Woman Rescues 'Sick' Puppy, in Disbelief Over What He Grows Up to Be

A dog's three-year transformation has stunned the internet, as he is almost unrecognizable from how he looked as a puppy.

Abby Nelson, the dog's owner, told Newsweek that someone found Wolfie on a street in Arizona when he was about 5 weeks old. The finder quickly passed Wolfie off to Nelson, who did not hesitate to claim the dog.

She initially worried that Wolfie wouldn't survive, as he was sick and covered in fleas and ticks. However, the chorkie—a cross between a Chihuahua and Yorkshire terrier—pulled through, though he later experienced problems with his hind legs.

"I assumed he would probably just move around less, but instead he basically trained his upper body to be strong enough to carry him wherever he wanted to go," Nelson said.

On April 30, Nelson, under the handle @abbynelson1756, posted a video on TikTok that showed how much Wolfie had developed his upper body strength, comparing a photo of what he looked like when she first rescued him with what he looks like now.

In the post's caption, Nelson wrote of the pup's stark transformation, "I'm still in shock honestly."

Dogs unrecognizable three-year transformation
Screenshots from viral TikTok video of a dog's unrecognizable transformation. The dog, Wolfie, built up his upper body strength after having problems with his hind legs. @abbynelson1756/TikTok

The tiny Wolfie that Nelson brought home is now a "good bit bigger" than other chorkies, she said. According to Nelson, Wolfie is about 15 pounds and a foot-and-a-half tall.

Chorkies usually weigh between 5 and 9 pounds, and the breed typically measures between 6 and 9 inches in height.

Wolfie used the stairs at their old house to help build his muscles, Nelson said in a separate TikTok video. She thought he wouldn't use the stairs given his issues with his hind legs, but instead, he climbed the stairs with "max speed." And before they knew it, Wolfie had shoulders that gym rats dream about.

Viewer Reactions

Nelson was not the only one shocked by Wolfie's transformation. In the comments section of the video—which has received 1.5 million views and more than 268,000 likes—hundreds of users expressed their surprise at Wolfie's upper body gains, with one writing, "That is NOT the same dog."

Another added, "Wolfie grew OUT instead of UP!"

"He lied on his resume," a user said.

Another commented, "He's a cutie still."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.

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About the writer


Liz O'Connell is a Newsweek Reporter based in North Carolina. Her focus is on pet news and videos. Liz joined ... Read more

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