Great Dane and Gray Wolf Have Puppies, Viewers Not Prepared for Result – Newsweek

PERSPECTIVE
Published
Sep 24, 2025 at 10:06 AM EDT
updated
Sep 26, 2025 at 11:01 AM EDT
Senior Reporter
An animal rescuer who saved the life of a stray dog on the euthanasia list was curious about its breed, but what the DNA test showed certainly wasn’t what they expected.
Rebecca Landerman, 32, rescued Macie from a shelter in July, after the large dog was seen running around a wooded area with two other dogs. A few locals managed to capture the dogs and took them to a local shelter where they were scanned for microchips and given medical treatment.
Unfortunately, Macie wasn’t microchipped, and she was marked down as FAS, meaning fear, anxiety and stress. As a result, Landerman told Newsweek that the shelter thought it was “more ethical to euthanize” Macie. If she stayed in the shelter any longer, they believed it would only cause her more undue stress.
Thankfully, she caught the eye of Landerman, who runs the nonprofit organization, Rescue Dog Network. Landerman, of West Palm Beach, Florida, instantly took Macie in and found her a suitable foster home.
“When I first saw her, I thought she looked emaciated and fearful beyond belief,” Landerman said. “I was also curious about her breed because of her very long, slim legs, but small ribcage. We didn’t think she was only Great Dane, but not quite greyhound either.”
Macie was given a DNA test to find out more about her ancestry, and the results blew Landerman away.
As it turns out, Macie is 50 percent Great Dane, but also 44 percent Gray Wolf, and 5 percent German shepherd. No wonder she’s such a large dog.
Landerman was “literally screaming” when she saw the DNA results, and suddenly it made so much sense.
“I have saved wolfdogs before, and her temperament is very wolfdog-like, but we just never thought her looks were near it. But now that we know, it makes sense. She is an amazing dog inside and out. Extremely fearful and timid of the outside world, yet knows not to harm you and that she wants to obey you,” Landerman said.
Macie’s foster owner has plenty of experience with wolfdogs, so she’s certainly in capable hands. Indeed, her fosterer is considering keeping her permanently, especially if Macie’s perfect adopter doesn’t come forward soon.
After seeing the results of Macie’s DNA test, Landerman couldn’t resist sharing them on TikTok (@landerwoman). The post has captured so much attention online, leading to more than 31,400 views and over 2,500 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The caption alongside the post reads: “Ever wondered what a great Dane Wolf would look like?”
Many across the internet were stunned to learn that Macie is part wolf, as Landerman told Newsweek that the rescue pup has “become a bit of a sensation.”
As part of her work with Rescue Dog Network, Landerman aims to help as many dogs as she can, whether they’re on the streets, from a backyard breeder, or in a shelter. Lately, she has been focusing mainly on dogs who end up on the euthanasia list through no fault of their own but are still deserving of a second chance, just like Macie.
She is currently caring for several dogs, including ones in need of medical care, and some who need behavioral training before they can be adopted.
Landerman said: “If this story touches anybody or my efforts align with their values, please consider donating. This is a great reminder that we need better laws to prohibit backyard breeding. Until this happens, taxpayer money is funding euthanasia, which means dogs are suffering and dying.”
After Macie’s DNA results went viral, many TikTok users have taken to the comments to show their surprise.
One comment reads: “That is the craziest mix I’ve ever seen.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “The way she doesn’t even look like a wolfdog is what blows my mind, I would’ve guessed greyhound and Great Dane.”
While another person added: “So she’s technically a great wolf?”
Correction 09/26/25, 10:03 a.m. ET: This article was corrected to amend a typo in Macie’s name.
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