Adopted puppy turned out to be a wolf dog

When Neo was adopted, his owner, an Arizona man, knew something wasn't exactly right.

Neo needed constant companionship (he preferred being around the German Shepherds next door), and he'd escape routinely. He would also dig under, jump over or chew through fences.

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According to People, Neo also ignored regular dog treats and wouldn't make eye contact.

Peek at photos of Neo below:

Neo's owner was in for a surprise when he realized he had actually adopted a wolf dog -- an interbred mix of two species.

As the New York Daily News reports, former Humane Society CEO Maureen O'Nell broke the news, saying, "I approached the couple and asked, 'You know that isn't a dog, right?'"

Their response? "We were wondering."

Since most states ban wolf dog ownership, Neo was sent to Wolf Connection, a wolf dog sanctuary in California.

Watch him play with his first friend at the sanctuary below:

While this video is from December 2014, Neo's story just recently went viral.

And the good news is, Neo is thriving!