safely secured in his kennel at their house. Instead, the determined pup apparently worked a latch loose, escaped, and headed in the very direction he normally walked with his people.
Not long after, a lean, silver-gray figure appeared on the cross-country skiing course. For a few surreal moments, spectators thought a wolf had wandered onto the track. It was Nazgul — ears up, fully locked in — sprinting down the finishing stretch alongside the competitors as if he belonged there.
The family first learned what had happened when their phones started exploding with messages and videos from friends while they were still hours away. Eventually, they confirmed it was their dog when he even showed up in an official photo-finish image.
Race officials quickly caught Nazgul, and relatives brought him home safely. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the event wasn’t disrupted.
The family suspects he simply went looking for them. As one of his parents explained, Nazgul is used to heading that direction on walks and prefers staying with his “crew.”
Imagine the FOMO if Wally had actually witnessed Nazgul’s romp on TV? I’d give anything to be a fly on that wall.
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Feb 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.